“Students learned about the process of writing and publishing a book but also were inspired by stories of real life entrepreneurs and people just like them who didn’t give up.”
Bullis Charter School, CA
“Skyping with Brian Weisfeld was absolutely worthwhile! The students left their Skype visit with an entrepreneurial mindset. They are inspired and eager to read more! Two of our girls are planning their summertime lemonade stand.”
Ramsay Elementary School, PA
“One of the most difficult things teaching at a Title I school is getting the students excited, engaged, and making them more positive about their futures. You did that today! I can’t give a greater compliment to anyone.”
Florin Elementary School, CA
“Noe is raving about the entrepreneur talk that Brian gave! She was literally quoting the anecdotes he told and is all fired up to start babysitting!! Amazing, impactful job by him!!!”
Brian’s path to publication was a bit unorthodox with twists and turns, ups and downs, and unexpected pivots. His experience as an author, TEDx speaker, and business executive will leave your audience inspired, motivated, and empowered to pursue their goals and passions.
Brian will introduce students to the entrepreneurial mindset and how it can help them become a better student now as well as set them up for a lifetime of achieving their potential. He’ll talk about how grit, a growth mindset, and the right attitude about failure can make all the difference between giving up on your goals and successfully achieving them. Students don’t always see a correlation between what they learn in the classroom and how they’ll apply it to real-life situations. In Brian’s talks, he explains how thinking like an entrepreneur can make classroom concepts come to life and help students see the bridge between what they’re learning now and how it can contribute to their success in the real world.
To bring Brian to your school or organization to inspire your audience, email us today!
Inspire Your Kids With The Following Programs:
Win Some, Learn Some
How Thinking Like an Entrepreneur Can Help Students Reach Their Potential
Not every kid will grow up to be on Shark Tank, serve as a CEO, or become a business owner. But every kid can benefit from thinking like an entrepreneur. The entrepreneurship mindset can help all kids learn life skills and develop qualities that will prepare them to pursue their passions and reach their potential, whatever they want to do in life.
This session will teach students:
- How to turn their passions and interests into entrepreneurial endeavors. Do you have students who love animals? Sports? Arts and crafts? Technology? Hear how some kids have turned their passions into big, successful businesses.
- Why failure is a good thing. While many see failure as a sign to give up, it’s really just a data point on the road to success. The inevitable failures we all face will help us develop grit, persistence, and adaptability – qualities that will serve all students well, regardless of the direction they want to head in life.
- That even famous people failed before they succeeded. Did you know that when Beyoncé was twelve, she lost as a contestant on Star Search? Or that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team? Not everyone’s pathway to success was a straight one, including Bill Gates, whose first company went bust! When students see that even celebrities experience failure, and hear about Brian’s speed bumps on his path to publication, it’ll inspire them to push through their own inevitable failures on their journey to achieve success.
The Business of Being a Student
The Power of the Entrepreneurial Mindset to Help Students in the Classroom
An entrepreneurial mindset is not just something that will help students down the road; it will set them up for success right now, as they’re learning in the classroom, developing good study habits, collaborating with others on team projects, and stretching their creative muscles. Even for students who have no interest in starting a business, the basic concepts of entrepreneurship will be impactful on their development and growth potential.
In this session, students will learn:
- Why reading, writing and ‘rithmetic are necessary skills beyond school. How many times have you heard a student say, “But I’m never gonna use this <insert subject or skill here> in real life!” Showing them that it’s necessary to read, write, and calculate in order to create a sales pitch, challenge your competition, or determine your gross profits will demonstrate how classroom concepts translate into real-life skills that matter.
- What an “entrepreneurial mindset” is and why it matters. The power of grit, the adoption of a growth mindset, comfort with risk, and the ability to see problems as opportunities all stem from being able to think like an entrepreneur. Developing an entrepreneurial mindset will help students pursue their passions, whatever they are.
- How to embrace risks and welcome failure. Instead of seeing failure as a roadblock or a reason to give up, students will view it as a chance to learn, adapt, grow, and get better. Failure isn’t what happens when we don’t succeed, it’s what happens when we don’t try in the first place. How we deal with failure makes all the difference in how resilient, persistent, and determined we become.
Brian’s path to becoming a published author was incredibly curvy and bumpy, and he’ll explain how his entrepreneurial mindset helped him manage (and overcome) the many brutally honest rejections he faced. Brian will also talk about how The Startup Squad provides inspiration and information to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset that’ll propel them toward reaching their potential, both now in the classroom and into the future.
Jumpstart Your Fundraising Program
Let The Startup Squad Motivate Your Kids to Raise More Money
The Startup Squad will inspire and excite your students about your fundraising projects, then help you leverage that enthusiasm into more money raised and a bigger ROI. In this talk, Brian will share the main principles from The Startup Squad to help motivate your students to get in touch with their inner entrepreneur, resulting in more successful fundraising campaigns for your school or organization.
Students will learn:
- How the five Ps can help you reach your fundraising goals. Place, people, product, price, and pitch are the five elements that set the stage for success for any fundraising project. Once students understand how these five Ps work together, they’ll be more effective and self-motivated to sell and fundraise.
- Fundraising tips to make your campaign more fun and successful. Getting students to fundraise doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth. Once they understand how to make the most out of every booth, customer interaction, and sales opportunity, they’ll naturally feel more equipped and excited to do their part in boosting revenue. Plus, they’ll have more fun!
- The importance of embracing and learning from failure. Playing it safe rarely makes for a great success story. Risk-taking is necessary for growth and development–and money-making. When students understand it’s okay to fail, they are bolder and more creative in their decision-making and approach to fundraising.
Brian can customize this program to your fundraising campaign and incorporate real world examples that will resonate with your students and help them reach their and your goals.
Brian Can Inspire Adults, Too With The Following Programs:
From Lemonade Stand to Leader
How to Help Your Children Reach Their Potential Through Entrepreneurship
Not every child will grow up to be on Shark Tank, serve as a CEO, or become a business owner. But every kid can benefit from thinking like an entrepreneur. An entrepreneurial mindset will help all children learn life skills and develop qualities that will prepare them to pursue their passions and reach their potential, whatever they want to do in life. Brian’s journey from executive to youth entrepreneurship advocate will inspire and empower you to help your kids reach their potential.
This session will help parents:
- Understand the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset for kids. The power of grit, the adoption of a growth mindset, comfort with risk, and the ability to see problems as opportunities all stem from being able to think like an entrepreneur. An entrepreneurial mindset can help children realize their potential to pursue their passions–whatever they are.
- Instill an entrepreneurial mindset in their kids. What do you talk about with your children during dinner? While walking down the street? What words do you choose when you speak with them? How you interact with them–and what you talk about–can make a bigger impact than you think.
- Find resources to guide their kids’ journey. Brian will share some of his favorite entrepreneurial-themed books for adults and kids as well as local camps, after-school programs, and organizations to help your children start or grow their business.
Girl Scout Cookies and Fairy Books: An Unlikely Path to Authorship
Brian’s Crazy Journey Can Inspire You to Push Through Resistance on the Path to Success
In Brian’s previous life, he was a business executive helping fledgling brands transform into billion-dollar companies. Today, he’s the co-author of a children’s book series and founder of The Startup Squad with a mission to help young girls understand and unleash their potential to shatter the glass ceiling and change the world.
Brian credits his two young daughters, a mountainous supply of Girl Scout cookies, and way too many bedtime fairy books with providing the inspiration for his radical change in career. He’ll share his journey in this inspirational, educational (and at times, humorous) talk that focuses on:
- His journey from business exec to girlpreneur advocate.
- How to turn inspiration into perspiration, then eventually, into something that just might change the world.
- Facing obstacles with courage and separating emotion from criticism.
- Flipping the switch on problems and viewing them as opportunities.
- Starting over in your career and facing the “f word” (failure).
Join Brian as he details the journey that led him from the boardroom to the bookstore, where he’s frequently and happily signing books and meeting the kids who will someday define our future.