Open to Greece, Hilton and Spencerport students,
year-long class helps students develop their own business
Hilton student Noah Corette is only a junior, but already he is running his own business.
Noah participated in the Young Entrepreneur’s Academy (YEA!) through the Greece Chamber of Commerce, a year-long class that helps students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own real, legal, fully-formed companies.
“My mom heard about the program, so we decided to go to the information session,” said Noah, the son of Cynthia and Aaron Corette of Hamlin. “I had the idea for my business before I started though.” His business is Toller Brand Game Calls, which offers handmade duck calls. A hunter since the age of 12, Noah comes from a family of hunters and decided to begin making the calls after finding an old wood lathe in a barn.
Noah began classes last November, devoting about four hours a week to the program in addition to his regular schoolwork. Classes take place after school from 3:30-6 p.m. at Bryant and Stratton College in Greece and give students the opportunity to hear from business mentors and investors, and attend behind-the-scenes field trips to local businesses. Each student works with a mentor throughout the program along with instructors from the Greece Chamber. Noah worked with Brendan J. Donnelly, founder and CEO of Fishers Development Group, and Jodie Perry, former president/CEO of the Greece Chamber of Commerce.
“The Chamber sees the importance of teaching students the ideas and tactics behind entrepreneurialism,” said Paula Guck, who now leads the program. “It is a great opportunity to bridge the gap between the education and business communities. Our business members love being involved in the program and having a chance to share their expertise with the next generation.”
In May, Noah pitched his business plan to a panel of investors, who were impressed enough to invest $1,700 in Toller Brand Game Calls. The money was used to purchase a new wood lathe, drill press, band saw and other tools that now help Noah produce his game calls faster and easier. He also was selected to represent the Greece Chamber at the Northeastern Regional YEA! Saunders Semi-Finals in Rochester and out of 24 semi-finalists, Noah was selected to advance to the Finals in Washington, DC on June 11.
“There were a lot of really impressive people there and I spent a lot of the time networking,” said Noah of his three-day visit. The competition takes place during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce America’s Small Business Summit which gives students the opportunity to meet and learn from billionaires who built their businesses from the ground up.
Noah, along with five other finalists, had six minutes to pitch his business plan to a panel of 11 legendary entrepreneurs, including Peter Cancro, CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Phil Saunders, philanthropist and entrepreneur. While Noah didn’t place in the top three, he gained a wealth of valuable experience.
“Right now I can’t handcraft enough calls to make a lot of money, but I’d like to develop a new call that I can mass produce,” said Noah. At Hilton High School, he is also a student in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, an international, rigorous pre-university course of study. When he graduates in 2016, Noah plans to attend Rochester Institute of Technology.
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy sponsored by the Greece Chamber of Commerce is holding a Free Information Session on Tuesday, September 30 at 6 p.m. at Bryant and Stratton College, 854 Long Pond Road. This program is open to students in the Hilton, Greece and Spencerport School Districts. To RSVP or for more information, contact Paula Guck at 227-7272 or visit www.greecechamber.org.
