TAMPA, Fla. — During the past six years, a program known as Young Entrepreneurial Students or ‘YES’ has helped students in low-income neighborhoods start their own businesses.
The program is now looking to reach the younger generation and get them on track to create a business at a young age.
What You Need To Know
- YES was founded by Sammy Ortiz, and is now looking to take the program to the younger generation
- 65 students have gone through the program and 12 students have succeeded in starting their own business
- Diego Grant went through the program and started his own landscaping business at 18 years old
Program founder Sammy Ortiz said so far, 12 students have started their own businesses.
One of those students is Diego Grant, who started his own landscaping business known as “Doing Real Good” lawn service.
For Grant, cranking up his tools and cutting grass isn’t just a chore — it’s a job.
“The reason I like doing this business is because it keeps me active,” Grant said.
He started his lawn service four years ago at 18 years old. He said this business is important to him.
“This is something that I’m going to use long term,” he said. “And I can teach this to other people and help them out.”
He said it hasn’t been easy, but the number of customers he serves continues to grow.
”So I started off with 11 accounts and I worked my way up to 20,” he said.
Although Grant loves his job, it wasn’t always something he wanted to do. Through mentoring and by teaching business skills, the YES program helped shape his career path.
“YES has helped me by providing the knowledge and the basic need to know of starting a business,” Grant said. “And it’s helped me having a go-getter mindset.”
Ortiz said the skills that students learn can be a ripple effect.
“Even if young people don’t start a business, at least they have learned something that most of their peers may not ever go through, learning how to start something from nothing,” Ortiz said.
Now that the program is being expanded, Ortiz says the goal is to boost economic development.
“Hopefully those students, even if they go to college and yet come back, they will start business in the area,” Ortiz said. “And then we can curve the gentrification that’s already on our doorsteps.”
Grant said this program helped him think about his future and how he could help his family.
The program is currently in Hillsborough and in two elementary schools in Pasco County. Ortiz said their goal is to expand into all schools in Pasco County.
