60% of Teens Say Would Prefer to Start Business

3 in 5 American teens (60%) would be more interested in starting their own business than having a traditional job, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement USA. While nearly 2 in 5 teens (37%) who are interested in starting their own business cite social media influencers/celebrities as their top inspiration, nearly half of teens (45%) feel it’s most beneficial to hear about starting their own business from business owners. Additionally, nearly 2 in 5 teens (37%) would be interested in programs in-school or after-school that focus on teaching entrepreneurship.

To help address this interest, Junior Achievement USA, with the support of The Hartford, is launching the JA Company Program—Pop-Up ® . The program is an accelerated version of Junior Achievement’s experiential high school entrepreneurship program, the JA Company Program.

Since 2014, The Hartford has been dedicated to supporting the JA Company Program, which empowers high school students to fill a need or solve a problem in their community. The new Pop-Up model teaches middle and high school students how to plan, launch, and operate their own pop-up business venture in only seven sessions of a facilitator-led experience involving educators and local business leaders.

“These survey results show that teens are more interested than ever in starting a business,” said Ashley Charest, President, Junior Achievement of Kansas. “Even more encouraging is that many realize insights from entrepreneurs and education can play a role in better preparing them for a career in entrepreneurship. That’s why we are proud to partner with The Hartford on this new initiative.”

To learn more about JA Company Program—Pop-Up ® , or other Junior Achievement initiatives, visit www.JA.org.