In a time when most business owners are tightening their belts, it is often hard to stay positive and optimistic.

A couple of weeks ago, I experienced more inspiration and hopefulness for the future of small business when I spoke to the young entrepreneurs attending the Napa Valley College second annual Business Boot Camp.

 The Business Boot Camp took place the week of June 22. It was a jam-packed week of learning about business for the 24 campers ranging in ages from 13 to 21. The “campers” learned strategies for forming a mission and vision statement, marketing, financing, and developing a product and selling strategies. They heard stories from guest speakers who’ve blazed the business trail. Charlie Monahan, interim director of the NVC Small Business Development Center and Ian MacNeil, program coordinator of the NVC Hospitality and Tourism Management Program led the business intensive training. The week concluded with “campers” presenting their inspired business plans to a packed audience of instructors, local business owners and parents.

“The classroom was alive with creation” said Carolynne Gamble, a SBDC business adviser, who helped in the classroom. “I am amazed with the student’s ability for teamwork and multi-tasking. Their ideas are innovative and very inspiring.”

The final business plan presentations were diverse, ranging from a sports agency to a local, natural sustainable restaurant. Other business teams had plans to start a mobile café, a premium wine brand tasting room, an import/export firm, a Christian skate board production company and an Internet gaming swap center.

“This was life changing for me,” said, Diana Camacho, a participating student, and inspired entrepreneur, who developed a plan for a local event planning business.

Campers were visited by local business owners and also had the opportunity to take field trips. Entrepreneur-engineer John Bennett of Pioneer Consulting presented his solar voltaic teaching. A field trip to Anette’s Chocolate included a tour and tastes as owner Anette Madsen and her brother, Brent, spoke to the group about the joys and the struggles of owning a business. Dean Bowen from Net-Flow coached the camp on how to turn prospects into customers and to turn customers into raving fans. Peter Eugenio from Mellange studios encouraged the campers to follow their dreams.

“Our students are still beaming from the experience”, said Miki Hsu Leavy, coach with On the Move, which sponsored five students in the business camp. 

“It really was a powerfully positive week” said Charlie Monahan. “We were surprised at how much was accomplished and how students focused and applied their business knowledge and had fun.”

 The week-long camp was provided with funding from the Career Technical Education Division of California’s Community Colleges. Napa Valley College Youth Entrepreneur Program will continue to work with young entrepreneurs to assist in teaching youth about business and entrepreneurship.

This fall, NVC will host the second annual Business Plan Competition for high school and college students. For more information call the SBDC at 253-3210.