TREP$ ED LLC

The TREP$ Story
The Background
When our sons Jack and Hans were around nine, these two best friends went into a
business together. Although everything did not go perfectly, they managed to create
products to sell at the PTA vendor night. As we got closer to the sale date, their
excitement, and our nervousness, grew! At nine, most children avoid starting
conversations with adults, but they would need to talk to adults to sell their products!
Would they pull it off? To our amazement they became the most outgoing salesmen we
had ever seen, working their sales pitch magic on each mom who walked in. Seeing what
they were capable of as young entrepreneurs was inspiring. With our own backgrounds
in business and education, we became excited with the thought of bringing this
empowering life-enhancing experience to more children.
Developing TREP$
Accordingly, we decided to offer a 6 week entrepreneurship education program through
the parent association at our children’s elementary school. We named it “TREP$”, short
for enTREPreneurS. Business lessons would be taught in “workshops” with us as
“facilitators,” instead of in “classrooms” by “teachers,” since we wanted to create a
student-centered, exciting, interactive experience. In addition to business skills, we
hoped to teach life skills and 21st century skills to help kids in every aspect of their lives.
Most importantly, the program would finish with a REAL marketplace, where the young
entrepreneurs would put their skills to the test as they launched their businesses, selling
REAL products to REAL customers for REAL money.
Growing TREP$
The initial pilot of the program was an incredible success, earning our school the state’s
highest honor. The next year, our school earned national recognition, being ranked in the
top five for the Phoebe Apperson-Hearst Award. Area schools saw the press and heard
the talk that TREP$ generated, and the opportunity to spread this memory-making
experience to more children became clear. With our experience piloting the program, we
had all the information we needed to create a “kit” so that other schools could offer
TREP$. As volunteers ourselves, we worked hard to make sure that the start-up kit
would be user-friendly and time-saving, including everything a school or parent
association would need to successfully bring this enriching experience to the children in
their district.
Our Vision
We intend to offer a premier educational program that will be an inspiration to children,
teaching them not only the basic elements of entrepreneurship, but the finer aspects of
business that relate to life in general. This well-conceived program will offer those who
implement it the organizational structure they need, as well as numerous time-saving
advantages. Our intention is that TREP$ will become a mainstay for the schools; one that
creates memories for the children, increases morale in the students and parents, promotes positive press, and offers a creative venue for children to learn the value of passion, determination and hard work.

• Ian Fisk wrote (2 years ago):

  The William James Foundation has announced 8 competitions that together provide $100,000 in cash and in kind support for sustainable entrepreneurs. Entrants can be of any age or from anywhere in the world. First round deadline is December 4th. Details at: www.williamjamesfoundation.org/press.

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