Becoming an Entrepreneur During COVID-19

Becoming an Entrepreneur During COVID-19

November 19 is National Entrepreneurs’ Day. On this day, we honor entrepreneurs, who are considered the foundation of this country. It is thanks to these people that we have developed and thrived throughout the years. Read about some of America’s most influential entrepreneurs below.

Andrew Carnegie: founder of the Carnegie Steel Company. He also invested in many car companies, messenger services, and land that contained oil.

Henry Ford: founder of the Detroit Automobile Company and the Cadillac Motor Car Company, before finally setting up the Ford Motor Company.

Oprah Winfrey: founder of Harpo Studios and co-founder of Oxygen Media. She was a successful TV personality and entrepreneur who grew her brand through many years of successful media marketing.

Bill Gates: founder of Microsoft. He is the second-richest person in the world and builder of the world’s largest and most influential tech companies. His focus today is on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Larry Page: co-founder of Google. As the world’s number one search engine, the terms “google”, “googled”, and “googling” have made it into the English dictionary.

In our current national climate with COVID-19 raging, now more than ever are entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial spirit important to thrive. Out of this crisis, many entrepreneurial businesses have been forced to change in order to meet new needs. For instance, the need for hand sanitizer was met by brewers and distillers, and the manufacture of ventilators was met by automotive companies. Many home-sewers chipped in to donate re-useable face masks for front-line workers when quantities were low.

For this year’s Entrepreneurs’ Day, we challenge students to think like these creative people. Imagine a need that has arisen due to this pandemic. Create a product or organization that will meet this need. Prepare a business plan and explain how it meets the new needs faced in today’s climate, and how it will thrive in the future.

For inspiration, check out our free bonus worksheets from our Learning Problem Solving ready-made lesson plan found here.