What does this type of Project look like and what information do I require?
The main focus is for students to experience the start of a new business initiative, the building and execution of an idea from the ground up.
Research paper, videos, blog, podcast, etc...
Who am I? Please include a connection to your Learning Journey assignment, your artifacts and/or portfolio. This section must also include your responses' to the following questions (this will prepare you for your Capstone Interview as well):
Describe a major challenge that you have had to overcome during your Educational pathway or this project?
Who has been most helpful to you throughout your Educational Journey?
What advice would you give "your grade 10 self now" if you could go "Back to the Future"?
How has your experience as an owl prepared you to thrive in life as a member of our community?
Core Competencies - You must include how your passion project connects with:
Personal Social Awareness
Critical and Creative Thinking
Communication
Career Pathways - How does my Research Inquiry connect with my Career Pathways moving forward? You will definitely need a budget for this project!
Mentorship - Please describe a meaningful interaction with someone whos knows something that you do not & how this connects to your passion project. Did you connect with student, teachers and/or members of the community to help support your learning.
Before approving any project, students must be able to answer these seven questions:
1. Is this genuinely interesting to me?
2. Will I have to learn something new?
3. Will I actually DO something—not just research something?
4. Can I spend approximately 30+ meaningful hours on it?
5. Can I create evidence of my progress?
6. Can I connect this to a skill, career, future goal, or personal growth?
7. Will I have something meaningful to show or demonstrate for my Capstone Presentation?
If you answer "no" to 3 or more, the idea needs work...please check in with your Career Life 12 teacher.
This is especially important because BC defines career-life exploration as 30 hours or more of substantive experiential learning intended to deepen or expand students' exposure to career-life possibilities. Passion projects are explicitly included. (B.C. Curriculum)
Who should choose this type of project?
Do you want to own your own business?
Do you want to dive deeper into what it takes?
Do you enjoy marketing and branding?
Do you have a product/business idea and want some time to grow it?
The entrepreneurship pathway asks students to conceptualize a business/product, conduct market research, create a business plan, consider product/price/place/promotion, and develop a budget.
● Clothing brand
● Jewelry business
● Photography business
● Car detailing
● Lawn-care business
● Tutoring service
● Baking business
● Graphic design business
● Social media management
● Photography
● Videography
● App
● Website
● Subscription box
● Fitness program
● Art business
● Custom shoes
● Stickers
● Prints
● Handmade products
● Digital products
● Pet-care business
● Sports training program
Entrepreneurship goes beyond "starting a business"!
A student could also develop:
A solution that could become a business.
For example:
Problem: Students don't know how to prepare meals.
Project: Develop a student cookbook.
Next step: Create a meal-planning website.
Next step: Test it with students.
Next step: Develop a business model.
Now the student has demonstrated:
● research
● design
● communication
● creativity
● problem solving
● entrepreneurship
● feedback
● revision
What are the major considerations for this type of project?
1.) Work with the mentor(s) toward the common goal of creating something that is meaningful.
2.) Conceptualize a business or a product which is original to you
3.) Can you combine this with your Entrepreneurial class?
Career Connection:
Business owner
Marketing and promotion
Real Estate agents
Content creator
Sales Executive
Wellness coach
Core Competencies to consider:
Personal Social Responsiblity
Critical Thinking & Creative Thinking
Communication
What are the steps that I need to consider for this project?
1. Conceptualize:
Authentic or fictional business, profit or not for profit
a. Reflect on the problem you are solving. You need to ask open-ended questions to yourself or a potential customer – ‘Why, What, Who, Where, When and How’ about the problem.
You need to think that you are the customer of your product or service and have that mindset. Remember that customers buy products or services that solve their problems.
b. Work with your teacher or mentor toward the common goal of creating a product!
2. Market research and analysis:
The process of gathering information which will make you more aware of how the people you hope to sell to will react to your current or potential products and services
a. Primary research: original information gathered through your own efforts to respond to a specific question or set of questions. This information is normally gathered through surveys, observation, or experimentation.
b. Research your entrepreneurial endeavor and prepare a business plan
3. Design a business plan: the acquisition of knowledge through researching, writing, interviewing, and application of the real-world skills (www.strategizer.com)
a. Product — Improve your product or service based on findings about what your customers really want and need. Focus on things like function, appearance and customer service or warranties.
b. Price — Set a price based on competitors' prices, or the price a customer is willing to pay.
c. Placement — Decide where to set up and how to distribute a product. Compare the characteristics of different locations and the value of points of sale (retail, wholesale, online).
d. Promotion — Figure out how to best reach particular demographics (teens, families, students, professionals, etc.) in areas of advertising and publicity, social media, and branding
e. Implementation of Service or Product Budget - In the startup phase, you'll have to make reasonable assumptions about your business in establishing your budget.
Base Camp cards
Clothing company
Sticker company
New iphone app
What have SD#23 students done in the past?
Vintage clothing sales (using IG)
Window Washing company
Photography company
Car Detailing