About Us
The National Association of Youth-Owned Businesses (NAYOB) also known as (The National Youth Chambers of Commerce)was founded in the summer of 2008. It wasn't until a Youth Venture Businesses Conference at American University, that NAYOB's founder, Connell Wise, became interested in instituting an organization like NAYOB. Prior to NAYOB, he was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of a small online news website, Connell Wise Broadcasting Network (CWBN).
It was during the Youth Venture conference Connell, began thinking about a national trade-association, with which he held a student membership. Through this membership he noticed that the trade-association did not know how to properly handle teenage clientele. Moreover, while attending the Youth Venture conference he met other high school and college age students who operated businesses/ventures; From his interaction with these young entreprenuers, he saw that many did not have the correct knowledge, experience, funding, or networking skills to run their business. So, Connell began consulting and researching the issue, and found no current trade-associations for 13-25 year old youth. Thus, Connell saw a need to fill the void. Resultig in, what is today's first National trade-association for 13-25 year old Business Executives and Social Entrepreneur.
Mission Statement NAYOB is The World's 1st Trade-Association for 13-25 Year Old Business Executives and Social Entrepreneur. As an membership organization that is dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and civic engagement, in 13-25 year old entrepreneurs, and to encourage the highest and noblest form of professionalism, and aid the community in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and intellectual status by continuing the change message through action.
Compared to other established youth entrepreneurial programs, we take a comprehensive approach in meeting the personal and professional needs of the youth business owners. We recognize the professional and personal dynamics that interplay in pursuit of entrepreneurial success. Therefore, we provide services to meet their unique professional needs in starting and continuing a venture such as workforce development training and consulting; marketing communication strategies; human capital/volunteer management; and network with other youth businesses. And in personal development, we provide personal health/wealth training; life skills education; public speaking; leadership development; and educational assistance. Furthermore, we promote community investment opportunities among our membership such as a highly encouraging that all members provide a one day of service to its community (e.g. providing pro-bono computer services to the elderly if they have a computer business).