The Future Enterprises club, a new business-oriented club at Chapel Hill, is gearing up to profit this year.
The club has students create their own small businesses, both on and of ine and compete to see which group can make the most pro t by the end of the year. The club’s advisor is Algie Brodnax, Chapel Hill’s business education teacher.
“It’s just so hard to start a business,” Brodnax said. “We’re just trying to help each other start our own.” Brodnax owns three businesses, which he operates on- line.
All members will be allowed to keep their pro ts, with their total earnings and sales being tracked on a real-time spread- sheet.
Senior Houari Bakour, president of the club, has big plans for the year.
“We can have these kids do something really good,” he said. “I see that they have these skills that we can use to do great things. The potential is what motivated me to become president.”
The club has a $20 member- ship fee, which covers resources such as computer software and opens up further possibilities for its members. The club plans to go on eld trips to speak with real- world entrepreneurs later in the year.
Although there is a competi- tive aspect to the club, Brodnax is more focused on feedback and mentorship than end-of-year prof- its.
“We want to create an environment where fellow entrepreneurs can come together and share the experiences they’ve learned to help each other’s businesses thrive,” vice president and sophomore Porter Lonegan said.
Members have already started launching their businesses, with three already. One of them, named The Aurum Lifestyle, is an online store that sells various clothing items and accessories.
“Essentially, we’re trying to get a better idea of how to start and maintain a business and pur- sue it as a career in the future,” sophomore Ethan Botts said. “Right now, the club is just at its beginning. We already have a website up, so we’re advertising and helping with that.”
Most members lack previ- ous business experience, but its founders hope to teach their mem- bers lessons through real-world experience.
“We’re doing hands-on expe- rience for right now. We’re trying to get a really good sense of what we’re diving into,” Bakour said.
For many members, such as freshman Grif n Rahn, the club serves as an opportunity to pick up new skills as an entrepreneur. “I heard a lot of good things about the club,” he said. “I thought it would be a good way to start a business and, hopefully, make some money.”
Although the club is only a few months into its first year, Bakour is con dent it will achieve great heights. “A year is a long time, and every day is an opportunity to make money,” he said. “If we do our research right, I see a potential of making up to 10k a month.
