Action Plan Title: Empowered Together: Entrepreneurship as a Remedy for Disconnection

Yasmin K.

Hometown/Country: Vancouver, Canada

Program/Year: Leadership Institute On-Campus (2024)

Please describe your Action Plan in one sentence

My action plan spotlights industry-leading entrepreneurs and innovators to help the younger generation feel connected, motivated, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Describe your project in detail, including what steps you've taken to advance your project. 

Throughout the year, Empowered Together has invited 12 industry-leading founders to speak to our business club and senior school community, aligning with my internal mission of fostering entrepreneurial literacy amongst passionate youth. By interviewing these world-class entrepreneurs and opening our conversations into a school-wide Q&A, I actively invite inquisitive students to connect with founders. For instance, during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), I interviewed the brothers behind Organika Health, North America's leading health and wellness brand, in front of 1K+ people. 

Additionally, we invite 10 other industry leaders from various sectors, including food, technology, accounting, marketing, and venture capital, to name a few. Overall, we truly connected with our students, which was proven at our "Makers Fair" in the spring, where students who had started businesses earlier in the year sold over $ 1,000 worth of goods to donate to the Women in Afghanistan charity. 

Describe the need or issue you are trying to address in one or two sentences.

Many students are passionate about entrepreneurship but feel isolated, intimidated, or unsure of how to begin. Empowered Together inspires connections between youth and accomplished founders, fostering confidence through providing insightful interviews, Q&As, and real-world exposure.

What next steps will you take regarding your Action Plan?

Next year, I aim to continue interviewing inspiring founders, matching cultural celebrations and heritage months with the entrepreneurs I speak with. By executing impact-driven events, I hope to energize, connect, and truly transform students' confidence towards their entrepreneurial endeavors. For example, during Black History Month in February or Women's History Month in March, I have grand plans to invite meaningful speakers who fit those themes to lead interviews, workshops, and one-on-one talks with students who are passionate about that area of entrepreneurship. More importantly, I want students, irrespective of their grade level, to feel connected, motivated, and ready to become change makers. 

How did you get interested in this issue? Why does this issue matter to you and why should it matter to others? What new insight or learning do you have about this issue? 

For years, I have been amazed by the incredible products created by the world's greatest entrepreneurs. I spent hours binge-watching Shark Tank and researching the journeys of entrepreneurs behind the products I use every day. I was fascinated by everything entrepreneurship has to offer. However, I felt discouraged by the lack of immersive experiences and support from my own school, which stifled my curiosity. That is why I started Empowered Together – I know many students like me want to be supported, heard, and motivated by the right industry leaders, so they can continue innovating and reaching their full human potential. 

How have others been involved in your project? What are their respective roles? If you did work with other people, what are the challenges and benefits of working with others? If you've done this project almost entirely on your own, how can you get others involved? 

I intend to invite other Business Club members to interview founders just as I have. By providing them with the opportunity to practice public speaking, engage in genuine conversations, and connect with the founders on a deeper level, I aim to ignite a greater sense of passion and curiosity for entrepreneurship within them

What impact do you think your project has had?

Empowered Together has helped demystify entrepreneurship for hundreds of students who once felt alone or unsure about pursuing their ideas. By connecting them with real founders—through school-wide interviews, interactive Q&As, and events like our Maker’s Fair—we have created a culture where entrepreneurship feels accessible, inspiring, and rooted in community. Seeing students take action—launching ventures, pitching ideas, or even raising funds for causes like Women in Afghanistan—proves that this initiative truly activates passion.

What challenges and obstacles have you experienced and how have you addressed these challenges?

One major challenge was getting busy, high-profile founders to say "yes!" to speaking in front of hundreds of students. At first, many of my cold outreach emails went unanswered. So, I refined my messaging—making it more personal, concise, and mission-driven—and began leveraging mutual connections and LinkedIn to build my credibility. Sure enough, founders (from wellness, tech, VC, and finance) saw the value in speaking directly to the next generation, and my response rate soared! 

Another challenge was self-doubt. As a high schooler, I often questioned whether these conversation were "cringy" or something that others would even care about. But every time a student came up to me after an event saying, “That was so cool, Yazzy!,” I was reminded that entrepreneurial education is truly life-changing and empowering for so many. By showing up consistently, staying grounded in my mission, and listening to feedback from peers, I have turned those challenges into avenues for personal growth

What knowledge or skills did you learned during your BELL/Leadership Institute course you have applied to your work on this project? 

Listening > speaking, not being unafraid of vulnerability, plus consistently showing up for yourself and others. 

What tips and advice would you give to new students as they think about developing and working on their Action Plan?

1. Start with what truly excites you. Focus on a problem or idea you are genuinely passionate about, and not just what looks impressive.

2. Don’t wait to have the full plan. Just reach out to one person, test one idea, or start one conversation.

3. You don’t need to be formally recognized to be making a difference—just someone who cares and acts.

4. Real change is often quiet and slow, so don’t abandon ideas when immediate success doesn't roll around. 

5. Aim to be the most consistent, curious, and courageous person in the room.