Entrepreneurship class is opportunity for students to own their own business

Jordan Douglas and Terrez Smith present their company, Mad Clean, to visitors at the 2017 Avondale High School Business Showcase

For two students in the Avondale High School Entrepreneurship class, an assignment became reality when they set off on a journey translating an idea into a small business. The students, Terrez Smith and Jordan Douglas, were tasked in the class with developing an idea for a product or service that could make money; teach the students first-hand what owning and operating a business would be like; and be an opportunity for students to experience personal growth. Terrez and Jordan teamed up to develop a cleaning product called Mad Clean. The environmentally-friendly and non-toxic substance is made by mixing everyday household products to create a product that cleans and acts as a deodorizer.

Knowing their audience was one factor for the students, both juniors at Avondale High School, when deciding what type of business they wanted to start. “We wanted to create something that would be useful to people who have money to spend,” said Terrez. “We figured that meant adults who like things to be clean,” he added. That notion paid off as the two have sold more of their product than any other company in the class.

Mad Clean was featured during the 2017 Avondale High School Business Showcase this month along with nine other student-run companies from the class. The companies, made up of two-student teams included Express Wear, Roy G. Biv Products, Miss Bee, Machiados, Sugar and Spice, Colorful Spirits, Skinergy, Vigorous Marketing and Naturaliz. Businesses were a mix of products and services reflecting the students’ interpretation of what people would pay for. In addition to selling during the Showcase, Terrez and Jordan took their product door-to-door.

“We got a lot of rejections,” said Jordan about the door-to-door experience and feeling the pain of owning his own business, “but we have another plan to give free samples of Mad Clean to local cleaners.”

“We learned that some things are going to work in business and some things aren’t,” said Terrez. “You have to have a Plan B,” said Jordan, finishing the thought.

Plan B is learned the hard way - through trial and error. Plan A is taught in the class in the form of a business plan worthy of presentation to financial lenders and is a requirement of the course curriculum. In addition, students learn about marketing and developing a marketing plan that targets the audience for their business. The students then create all of the advertising pieces including brochures, flyers, business cards, display advertising, and any other marketing opportunity they can think of. The students also have to set up accounting for the business. They are responsible for tracking sales, the costs of product development, other costs of doing business, and of course, profits which were donated to charities chosen by each student team. Terrez and Jordan donated their profits to the American Childhood Cancer Organization.

The Entrepreneurship class curriculum goes beyond the logistics of running a business as students develop and refine the soft employment skills that businesses say current high school and college graduates lack. Soft skills include written and verbal communication, organization, problem solving, taking initiative, and collaboration – all skills that can be developed through the experience of owning your own business under the watchful eye of a mentor-teacher.

“The most important thing we learned though,” said Terrez, “is that to be successful at whatever you are doing you should be passionate about it.”

Terrez and Jordan are both enrolled in the Avondale/Baker College Early College Program and though they don’t plan to continue with Mad Clean after graduation, both feel the adventure was a useful step forward with their career plans. When they graduate from Avondale High School, both students will have also earned their Associate Degree in Business Administration from Baker College and have business ownership experience under their belts. Terrez does want to start his own business - but in the service industry rather than the product industry. Jordan will continue his education after Baker College as he plans to earn a degree in Psychiatry and open his own practice.