CANTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — A new program in southeast Michigan is pairing teenagers with Ikea and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business proposals to the retailer’s leadership team.
I was one of the judges and spoke with some of the ambitious high school students and supporters of the program about the opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
It’s the only Ikea store in Michigan, so it may look familiar, but the reason the students were there today was not to shop.
For eleventh-grader Brendan White, there is no other career option than that of an entrepreneur.
“I want to own my own real estate agency and generate a variety of passive income – for example, from selling vending machines.” he says.
And he knows how important it is to be with people who can help him achieve his dreams.
“I did a little research before I came here today,” he says. “I felt like I had to make a big impression. I get a little nervous sometimes, so I’m still working on it.”
He did not take the opportunity to speak to business leaders at Ikea in Canton on Thursday lightly.
He and about fifteen other high school students from the Detroit metropolitan area were given the opportunity to present marketing ideas to the global multimillion-dollar company as part of the Retail Business Program.
It is a partnership with the Black United Fund.
“We wanted to make sure they learned from some of the top retailers,” says Carlotta Tutt Holloway of the Black United Fund.
Their week-long program was designed specifically for students like Brendan by a leader who was once in their situation.
“I’m originally from the Detroit area. I’m a young black boy who didn’t understand what types of jobs there were in the creative field. It just felt like a good thing.” says Kevin Matthews from Ikea. “To open up opportunities and jobs for other black and brown kids that we may not know about.”
Matthews is now Area Marketing Manager at Ikea.
“I also wanted to make sure that an African-American leader was represented, so I felt it was important to be a part of it,” Matthews says.
This is the second student group of the Black United Fund and they have no plans to stop.
“Many students aren’t aware of these opportunities, so we wanted to make sure they were aware that they can be marketing experts and start their own business,” says Tutt Holloway.
After winning the competition with the idea of bringing famous rapper Skilla Baby to Ikea, Brendan and his group will now take part in the top retailer’s year-long program to further develop their skills and potentially have a chance to win a trip to Ikea Sweden.
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