Youth CEO Clubs
"When the Student is Ready, The Teacher Will Appear!"

For Ages 7 - 18
Copyright  2008 Angels Press. All Rights Reserved



Youth CEO Clubs
Cathy Harris, CEO
P.O. Box 870849
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
Phone:  (770) 873-2072
Website:  http://www.YouthCEOClubs.com
Email:   info@YouthCEOClubs.com
OPEN LETTER TO ALL BLACK MOTHERS:
What You Must Do Now To Save Your Children


This is an open letter and national action plan to save black youths by helping them become business owners. 

This open letter and national action plan is directed to all black mothers, black grandmothers, foster parents or anyone who is raising a black child.

One of the most rewarding experiences a black woman will face in her lifetime is raising a black child.  For many it will be a difficult journey along the way.

There is no blueprint to show you how to raise a black child! 

But what black mothers must do now to save their children is to sit down with their children that are at least age 7 and above and encourage them to investigate the possibility of becoming a business owner.

With 70 to 80% of all black households being ran by single parents, who are mostly black women, what choice do we have?  As heads of the household and primary caregivers, it’s up to black women to guide, mold and nourish their youths into successful members of society.  

We can no longer tell our youths to go to school and get a job.  Due to the failing economy and this administration, the whole paradigm has now shifted and that’s why schools are serving as ‘feeder systems’ into prisons.

In the past black youths went to school, got out and got jobs and worked for 30 years and retired.  But now if you end up in the workplace, there’s a good chance that you will be forced out no matter what type of credentials you have acquired.

Because of the economy, the people in charge in the workplace are bringing in their relatives and friends at an alarming rate, and this practice has totally polluted most workplaces in America.  So why do we continue to prepare our kids for a workplace that doesn’t want them in the first place? 

Instead let’s prepare our youths to become successful business owners!

Self-Imposed Limitations:

  • I know it has to be extremely hard for a single black woman to raise a black male child but I know plenty of women who have done a great job of it.
  • Black mothers have got to stop making excuses or putting self-imposed limitations on themselves such as:
  • I am a single parent
  • My mom did drugs
  • My father left home
  • We came from the projects 

Remember ‘words’ are powerful and many of you are manifesting negativity into your lives.  And if you don’t take control of that negativity, it will turn into a ‘monster’ that will eventually turn into some type of psychological problem. And that’s a very bad place to be!

Black mothers must also stop beating themselves up when their kids don’t turn out the way they thought they would.  You just need to realize that you did the best you could.

Our Family Pact:

As a single mother, I was able to raise two daughters alone.  Both my daughters, now 25 and 26, have Master’s Degrees.  I did this while working for 20 years on shift work in the high-pressured career of federal law enforcement in which I had two things against me: 1) The fact that I was a woman, and 2) the fact that I was an African American. But still I never made excuses for my career choice.  You just have to keep your eyes on the prize.  

My daughters and I made a pact when they were 6 and 7 years old.   The agreement was - I would go out and work hard to put food on the table but they needed to meet me half way by doing what was expected of them.  They realized at an early age that education was the key to great opportunities so they stayed focused and prepared for college despite all the obstacles we had to face.

I am in no way bragging about any accomplishments I’ve made with my family but the way I see it in these days and times, black mothers have only two choices to make: 1) turn their youths, especially black males, over to the criminal justice system, or 2) allow them to participate in something they can be proud of…like their own business. 

Black Youths are Multi-talented!

Our kids are multi-talented! So what are you waiting on?  It’s time to invest in them!  They have the strength, the tenacity, the boldness and the aggressiveness to become successful business owners.

So why are you standing in their way?  There are ethical business mentors, consultants and coaches that would love to help your kids succeed in business, but first you have to see the vision and take the proper steps to make this happen.  Do your research by all means, but stop blocking the progress of your children! 

A New Concept:

Youth business ownership is a ‘new concept’ especially in the black community.  And for some, it’s going to be an uphill battle because people don’t embrace new things.  Chances are support from the community will probably be slow.  That’s why it’s extremely important for black parents to be on board with their kids as they maneuver through this uncharted territory of youth business ownership.

No one expects black mothers to teach their youths about entrepreneurship when most of them don’t understand business themselves.   But what is expected of black mothers is to encourage, allow and assist your youths to investigate the possibility of becoming a business owner.   In other words, don’t stand in their way!

The Vision:

If black youths have something that they can feel good about, then they would not want to join gangs and be criminalized by police or engage in some other type of unhealthy habit in order to feel good about themselves.

Your daughters would not be looking for young men to make them feel good about themselves.  All this love and training should start at home.

Black mothers are spending 2 to 3 hours a day riding on a bus or in a car to get to work which is the equivalent of working a part-time job or running a part-time business. Some are working 2 or 3 jobs and all they need to do is realize that if their youths become business owners, they could very well quit some or all of these jobs and run a business right out of their homes.

As pre-teens my daughters taught me how to use the internet so black mothers can learn a thing or two from your kids.  For some, it’s going to be black youths that teach their parents about business ownership.  But first they have to learn the process.

Not all black youths like black adults have what it takes to become a business owner. Some youths will have to work for others! 

Let’s Look at Some of the Qualifications for Youth Entrepreneurs:

  • Is your child a self-starter?
  • Can your child make decisions?
  • Does your child have will-power?
  • Does your child have self-discipline?
  • Does your child have a good understanding of their strengths and
  • weaknesses?

Even though the following are reasons that black adults need to start a business, it’s extremely hard to help some black adults over the age of 35 become entrepreneurs because of these reasons: 1) They are too set in their ways, 2) They want everything for free, and 3) They refuse to read helpful non-fiction books. 

Youths unlike adults are still learning and their minds are still developing, therefore, they will read non-fiction books, which will make it much easier to teach them about business ownership. 

Some of the Reasons that Black Adults Need to Start Businesses:

  • One out of every two marriages ends because of finances so someone in your household (youth, parents, or both) need to start a business. 
  • Most families dream of having their own businesses.
  • No family really wants to have ‘latch-key’ kids.
  • People are sick of office politics (discrimination, workplace abuse, nepotism, cronyism, favoritism, etc.)
  • People do not like driving in traffic.
  • When you transfer to another city, it’s best to start a business rather than looking for a job.
  • Because of the weak economy, owning your own business will lend more security to your life.

The entire black community must get behind the black family and especially black mothers and set up several outlets to teach black youths about entrepreneurship opportunities.  If we can’t set up youth entrepreneurship opportunities in the school system, then we must set them up in the community. 

Some of the Reasons That Youths Need to Start a Business:

  • It will help them grow into a responsible adult.
  • It will help them help their family out financially.
  • It will help them change the conditions in the community.
  • It will help them pay for their entire college education.
  • They have no other choice because of the economy.

Steps You Can Take to Help Your Youths Jump-Start Their Entrepreneurial Minds and Start a Business:

  • Look for ethical businesses that can mentor and give your youth advice. We, Angels Press, are an ethical company so allow your youth, ages 7 – 18, to start a business with our "Youth Entrepreneurship Clubs."  We offer 3 to 6 months of low-cost business coaching/consultations in person, by phone or  email.


  • Take your youths to the library often to read books on business and marketing especially during the summer time.

  • Buy your youths books from bookstores on business and marketing. List of recommended books (click here).

  • Subscribe to Black Enterprise and support their annual Kidpreneurs and Teenpreneurs events.

  • Allow your youths to learn from the leisure of their homes by watching shows such as  The Suze Orman Show and other financial and educational channels.


  • There are several businesses that your youths can start ASAP and start making money within two weeks.  Why…because they are multi-talented, energetic and live in a world of technology.

Please support the "Youth Action Plan." 

For more information on how to start, run and build a youth business, have your youth, ages 7 – 18, fill out the Youth Talent Survey.

Cathy Harris is a Business Coach, Founder of  Youth CEO Clubs and author of the How To Take Control of Your Own Life  book series.  She is available for seminars, workshops and consultations and can be reached through her company at Angels Press, P.O. Box 870849, Stone Mountain, GA 30087, Phone:  (770) 873-2072, Toll Free (800) 797-8663, Fax:  (678) 254-5018, Website:  http://www.cathyharrisspeaks.com and Email:  info@cathyharrisspeaks.com.

Copyright 2008 Cathy Harris. All Rights Reserved