ENTREPRENEURIAL WORKSHOP: 5 WEEKS
Location: Music Hall
Students: grades 7th-12th
SUNDAYS Starting July 27th / August 3, 10, 17 and 21st
FREE with Registration
The goal of The Dope Project (TDP) is to teach today's youth how to be business leaders of tomorrow. TDP is not a boring lecture, or a traditional class taught with books. Instead, TDP allows kids to interact with business leaders and professionals as if they are in the real workplace. TDP will incorporate fun workshops, projects and internships led by a network of young, successful business leaders to instill life, entrepreneurial and leadership skills.
The DOPE Project successfully finished it's first program, creating a line of T Shirts, from conception, to design, to production to marketing and sales, in Flint, MI earlier this year.
The Detroit version 2.0 will be free for Teens 9th- 12th Grades held on Sunday afternoons at The Music Hall Center For The Performing Arts beginning Sunday, July 2t7h at 3PM, with subsequent classes the next 3 following Sundays- and finishing on Thursday, August 21st.
FREE REGISTRATION at thedopeproject@yahoo.com
TDP was founded in 2013 by Fred Walker, a successful entrepreneur who grew up in the inner city of Flint, Michigan. Walker graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelors of Science degree and went on to work for several Fortune 500 companies in the Technology field. In 2006 Walker left his corporate job to pursue entrepreneurial interests ranging from real estate, technology, food/ service and retail.
He is now a successful business owner in the community with businesses throughout the Metro Detroit area. After spending his time speaking with and mentoring kids he saw a need to create a program that would take the lessons taught in the classrooms ... to the streets. Walker believes that by placing the kids in a real work environment, they will see firsthand how real business is transacted. Walker will invite business leaders in the community to be "guest teachers" to work with the kids on various projects and even earn possible internships. If they are working on designing a product, a Designer will work with them to design the product.
The catch is- all of the "guest teachers" will be young business owners and professionals who are "cool" and more relatable to the kids. Walker will also utilize his relationships with companies such as, Hershel Backpack, McDonalds, Meijer and Vita min Water to sponsor prizes for the kids
Some of the workshops he has created include 'The Art of Selling," in which the kids use the Five P's (Product, Packaging, Place, Price, Promotion) to actually launch a real product they must sell, and "The Gift of Gab," in which the kids must learn how to get what they want by simply talking (whether it's a job interview, negotiating to buy something, trying to sell something). As unconventional as these workshops may seem, they require the kids to use lessons taught in the classroom such as math, read ing and writing. Their public speaking skills will also be developed by having to present business presentations in front of the groups.
Each workshop is a five week program (one time per week for 2.5 hours) with no more than 12 students. The workshops will have prerequisites such as: age/ class level, etc. which will be defined in each workshop information packet. Upon completion of each workshop, the students will acquire invaluable knowledge, life skills and experience.
Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
Jazz Café
350 Madison
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 887-8501
-SCHEDULE-
ENTREPRENEURIAL WORKSHOP: 5 WEEKS
Location: Music Hall
Students: 10-12 students grades 7th-12th
Session 1: Sunday July 27th 2014
3:00-3:15pm Introduction to The D.O.P.E Project (TDP)
It is recommended that parents attend the first workshop with their kids to
get their support and understanding throughout the workshop.
3:15-3:30 pm Guest Speaker (musician-TBD)
Guest Speaker will tell their personal story and help motivate and inspire the kids to reach for their goals.
3:30-4:30 pm The Business Plan
The assignment of designing and selling a tee shirt for the Guest Speaker in collaboration with TDP is announced. The shirts will be designed, marketed and sold by the kids. The Simplified Business Plan is explained and together the kids write the plan.
4:30-4:45 pm The Homework Assignment
Draw out sketches of how the shirt design will look and bring to class next week.
Session 2: Sunday August 3rd 2014
3:00-3:15pm The Recap
The kids discuss the business plan and design theme from last week . They discuss any challenges faced when designing and sketching.
3:15-3:55 pm The Selection Process
The kids will select the best design and make any edits or changes necessary.
3:55-4:00 pm Prep time for Negotiation
The kids select a "negotiator" to speak with the Lead Designer for The Distinct Life (national branding agency with clients such as New Balance, Reebok, Saucony) to discuss the cost of taking their design idea and creating a vector file for printing. The budget is only $100 and they need the design created within 2 days.
4:00-4:15 pm The Negotiation
The selected Negotiator chats live via Google Chat with the Lead Designer. He/She must explain the project, purpose and time restraints- then discuss pricing.
4:15-4:45 The Homework Assignment
The group will discuss how the shirts will be marketed to get people to purchase them. They set a goal of how many shirts per student need to be sold to break even on costs. Their homework assignment is to write a short sales pitch out to present to the group next week.
The kids are told to come "photo shoot ready" next week.
Session 3: Sunday, August 10th2014
3:00-3:15pm The Recap
The kids discuss challenges they may have faced writing their sales pitch. Each kid presents their sales pitch to the group for practice.
3:15-4:30 pm The Photo Shoot
The kids are presented with their tee shirt design and each of them receives a shirt in their size. A professional photo shoot takes place at Music Hall of the wearing their shirts-the photos will be used for the marketing campaign they have planned.
4:30-5:00 pm The Homework Assignment
The kids go over the sales ledgers and how to properly fill them out and compute totals based on purchases. Their homework is to sell as many shirts using their sales pitch and tee shirt . They are taught how to handle cash and checks and write a receipt.
**The kids are invited to host a pop up shop for THE DOPE PROJECT at Fred's store "two/eighteen by Burn Rubber" in downtown Royal Oak on Saturday, August 9th from 12:00-4:00pm. This will be an opportunity for the kids to sell their shirts in a store and interact with real customers. A DJ and light refreshments for the event is announced.
Session 4: Sunday, August 17th 2014
3:00-4:00pm Sales Tally
A thorough accounting is done to account for every tee shirt sold. A spreadsheet by size is arranged and filled in to make a purchase order for the printing company.
4:00-4:30 pm Photo Shoot review
The final edited photos are presented to the kids for review and they discuss posting them to social media pages.
4:30-5:00pm The Homework Assignment
The assignment of writing Thank You letters to Music Hall, Designer and Photographer is given. Templates on how to write a Thank You letter are reviewed and they discuss the importance of acknowledging others and maintaining relationships in business is discussed. Fred announces Saturday,
Session 5: Thursday, August 21st 2014
6:00-6:30pm Award Ceremony
It is recommended that parents attend the last workshop with their kids to
Celebrate the outcome of the workshop. Top three sales persons are recognized and prizes are given out. Each student receives a certificate of completion.
6:30-7:00 pm Delivery of Goods
All shirts are packed and given to the kids to distribute to their customers.
7:00-8:00 pm The Celebration
Kids and parents enjoy a pizza party and video of testimonies from kids and parents are taken during the event.
