Founder, Chairmen and CEO

United States Youth Chamber of Commerce

By applying for and obtaining a business credit card, your company is building credibility and trading history which will help your company when applying for loans and other funds. Remember to only use your card for company expenses and purchases.

Always maintain accurate records of what your company purchases. This is critical in running a business of any size. By keeping great records you will save your accountant and/or book keeper valuable time. This usually is not a problem since most credit cards provide companies with a detailed list of purchases which will help you when putting together budgets and doing taxes for your business. Most business credit card companies report to the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) about your payment history. This helps your company build credit. Avoid using personal (non-business) credit cards for business purposes. This action could possibly damage your personal credit report.

Steps For Securing a Small Business Credit Card

1. Obtain a copy of your credit report- Once a year the Federal Trade Commission sponsors one free copy of all three of your credit reports. Visit www.freecreditreport.gov for more information on obtaining your credit reports.

2. Do some research to find the right card that will fit your business- I, personally, use Capital One as they are big on helping small and medium-size companies. Visit www.creditcard.com for more information on different credit cards.

3. Apply for an EIN – an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number and is used to identify a business entity. Generally, businesses need an EIN. You may apply for an EIN in various ways, including online. This is a free service offered by the Internal Revenue Service.

4. Read the fine print- Just because it sounds good does not mean it is. There are some cards that will promise you the world if you join hoping you do not read the fine print. Often, Creditors will offer special rates or perks to get you to sign. Many times these are only short-term perks and rates. Once these special rates end, your interest rate or Annual Percentage Rate (APR) can skyrocket.

5. Make sure you card builds credit.  You want a card that reports your credit to a major credit bureau in the name of your company.

6. No personal guarantee- Try to find a card that does not require a personal guarantee. There are a very small amount of companies that offer a no personal guarantee on applying for a business credit card through them, but usually your business needs to have a positive and strong credit history and/or a high stream of revenue to do this.

7. Do not apply for too many cards. Doing this will hurt your credit score and your business credit report will have too many inquiries, which will affect your business’s credibility negatively.

About the Program

The Business Emergency Response Team is a program developed out of a need for a well-trained business emergency work force. These teams will respond during emergency and disaster situations that affect the business community.

The training program provides business self-sufficiency through the development of multi-functional response teams

Why is this program needed?

The ability of a business to effectively recover from emergencies of all kinds requires active participation, planning, and the cooperation of all. The fundamental responsibility for preparedness, however, lies with every individual business.

To get involved with this program email: info@usyouthchamber.com

America says “go for it”. Fill out the paperwork, file your taxes and you are in business. While this may be enough for a few incredibly lucky entrepreneurs, (see: 1 in 1,000,000), the rest of us might need a little help. This is where USYCC comes in, the United States Youth Chamber of Commerce (USYCC).

A nonprofit organization specifically for young entrepreneurs, the USYCC picks up where the government leaves off. USYCC offers a wide range of services to young entrepreneurs including training, workforce development, consulting, even start-up capital in the form of volunteer help. USYCC can help you become a better public speaker, a teacher, and a better leader.

Of all the services that the USYCC provides, the most important is the opportunity to network with other business owners. Networking is intangible. Though it is the single most important aspect of business, it is often overlooked in the face of all the “real”, very tangible problems a company faces in its early stages. USYCC believes that networking should be an integral part of any start-up, not something that is reserved for larger companies who often have entire teams devoted to expanding their business network. USYCC provides a way for young entrepreneurs to discover each other. It is easy to find others in similar fields, some who are facing the same hardships your business is facing, as well as others who have overcome them. By listening and exchanging ideas with individuals from similar schools of thought, better decisions can be made, professionally and otherwise. Most do not even realize that organizations like the USYCC exist. The road is long and many young entrepreneurs make the mistake of walking it alone.

As students start looking for a summer employment, they soon find out that many places where they once were able to seek employment are no longer hiring. The latest economic indicators do not show good signs for working people in this country, especially not young people.

Over the next few months, millions of young people will finish college or high school and be thrust into a job market that is stagnant at best. That number for black youth is 27%.  This is two full years after the recession officially ended. As Business Week wrote a few months ago,

Compliments of Google Images

“Although the recession ended in the summer of 2009, youth unemployment remains near its cyclical peak…What keeps the numbers from being even higher is that many teens have simply given up. Some are sitting on couches. Others are in school, which can be a dead end itself. The percentages of American 16- to 19-year-olds who are employed have fallen to below 26 percent, a record low.”

According to the New York Times, only 53% of college graduates from the classes of 2006-2010 are employed full-time. Even recent graduates who are working will make 10% less in their first job than graduates from just a few years ago, down to $27,000 a year.

With the sharply falling employment rates among recent college graduates, there is a growing development of these young people taking low or under-paying jobs that do not match their skills or training. Many of these same young people have tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt which they will find very difficult to pay off.  How can the United States fix this issue? Please leave your comments below.

Sources:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_52/b4064058743638.htm

http://www.salon.com/life/education/?story=/news/feature/2011/05/19/graduate_employment_report

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/09/nearly-half-of-americans-fear-depression_n_874406.html?ir=Canada+Business

The Montgomery County Council voted 6-3 to table a proposed curfew law that would have allowed police to arrest anyone younger than 18 for being in public after 11PM. This vote to table the proposal effectively kills it, though it leaves open the possibility that the Council could consider it once again in the future.

The Montgomery County Council debated the curfew bill for months. In the early stages, it looked like this anti-youth measure would pass. Similar laws have passed in nearby districts, and several members of the Council expressed support.

Over the months, however, youth right activists spoke up. In July, NYRA Executive Director Alex Koroknay-Palicz and other activists addressed the Council at a public hearing. In late November, as this proposal went into the final stretch, NYRA-members emailed those on the Council.

After hearing the arguments, the Council came to understand that age-based curfews are a bad idea, and that the public is far from unanimous in supporting them.

Council President Roger Berliner, explaining his support for tabling the bill, said a proposal of this nature should only be implemented when there is a consensus in the community. During today’s meeting, he said it was now clear no such consensus exists.

Councilman George Leventhal, explaining his own vote to table the bill, reminded his peers that their job was to serve the community and, “Young people are part of our community.”

A more moderate proposal, that would have empowered police to arrest people of any age for loitering was also tabled by a vote of 5-4.

More: http://colesville.patch.com/articles/montgomery-county-youth-curfew-falls-flat

The Chamber will be sponsoring a small independent student film called “Moving Stone.”

This film will be directed by student director Chris Dolan of Curry College in Milton, MA

About this Project

OUR PURPOSE

Moving Stone is a project that will bring together the efforts of educational, professional, and student film enthusiasts to create an atmosphere for learning and great film-making.

THE PRODUCT

The result of our combined efforts will be a cohesive film with a strong message. It will first be submitted to local film festivals and then, as additional funding is raised, it will be submitted to larger festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, etc.

THE STORY

Moving Stone is a film about a young woman named Lena who must confront the ways of her bowling team’s dictator, Alana, to restore the order, peace, and individuality of the team. In doing so, she starts to question if she really can make everyone happy. The movie also explores the question “What does it take to be a successful leader?”

THE CREW

The crew for Moving Stone consists of teachers, professionals, and students, all of which have varied experiences and bring different perspectives to the table.

Or join our crew page on
face book to follow daily updates on the project:

http://www.Facebook.com/#!/groups/212183642184888/

Our organizations have united to support the Youth Entrepreneurship Act, legislation designed to open up opportunities for young people who want to start a business. The Act includes student loan forgiveness programs, expanded access to micro-loans, and increased investment in entrepreneurship education programs.

The voices of aspiring and active young entrepreneurs must be heard, and it starts with you. Tell Congress to take action. Sign this petition to join our coalition and help our young people rebuild America

Visit http://www.youthentrepreneurshipact.com/ for more info