Meeting Zoe, an 18-year-old entrepreneur who has just set up her health food
restaurant in the Netherlands, has been a real highlight of my early days as CEO of YBI.
A believer in healthy eating, she saw a market gap in her hometown, and her idea
quickly turned into reality with the support of Qredits, YBI member in the Netherlands.
Even with a competitor about to open up across the street, she’s determined to
succeed by “being herself”.
It’s women like Zoe, and the tens of thousands of other young entrepreneurs that YBI
members have helped to succeed in their business ambitions, that drew me to join YBI.
My conviction in the importance of our work has grown in the short time that I’ve been
here.
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YOUTH BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
Against a background of high levels of youth unemployment and the changing world of
work, the quality support – business skills, mentoring, and finance – that we provide
across our 50 members will continue to be crucial as young people navigate their
economic futures.
I’ve had the chance now to work with the Network Team, meet key partners and speak
with more than a dozen members across regions to understand the history that has
shaped us, our current realities and future ambitions. When I have invited members to
“tell me what you think I need to know” you have been generous with your insights –
what you value, where you would like to see change, and how we can best work
together across the network.
In reflecting on what I’ve heard, it’s clear that there is much to celebrate. We’ve
grown to a network in 47 countries, have supported increasing numbers of young
people to start and grow their businesses, developed services that are highly regarded,
and are respected and valued by key partners.
The world has changed in the years since the network started, with many of us
operating in increasingly competitive environments with more restricted sources of
funding. The value members seek and offer within the network continues to change.
And yet, what remains constant is the sense of commitment to the cause, and the
desire to have meaningful connections across borders, so that we truly feel and act as
a global network.
It’s that spirit that I hope you continue to feel as we work together through 2018 and
beyond, and collaborate to meet our own changing needs as well as the aspirations of
the young people we serve.
Yours sincerely,
Anita Tiessen,
Chief Executive Officer, Youth Business International
(Youth Business International UK, Newsletter 2018 )
