STARTING MY CROCHET NON-PROFIT AS A TEEN
At TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE), we believe in the power of youth to shape the future. Our program immerses high school students in the exciting world of entrepreneurship, providing them with the tools and skills they need to become tomorrow's leaders.
When I started my crochet non-profit, I knew I wanted to make a difference, but I had no clue about managing a team, organizing tasks, or dealing with roadblocks. That’s where my experience with TIE Young Entrepreneurs came in handy. It gave me some essential tools to get through those challenges, like learning to delegate and realizing when it's time to pivot an idea. Here’s how these lessons helped me get my non-profit up and running.
Before TIE Young Entrepreneurs, I thought that being a good leader meant handling every little detail myself. But I soon realized that if I wanted my crochet non-profit to make a real impact, I couldn’t do everything alone. During the program, I learned how to delegate—to divide tasks based on what people were good at and let them own those responsibilities. It made a huge difference because not only did our projects move faster, but everyone also felt more invested. We weren’t just individuals working alone; we were a team working toward the same goal. When I put together my non-profit team, I knew that a big part of our success would depend on me letting go of certain tasks. I trusted my teammates with roles that fit their strengths, whether it was organizing supplies, handling social media, or coordinating donations. It wasn’t always easy to let go, but seeing everyone’s excitement and the improvement in productivity reminded me that delegation was a skill worth mastering.
The other big lesson from TIE Young Entrepreneurs was learning to pivot. I used to think that sticking with one idea was a sign of dedication, but I learned that sometimes you need to change course to succeed. That’s especially true when starting a non-profit where challenges come up all the time. TYE taught me that adjusting or even completely rethinking ideas isn’t a failure—it’s just part of the process. There were times in my crochet non-profit when things didn’t go as planned. For example, we had a fundraising idea that fell flat. Instead of getting discouraged, I encouraged my team to brainstorm a new approach. We ended up switching our focus to a local partnership, which worked way better than the original idea. The pivot paid off, and it taught all of us the importance of being flexible.
Starting a non-profit as a teenager is no small feat, but with the skills I gained from TIE Young Entrepreneurs, I felt better prepared to lead my team. Learning to delegate and knowing when to pivot helped us get through challenges and stay connected to our mission. Now, I’m excited to see how far we can take this project and what else I’ll learn along the way!
