Like most entrepreneurs, Suzy Frentz has had her ups and downs. She's seen her business grow to gain national attention, struggle with local government bureaucracy and face closing after 11 years. But this grizzled veteran isn't average in one important way - she's just 19 years old.
Frentz and her sister Diana operate Snowball City, a stand built with their father's help in their family garage in southern Howard County.
A mechanical engineering student at the University of Maryland, College Park, Suzy Frentz has invested sweat equity in the stand since she was 8. Today, she and her sister are bit players in a national trend. Growing numbers of young people are choosing to work for themselves, sometimes employing others, instead of finding part-time jobs.
"Teens today are very interested in entrepreneurship, [and] the interest is rising," said Edwin Bodensiek, director of public affairs for Junior Achievement Inc., a national nonprofit organization that teaches youth about entrepreneurship. "Teens are looking to create their own opportunity. It's past the baby sitting and lawn care. You have them starting high-tech companies, software writing, computer hardware repair."
"Businessperson" was named the top career choice by kids this year in Junior Achievement's annual "Kids and Careers" poll. Doctor had been the top choice in the three previous years.
In the same study, eight in 10 teen-agers said they would like to own their own businesses someday.
Similarly, a study last fall by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a Kansas City, Mo., nonprofit organization that encourages entrepreneurship in youths and adults, found that more than 40 percent of youths ranging in age from 8 to 17 said they'd thought about starting their own businesses.
In both surveys, boys and girls showed similar interest in entrepreneurship, and said their reasons for pursuing entrepreneurship included gaining independence and a desire to make more money.
In Maryland, youth entrepreneurs are selling their services for everything from Web site development and filmmaking to lawn care and snowballs - and learning lessons along the way about independence, customer satisfaction and how to handle a buck.
Bumps along the way
"Not everything is going to go the way you planned," said Ronald Young II of Upper Marlboro, who went into business last year with a fellow student at Suitland High designing and selling custom clothing. "It helped you to really understand supply and demand."
