Entrepreneur: someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it; an enterprising individual who builds capital through risk and/or initiative.

Entrepreneurs built our nation, took risks, created capital and jobs, and launched new industries. Our economy today is driven by innovative small to intermediate size business owners who see opportunities, and move forward quickly to satisfy new and developing markets. The telecommunications revolution is taking entrepreneurial activity and super-charging it. Risk-taking is alive and well in our country; and under the proper conditions thrives.

Michael Simmons is a charismatic leader and motivational speaker for young entrepreneurs. Through Empact Michael’s work focuses on facilitating a culture of entrepreneurship in communities across the world through exposure, celebration and early stage startup support.

Empact has held over 400 events exposing young people to entrepreneurship through its Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, supporting early stage entrepreneurs through its Virtual Speaker Series and JourneyPage Virtual Business Incubator; and celebrating the role of young entrepreneurs through its annual Empact100 list & showcase of top young entrepreneurs age 30 and under. In short, Empact celebrates entrepreneurship, empowering young folks to join the fun.

Recently, Michael and his entrepreneurial friends came to visit the legendary Thomas Edison National Historical Park [TENHP] in West Orange, NJ – to see where modern day entrepreneurship was honed to a fine edge. They were invited by John P. Keegan, Chairman & President of the Edison Innovation Foundation, who gave a welcoming address to the attendees, and personally conducted a tour of the famed Edison Labs. You can learn more about Edison and the Foundation at www.thomasedison.org and on Facebook; and also at Pinterest.

Here at the Edison Labs, now celebrating its 125th anniversary, Edison forever merged invention and marketing to create a commercial powerhouse of new product development, what we have come to accept as “progress”. His invention factory became the model for R&D labs the world over, converting invention from a cottage industry to a commercial and scientifically conducted endeavor. So strong was Edison’s influence on commercialization that today, 81 years after the great inventor’s death in 1931, his inventions and industries launched, account for about 10% of the national economy.

Michael and friends were able to see the famed Edison library and business office, tour the invention factory complex, see the historic Edison home [Glenmont] and examine his antique cars and garage. This engaging and cutting edge group of young entrepreneurs provided great feedback and ideas concerning where TENHP and the Edison Foundation could possibly grow in the next few years.

If Tom were here, he would have a declared the day a great success!

To all you entrepreneurs out there, struggling to make your dream come true, remember what Edison said …”Fail your way to success.”

Editor’s Deep Dive

• http://upstart.bizjournals.com/news/wire/2011/10/28/young-gifted-and-entrepreneurial-empact-is-looking-for-you.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDNEO_PRn7k
• http://www.feepledge.com/news.php
• http://www.empactsummit.com/

Thomas Edison said … “Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

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