How a 16-Year-Old (Me), Raised $7,000 to Impact a Generation

The journey of a young visionary and his mission to make an impact.

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“Your first thought on something is usually not yours but someone else’s. When all you do is consume, you are not only letting someone else hijack and direct your attention; you are also letting them think for you.” — fs.blog

I never considered myself extraordinary. Not because it was impossible to believe, or I had no gifts. Instead, I didn’t feel treasured because I lacked validation from others. Something I thought I needed.

I viewed myself as a startup idea, a mere pipe dream that an entrepreneur presented to funders. A product that had to “raise funding.” I was looking at it all wrong. A successful entrepreneur doesn’t place more faith in their venture than they put in themselves. They are the money machine. They are the instigator of every solution.

Rejecting the notion that there is a necessity for personal validation from others gave me the courage to start my own organization. Reflecting on a Generation Under Empowered (R.O.G.U.E.) was bred out of my own struggle. I hope R.O.G.U.E. can be an anecdote to the struggle many others my age have faced. R.O.G.U.E. is a podcast, newsletter, and YouTube channel. The Ecosystem (as I refer to it) addresses three hindrances to teen development.

1. The “invisible” gap between youth and the gap between teens and our older counterparts, as well as the deeper issues that affect us all. (Podcast)
2. The shortage of youth awareness on national and global events affects all of us on a personal level. I believe there needs to be an awakening. (Newsletter)
3. The bombardment of college “readiness” students get, instead of consultation on the best path (alternative career pathways). (YouTube channel)

Reflection is the tool I used to analyze my character. So, when I applied to two non-profits for funding, I had the foundation I needed to remain confident in myself regardless of the outcome.

I am forever grateful to my mother. She encouraged me to attend a local grant writing workshop. There I learned the skills on how to write to funders and comply with their requirements. Additionally, I gained clarity around what direction I wanted to take R.O.G.U.E. I wanted to be a for-profit venture. Asking others for money is exhausting and stressful; however, I will do it to stabilize my company. I would say I dislike it because I don’t like being dependent on others' generosity when my organization's success depends. Not to mention all of the different non-profits competing for these grants. Yet, as an LLC, I can generate money, supplying youth with jobs (they are simultaneously fostering their creative talents), and positively impact my community.

I have regularly experienced isolation (from my peers) concerning impacting the community and the larger world. Was I the only one who cared about more than my own world? In this short life, did any other youth desire to make an impact? The answer was and still is yes, but I believe teen consumerism is the barrier.

“A business is a solution to a problem.” I have heard this quote many times but never thought the “problem” a venture seeks to solve could be the limitation of one’s character.

There is security in provision. A risk is removing the “guarantee” to discover a new path. Media consumption can and has become a form of ideological provision that many youths (including myself) are addicted to. Media content is in constant supply. However, this dependence on the imagination of others is producing stagnation and identical individuals. R.O.G.U.E. will disrupt this cycle by being a new vehicle where authenticity thrives. Originality is the vaccine for immobility. I am going to help a generation of youth experience self-conviction like never before.

Listen to the podcast here: R.O.G.U.E. Podcast.