Many people seem to think they should either go to post-secondary school or start a business. Why can’t these two things be done in tandem? It would be better to learn the theoretical principles that will establish the foundation needed to create and sustain a lucrative business.

This line of reasoning could be due to the lack of entrepreneurship curriculum taught in schools between kindergarten and Grade 12, and the misconception that it’s irrelevant to be taught how to operate a business. Some may say to go to university after making money, which isn’t necessarily the wrong way, either. Others may even say they don’t need an education since they already can earn a decent living. 

While there are varied perspectives on this issue, entrepreneurship should be taught to children as early as elementary school. It’s important to create an awareness of business as early as possible and inculcate the necessary skill set that can be honed and further developed in high school and post secondary. 

Many young students are interested in operating a business. For example, my son Ajayi came home from elementary school saying that he and a group of his classmates were starting a business. I assumed it was a school project, but later on I inquired some more. To my astonishment, it wasn’t a school initiative but a group of kids coming up with the idea to start an origami business. 

“Business is gonna be crackling,” said Ajayi. His friends were equally confident. He shared that his friends said, “Business is gonna be booming,” and “Business is gonna be rocking.” He also told me that they meet on Fridays to provide updates. This proves that even Grade 3 kids are excited about entrepreneurship . 

It’s beneficial to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in students early, thereby presenting it as an option for a career path. This may include encouraging students to think of business ideas, teaching them about generating an income, and providing them with explanations of profit and loss. They could have projects that include starting a business and exploring strategies about growing a business. 

According to unchartedlearning.org, “Teaching elementary entrepreneurship curriculum isn’t solely about introducing principles of business, but rather about teaching students how to adapt to the ever-changing world around them by developing an entrepreneurial mindset—a mindset that embraces creativity, resiliency, and accepts learning from failure.”

More post-secondary institutions should offer entrepreneurship as a major, which would encourage the entrepreneurial-minded to pursue further education in alignment with their goals. Including an entrepreneurship course in all majors as a foundational or core course could lead to more successful professional corporations because these lawyers, doctors, or engineers would be better equipped to work in and operate these workplaces.

Many professionals are now going back to business schools to complete an MBA because they have come to the realization that they’re falling short in the business knowledge to successfully operate their organizations. They have all the expertise in their respective fields, but it takes more than that. The missing ingredient is business acumen.

By incorporating more entrepreneurship in our schools, we’ll not only be creating workers but also more employers. The idea of creating and maintaining a business may appear less daunting because they would’ve been preparing for this possibility from a very early age. It will create more independent graduates who can also be intrapreneurs (employees who focus on innovative ideas or projects), although employees would be empowered in working in more independent roles. Incorporating entrepreneurial skills is vital because the attributes of independence, risk-taking, assertiveness, innovation, and creativity will create a better workforce and a stronger and more productive economy.

According to hbr.org, “After all, in the unknowable future, all leaders will need to be entrepreneurs: visionaries that can imagine, adapt, and act nimbly to address whatever challenges come their way. Business schools should not delay in adopting new teaching philosophies that empower the next generation of entrepreneurs—as well as all business leaders—to meet these challenges.”

Sharee has a Masters in Business Administration and is passionate about sharing information.