Eighteen-year-old Zaccary Belliveau refurbishes women”™s heels at affordable rates, a skill that may make him $10,000 richer.
Shoe Klick, a business he was inspired to create while attending Lincoln High School in Yonkers, originated through his involvement with the Academy of Finance and the Fairchester branch of National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in White Plains.
NFTE provides entrepreneurship programs to young people from low-income communities, allowing participants to get involved in business plan competitions and to meet with senior-level executives who mentor and coach them.
“We say, OK, before you drop out, take a look at what your options are,” said Joel Warren, executive director of NFTE Fairchester. “We want to make school relevant. We say, if you stay in school, we”™ll teach you how to run a business, put together a budget and bring businesses in to meet and coach them.”
Warren said the organization seeks to close the achievement gap and encourage underprivileged kids.Â
“The Academy of Finance and NFTE really got me into my passion for fashion,” said Belliveau, whose bright green sunglasses perfectly match his checkered shirt. “I have so many ideas for shoes. NFTE really opens your eyes to all of your possibilities.”
Belliveau credited Lauren Trager, coordinator of the Academy of Finance at Lincoln, as his mentor, a woman he and others call “mommy.” “She knows who to call and how to help you,” Belliveau said. He said Trager helped him develop Shoe Klick.
“I give my customer a request form and they can select what colors they want, if they want fabric or rhinestones and what the occasion is,” Belliveau said. “Then, I sketch out a design and if they like it, I work on the shoe and they can pick it up.”
Belliveau said that you don”™t have to reinvent the wheel when beginning a business. “Take something simple and improve it,” he said, citing Shoe Klick as a simple idea that not only saves customers money, but improves a tangible object instead of creating it from scratch.
“We teach the kids involved in NFTE to start a business based on what they like, and in Zaccary”™s case, that”™s shoes,” Warren said.
Belliveau will join more than 30 top finishers from regional high school business plan competitions representing New York on Oct. 23 at the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York City, with a panel of judges weighing in.
“I”™m really excited ”¦ a little nervous, but I think I have a good chance of winning,” Belliveau said. “More than winning the money, I”™m excited to meet people from all over who have different experiences to share.”
