Feras Alhlou’s time is valuable.

He has built multiple businesses, generated $70 million in combined sales and sold his eight-figure agency, yet he still chooses to give his time, experience and financial support to BizWorld.

Why would such a busy entrepreneur invest in BizWorld?

Because Feras understands something that the idea of the “self-made entrepreneur” often ignores:

“No one is self-made anything. A lot of people helped us along our way and now it’s our job to give back as well.” – Feras Alhlou

Success Creates an Opportunity to Give Back

Feras began his career washing dishes, working to pay for his college studies. After graduating into a difficult job market, he eventually secured a corporate position, before ultimately being laid off in 2003.

That layoff is what pushed him towards entrepreneurship, but he did not build his multiple successful businesses alone. Mentors, colleagues and endless other supporters helped him move forward during difficult moments.

Now, he is creating those opportunities for someone else.

Through BizWorld’s Young Entrepreneur Success Program (YES!), Feras has served as a judge, mentor and shared his experience with young founders developing real businesses. He has watched students present in the middle of the night from different parts of the world, confidently discuss supply chains, and pitch ideas at a level of confidence that many adults will never reach.

Their initiative impressed him.

“They’re doing things that people in their 30s and 40s don’t know how to do,” he said.

What Does a Donation to BizWorld Support?

Supporting youth entrepreneurship is about more than helping a student start a company. It gives young people an opportunity to practise communication, leadership and resilience before they enter the workforce.

Since 1997, BizWorld has reached more than 900,000 students across over 100 countries through hands-on entrepreneurship education.

Donations to BizWorld go towards providing free programming to underserved schools, training educators and they also make it possible for the YES! Program to remain free for participating young entrepreneurs.

YES! is a 10-week online business accelerator for founders ages 16 to 22. Participants receive one-on-one mentorship, attend workshops led by experienced professionals and ultimately pitch for their chance at up to $30,000 in non-dilutive funding.

That kind of access can change the direction of a young person’s life.

Learning to Turn Rejection Into Progress

Feras still remembers his first days trying to sell websites to local businesses. He and his co-founder visited five restaurants, where all five rejected them.

Instead of treating those rejections as proof that they should quit, they studied every objection and improved their approach. Their first sale was a $1,400 website. Years later, they were closing deals worth $140,000.

That is the entrepreneurial mindset, and problem solving skills that BizWorld helps young people develop. Failure becomes information, feedback becomes direction, and rejection becomes an opportunity to improve.

This support is increasingly important. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor found that 49% of respondents would avoid starting a business because of fear of failure. Its report highlights mentorship, training and financial support as essential ways to reduce risk and encourage entrepreneurship.

Give What You Have

Supporting BizWorld does not only mean writing a large check.

Business leaders can mentor young entrepreneurs, share specialised knowledge as a coach, or introduce BizWorld to their networks. Additionally, financial contributions can help remove the barriers that prevent young people from accessing entrepreneurship education.

Feras’s advice is simple:

“Don’t wait until you’re rich. Give a little bit. Find time to help others, even if it’s 30 minutes a week.”

Your experience could help a young entrepreneur avoid a costly mistake. Your introduction could open their first door. Your donation could give them access to the mentor, training or funding they would never have found alone.

When you donate to BizWorld, you are not simply funding a program. You are investing in the confidence and capability of a young person who may build something extraordinary.

As Feras put it:

“Give from what you have.”