May 22, 2015
6 Former BE Kidpreneur and Teenpreneur Attendees Discuss the Importance of Teaching Youth Entrepreneurship
Mo Brown
With career aspirations to grace the stage as a professional dancer, Mo Brown attended the Teenpreneurs conference with an appreciation for the experience, but no real grasp on how it was important to her ultimate goals–until she began to see her artistry as a business vehicle.  “At the time I attended the program, I was young so I didn’t understand the great qualities that the program had to offer until I myself became an entrepreneur.†When the recession hit in 2008, Broadway shows closed down and there was a lack of opportunities for actors. This reality opened the door to entrepreneurship for Brown, who found a need and decided to fill it. Already a successful multimedia entertainer in her own right, Brown founded Suga Productions, providing film and video production services, as well as producing her own films. “I wanted to create the opportunities for actors and people in the entertainment industry to continue working. Teenpreneur  showed me how to create a business plan, have a mission, and budget, while explaining how the world is a supply and demand driven. I didn’t realize [I retained] any of this until after I started gaining momentum with my business.†Through Suga Productions, Brown has found success with the award-winning short film Tears of A Phoenix, while consistently working as a host, voice over artist, and actress. Having the tools gained from the Teenpreneur program also gave Brown the confidence to create a vision and work hard to pursue it: “I can be an African American woman that has her own and is respected for it. I can be in front of the camera and behind it, sit in business meetings and get the deals, and do it well.â€