Meet Betsy Blanchard of Youth Business Alliance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Betsy Blanchard.

Betsy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I feel very shy when I think about telling my story, but when I finally do, it will be a book called ‘Uninvited White Girl.” This means I have been learning how to navigate differences in race, class and privilege in the effort to be an ally and an asset to an equitable society.  There are about five chapters in my mind! 🙂 I am from a small, mainly white working-class town in New England and here I am in LA working in communities to drive resources and expand opportunities for our city’s young people. My values were shaped by my parents (everyone deserves a fair chance), the church (care for those in need), feminism (equality for all), and I like to say Oprah because we watched her every day when I was growing up. I was introduced to racial and economic injustice through some of her shows. As a Gen-Xer, without the world of careers at my fingertips after college, I found out about ‘non-profit’ work by visiting a newsstand and discreetly copying down job postings by hand from Opportunity Nocs, a weekly print newsletter. I started my nonprofit career on an amazing fundraising team at New York Cares, then realized I wanted to work directly with the community and got my MSW. I developed girls’ leadership programs in Brooklyn, which was the highlight of my career so far. That led to program and fundraising roles with an entrepreneurship org, then leadership team roles at LA community organizations, and finally serving as the Executive Director of Youth Business Alliance for nearly three years so far.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I have been working since the day I turned 14. Over that time. I have had some inspiring leaders as role models, who showed me what an organized, consistent, demanding yet supportive leader can be. To see how those leaders approach their mission in life is truly special, and I continue to learn from their examples. I am a straightforward East Coaster at heart, so I’m going to tell it like it is. I have also had very bad experiences with fear-inducing, burnt out and emotionally dysfunctional leaders. Too many of those! I hope I have finally learned how to spot those in advance after repeatedly fooling myself! I am happiest in empowering and inclusive workplaces that support fresh ideas, team building, creativity, fun and valuing each member as a whole person. We are all a work in progress, and I am trying to build back to a more energized self after the collective trauma of all we faced during the pandemic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Youth Business Alliance is an LA-based nonprofit organization founded 10 years ago to bring successful professionals into dialogue with high school students in underserved neighborhoods who are exploring college and careers. We are a small staff, but our teachers, volunteers, funding partners, board and community board make our work possible. I joined nearly 3 years ago as Executive Director, and we not only weathered the pandemic but exponentially grew our partnerships with schools, companies and caring professionals who want to invest in a diverse workforce. Teachers at our high schools deliver the YBA curriculum in soft skills, career exploration and business, bank partners deliver financial literacy training, and hundreds of entrepreneurs and business professionals talk with our students about their educational and career journeys, lead mock interviews and have behind the scenes visits to companies for our students to learn about business operations. I am proud that we are investing in our students beyond high school by awarding scholarships. Since I joined, the program has grown from 1 student annually to now 40 students who receive a $500 4-year renewable scholarship for their own discretion: books, transportation, and all the incidentals that come with attending college. We are investing in the vision that soon these college students will become guest speakers and share their own professional journeys with the students behind them.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Mark Stagen, our Founder, deserves all the credit. He took a great idea and made it happen, which cannot be understated! Mark invested his time and resources in building the YBA model and its infrastructure and has shepherded its growth for more than 10 years. His friends, colleagues and associates jumped on board, visiting schools, developing presentations to engage teens, and spreading the word! Many of those individuals have supported this work for years. My Board President Jack Friedman is my go-to person and a constant thought partner in my role, all while running his own successful company and generously sharing from his own network and experience. My Board of Directors, Community Board, teachers, volunteers, and partners – it’s a recipe that doesn’t work if any ingredient is missing. My YBA staff teammates have all brought their professional experience, smarts, relatability, innovation and determination to our mission to ensure that young people are prepared for a future beyond their own horizons.

Pricing:

• $5,000 sponsors a YBA class for 1 year

Contact Info:

• Website: www.youthbizalliance.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youthbusinessalliance