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The Startup Squad Hosts National Search For Next Girl CEO

The Startup Squad, a new initiative by Silicon Valley executive and father of two daughters, Brian Weisfeld, will launch this month with a nationwide search for a girl CEO to feature in its first book. Girls between the ages of 7–14 who have started their own business can apply by Aug. 31.

The Startup Squad, a new initiative by Silicon Valley executive and father of two daughters, Brian Weisfeld, will launch this month with a nationwide search for a girl CEO to feature in its first book. Be the Boss: The Startup Squad Search for a Girl Who Means Business will be open to girls between the ages of 7–14 who have started their own business.

The contest will offer girls the opportunity to showcase their businesses and ideas, with the winners featured in the forthcoming The Startup Squad series of middle-grade fiction novels, authored by Weisfeld with Nicole C. Kear. The first book, titled “The Startup Squad,” will be published in May 2019. All participants in the contest will be featured on The Startup Squad’s website which aims to become one of the world’s largest galleries of girl-run businesses.

The Startup Squad was inspired by Weisfeld’s experience as a father of two young daughters, and his belief that entrepreneurship can empower girls with confidence and skills to help them reach their potential in life, no matter their passions or future careers.

“Four years ago, inspired by my two daughters, I decided to spend the next phase of my career helping girls reach their potential in life by introducing them to entrepreneurship at an early age,” Weisfeld said. “The first drafts of this book have already had a significant impact on the lives of hundreds of girls; I’m so excited to reach countless more with both the book and this contest, and to feature one very inspiring girl who means business.”

“Basic business skills are something all children should learn, but especially girls, because there still isn’t equal media representation of women in business,” said Erin Stein, publisher at Imprint. “Brian has an outreach vision to get these tools into girls’ hands, and we are proud to be developing and publishing The Startup Squad book series to anchor that program. We also have author Nicole C. Kear on board, who has an incredible talent for writing entertaining fiction that naturally weaves in educational elements.”

Parents in the U.S. can enter girl entrepreneurs between the ages of 7-14 (as of 12/31/18) by uploading a one-minute video about her business to www.thestartupsquad.com/contest. Videos will be accepted through August 31, 2018. Finalists will be selected from the approved entries based on highest business potential (33.3%), video presentation (33.3%), and a public vote to be held between September 10-28, 2018 (33.3%). The Grand Prize Winner will be selected from the finalists by a public vote to be held between October 8-31, 2018. For more information about The Startup Squad, to enter the contest, and for official contest rules, please visit www.thestartupsquad.com.

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