Business for the Youth is a registered 501(c)(3) working towards engaging the youth in business practices through acts of service. BFTY believes that teaching and engaging the youth in business through service will not only prepare them for the real world but also make them leaders in their communities. Through our global events, fundraising, volunteerism, and chapter, BFTY advocates for youth business engagement through service.
Join us in making change through business.
Our Story
Business for the Youth was founded by Sam Vahhaji during his sophomore year of high school after he had reached an epiphany.
Sam has been a passionate entrepreneur since the age of 5. From making slime to selling candy to selling cozy slippers, Sam has done it all. Sam found an escape to business, as he said it has fully developed him as a person and how he views the world. After telling his peers and family about his latest venture everyone wanted to learn Sam's secrets of how to operate a business.
After his peers wanted to learn his ways of running a business, Sam taught his friends how to run a business, but he also wanted something impactful to come out of it. Sam knew how much business impacted him and how he knew there was a need for students to have access to learn how to run a business as it prepares them for the real world. Sam did some brainstorming. He asked himself, "How can I connect business and acts of service together?" That's when Business for the Youth was made. Sam started Business for the Youth in the middle of his sophomore year and began telling his friends about the organization.
From Sophomore year, Sam taught his friends the practicalities of how to run a business; in addition, they would do many fundraising events into which business was incorporated within it. Sam organized members of the non-profit to sell the chicken tenders to get his members involved in a real-life business transaction. After many other fundraising events they donated the money to the nonprofit Alight, which helps aid refugee families worldwide.
This is one of many events within the nonprofit. Today, BFTY is global youth-led nonprofit, engaging youth in business pracites through service preparing them for the real world and making them leaders within their community.
