257. Cultivating Youth Agency & Entreprenurship Using "Yes, And" with Leah Ellis

In this guest episode, Leah Ellis shares with Lindsay how a simple moment with her 4-year-old during the pandemic sparked a movement where kids don’t just learn about leadership… they practice it now by starting real businesses, solving real community problems, and seeing themselves as capable change-makers today.

You’ll hear how Leah uses the improv mindset of “Yes, and…” to coach youth ideas without shutting them down, how her 36-week entrepreneurship curriculum works in schools, and powerful stories of young people creating crosswalk campaigns, sustainable book businesses, and product prototypes from scratch.

What You’ll Learn

• Why saying “children are the future” can unintentionally limit youth leadership
• How to use “Yes, and…” to nurture student ideas instead of correcting them
• A questioning strategy that helps kids become problem-solvers
• What a 36-week youth entrepreneurship curriculum looks like in practice
• How youth businesses build confidence, resilience, and leadership
• Common challenges for adults (and how to step back without stepping away)
• Why failure recovery is the fastest path to confidence

Timestamps

• 00:00 “Children are not the future” — the mindset shift
• 03:00 Leah’s big dream for youth leadership and agency
• 04:00 The story of the 4-year-old who started a business
• 08:30 Advice for educators vs. families
• 10:15 Youth business stories: crosswalk campaign, book business, phone case prototypes
• 16:20 The “Yes, and” coaching method with kids
• 17:45 Inside the 36-week entrepreneurship curriculum
• 19:10 Challenges adults face (stepping back, allowing failure)
• 20:30 Challenges kids face (resources, mindset, family dynamics)
• 22:20 One thing adults can do immediately
• 23:00 Reframing the stories we tell ourselves
• 24:40 How to connect with Leah and the Society of Child Entrepreneurs

Get Your Episode Freebie & More Resources On My Website: https://www.lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/257

Connect with guest Leah Ellis

• Website: https://societyofchildentrepreneurs.org/