ACU Entrepreneur Develops Innovative Website That Gives Back To Local Community
By: Gina Benitez
Updated: February 2, 2012
Creative entrepreneurs.
"Depending on how in tune you are with this community, you will see them without knowing it but you will see them quite a bit," says Joyce Sledge with the Hispanic Leadership Council.
Terry Johnson is one of them. He created ads4next.com, an online digital billboard, what he calls a digital playground.
Johnson says, "We wanted to create an innovative way of raising money and so we thought, 'Hey, let's add value to the local business community as a way of generating revenue to do so.'"
Local businesses buy space on the site. The companies get great exposure and people at home can win prizes on a daily basis just by clicking.
Johnson adds, "People can win free stuff to local businesses and they do that to support our local mission to equip youth as next generation entrepreneurs."
The site partners with local high schools to inspire underprivileged students to create businesses before they even graduate. They are taught money management skills and match every dollar they make with another dollar.
"The idea is to break the cycle of poverty by teaching low income students entrepreneurial skills and helping them save for college," says Johnson.
Johnson comes from a low income household and wants to inspire future generations.
Johnson says, "So, it's very personal to me."
The website generates revenue for business owners, gives freebies to those who click and is a driving force behind underprivelaged youth in our community.
