[Music] now you’re probably wondering how my
now you’re probably wondering how my
now you’re probably wondering how my world has someone this young experienced
world has someone this young experienced
world has someone this young experienced risk in her life she hasn’t risked her
risk in her life she hasn’t risked her
risk in her life she hasn’t risked her money and she hasn’t risked her life
money and she hasn’t risked her life
money and she hasn’t risked her life what could it be
what could it be
what could it be my name is Brooke Yocum and I’m your
my name is Brooke Yocum and I’m your
my name is Brooke Yocum and I’m your typical teenager most of the time I love
typical teenager most of the time I love
typical teenager most of the time I love playing sports watching Netflix getting
playing sports watching Netflix getting
playing sports watching Netflix getting good grades and I love shopping with my
good grades and I love shopping with my
good grades and I love shopping with my friends but I’m also that teenager that
friends but I’m also that teenager that
friends but I’m also that teenager that when I realize a problem I try to make a
when I realize a problem I try to make a
when I realize a problem I try to make a solution when I was 12 I started to
solution when I was 12 I started to
solution when I was 12 I started to realize typically when I would go
realize typically when I would go
realize typically when I would go shopping with my friends we would forget
shopping with my friends we would forget
shopping with my friends we would forget our gift cards at home or if we
our gift cards at home or if we
our gift cards at home or if we remembered to bring our gift card
remembered to bring our gift card
remembered to bring our gift card there’d only be like two dollars left on
there’d only be like two dollars left on
there’d only be like two dollars left on it so this made me start to think
it so this made me start to think
it so this made me start to think shouldn’t there be a solution for us to
shouldn’t there be a solution for us to
shouldn’t there be a solution for us to easily store all of our gift cards once
easily store all of our gift cards once
easily store all of our gift cards once I realized this problem my goal has
I realized this problem my goal has
I realized this problem my goal has always been to make a solution for teens
always been to make a solution for teens
always been to make a solution for teens and the solution is gift pocket gift
and the solution is gift pocket gift
and the solution is gift pocket gift pocket is a mobile app designed to help
pocket is a mobile app designed to help
pocket is a mobile app designed to help teens easily store and manage all of
teens easily store and manage all of
teens easily store and manage all of their gift cards and I’m the CEO and
their gift cards and I’m the CEO and
their gift cards and I’m the CEO and founder of gift pocket once I came up
founder of gift pocket once I came up
founder of gift pocket once I came up with the idea of gift pocket I put into
with the idea of gift pocket I put into
with the idea of gift pocket I put into action when I participated in the young
action when I participated in the young
action when I participated in the young entrepreneurs Academy and from there I
entrepreneurs Academy and from there I
entrepreneurs Academy and from there I became an engaged client with Revlon
became an engaged client with Revlon
became an engaged client with Revlon ventures they’ve both helped me make my
ventures they’ve both helped me make my
ventures they’ve both helped me make my dreams of being an entrepreneur a
dreams of being an entrepreneur a
dreams of being an entrepreneur a reality through this whole experience it
reality through this whole experience it
reality through this whole experience it never really hit me that I’d be a head
never really hit me that I’d be a head
never really hit me that I’d be a head of a company and be in charge of people
of a company and be in charge of people
of a company and be in charge of people even though I’ve had no business
even though I’ve had no business
even though I’ve had no business experience but I’ve quickly learned how
experience but I’ve quickly learned how
experience but I’ve quickly learned how to be in charge on the outside it may
to be in charge on the outside it may
to be in charge on the outside it may look like I have everything under
look like I have everything under
look like I have everything under control
control
control but the journey to get there hasn’t been
but the journey to get there hasn’t been
but the journey to get there hasn’t been as easy as it looks
as easy as it looks
as easy as it looks one of the biggest risks I’ve taken from
one of the biggest risks I’ve taken from
one of the biggest risks I’ve taken from this venture is the risk of failure by
this venture is the risk of failure by
this venture is the risk of failure by creating gift pocket I’ve had to face
creating gift pocket I’ve had to face
creating gift pocket I’ve had to face this fear every day even the washington
this fear every day even the washington
this fear every day even the washington post says 9 out of 10 startups fail gift
post says 9 out of 10 startups fail gift
post says 9 out of 10 startups fail gift pocket was just an idea but to make it
pocket was just an idea but to make it
pocket was just an idea but to make it into an app I’ve had to go through
into an app I’ve had to go through
into an app I’ve had to go through thousands of iterate
thousands of iterate
thousands of iterate by doing thousands of wireframes the
by doing thousands of wireframes the
by doing thousands of wireframes the only way to make my vision of gift
only way to make my vision of gift
only way to make my vision of gift pocket a reality is I’ve had a wire
pocket a reality is I’ve had a wire
pocket a reality is I’ve had a wire frame different screens of the app at
frame different screens of the app at
frame different screens of the app at first I thought it was impossible I even
first I thought it was impossible I even
first I thought it was impossible I even tried to convince someone else to do it
tried to convince someone else to do it
tried to convince someone else to do it for me but after struggling through and
for me but after struggling through and
for me but after struggling through and believing in myself I’ve made so many
believing in myself I’ve made so many
believing in myself I’ve made so many wireframes and now it’s super easy while
wireframes and now it’s super easy while
wireframes and now it’s super easy while creating the wireframes for gift pocket
creating the wireframes for gift pocket
creating the wireframes for gift pocket I know now that gift pocket is more than
I know now that gift pocket is more than
I know now that gift pocket is more than just an app it’s a platform to give
just an app it’s a platform to give
just an app it’s a platform to give teenagers the ability to control what we
teenagers the ability to control what we
teenagers the ability to control what we consider money which is gift cards
consider money which is gift cards
consider money which is gift cards there’s been times when this app could
there’s been times when this app could
there’s been times when this app could have failed but my fear of failure has
have failed but my fear of failure has
have failed but my fear of failure has motivated me to keep going my
motivated me to keep going my
motivated me to keep going my persistence to keep refining the app is
persistence to keep refining the app is
persistence to keep refining the app is to make the best experience possible for
to make the best experience possible for
to make the best experience possible for the user I refuse to let the risk of
the user I refuse to let the risk of
the user I refuse to let the risk of failure prevent me from giving up every
failure prevent me from giving up every
failure prevent me from giving up every single day I’m proving myself to adults
single day I’m proving myself to adults
single day I’m proving myself to adults that they need taking me and gift
that they need taking me and gift
that they need taking me and gift pockets seriously I’m only 14 years old
pockets seriously I’m only 14 years old
pockets seriously I’m only 14 years old I still go to school at Upper Arlington
I still go to school at Upper Arlington
I still go to school at Upper Arlington High School and I play soccer but I am
High School and I play soccer but I am
High School and I play soccer but I am also an entrepreneur most people think
also an entrepreneur most people think
also an entrepreneur most people think that a 40 year old is not capable of
that a 40 year old is not capable of
that a 40 year old is not capable of starting the company but I’m on a
starting the company but I’m on a
starting the company but I’m on a mission to prove them wrong and I know
mission to prove them wrong and I know
mission to prove them wrong and I know now that age should not limit you on
now that age should not limit you on
now that age should not limit you on what you want to do in creating gift
what you want to do in creating gift
what you want to do in creating gift pocket I’ve had to rely on other people
pocket I’ve had to rely on other people
pocket I’ve had to rely on other people to make this app a reality however when
to make this app a reality however when
to make this app a reality however when meeting with other individuals
meeting with other individuals
meeting with other individuals I fear that they’ll dismiss some ideas
I fear that they’ll dismiss some ideas
I fear that they’ll dismiss some ideas it won’t take me as seriously as if I
it won’t take me as seriously as if I
it won’t take me as seriously as if I were an adult getting over these hurdles
were an adult getting over these hurdles
were an adult getting over these hurdles has been a challenge and a risk but
has been a challenge and a risk but
has been a challenge and a risk but their focus and persistence I’ve been
their focus and persistence I’ve been
their focus and persistence I’ve been able to remove doubt about myself these
able to remove doubt about myself these
able to remove doubt about myself these fears and risk are holding me back
fears and risk are holding me back
fears and risk are holding me back but there’s one fear that could stop me
but there’s one fear that could stop me
but there’s one fear that could stop me from making my dream a reality for the
from making my dream a reality for the
from making my dream a reality for the first year of working on gift pocket I
first year of working on gift pocket I
first year of working on gift pocket I didn’t tell anyone about my app I don’t
didn’t tell anyone about my app I don’t
didn’t tell anyone about my app I don’t want people to judge me and look at me
want people to judge me and look at me
want people to judge me and look at me differently
differently
differently I knew once I told people there was no
I knew once I told people there was no
I knew once I told people there was no way I could go back
way I could go back
way I could go back the fear of being different prevented me
the fear of being different prevented me
the fear of being different prevented me from embracing the support of my peers
from embracing the support of my peers
from embracing the support of my peers but it’s not just me according to this
but it’s not just me according to this
but it’s not just me according to this stage of life LLC 40% of teens are
stage of life LLC 40% of teens are
stage of life LLC 40% of teens are afraid of peer pressure or not fitting
afraid of peer pressure or not fitting
afraid of peer pressure or not fitting in with people at school the fear of
in with people at school the fear of
in with people at school the fear of being different is demonstrated by the
being different is demonstrated by the
being different is demonstrated by the clothes we wear the sports we play and
clothes we wear the sports we play and
clothes we wear the sports we play and the decisions we make – your typical
the decisions we make – your typical
the decisions we make – your typical teen the fear of not fitting in prevents
teen the fear of not fitting in prevents
teen the fear of not fitting in prevents us from doing the things we want to do
us from doing the things we want to do
us from doing the things we want to do take the circle I’m standing in for
take the circle I’m standing in for
take the circle I’m standing in for example this circle is where everyone’s
example this circle is where everyone’s
example this circle is where everyone’s comfort zone is and where they want to
comfort zone is and where they want to
comfort zone is and where they want to fit in they step out and they step right
fit in they step out and they step right
fit in they step out and they step right back in because they’re afraid of what
back in because they’re afraid of what
back in because they’re afraid of what will happen but what I realized is the
will happen but what I realized is the
will happen but what I realized is the best things happen when you step outside
best things happen when you step outside
best things happen when you step outside your circle and you risk being different
your circle and you risk being different
your circle and you risk being different there’s no way I will be able to go
there’s no way I will be able to go
there’s no way I will be able to go after my dreams of starting my own
after my dreams of starting my own
after my dreams of starting my own company if it weren’t for me stepping
company if it weren’t for me stepping
company if it weren’t for me stepping outside my comfort zone and risking
outside my comfort zone and risking
outside my comfort zone and risking being different the journey that gif
being different the journey that gif
being different the journey that gif Puckett has taken me on has helped me
Puckett has taken me on has helped me
Puckett has taken me on has helped me learn and grow as a person without it I
learn and grow as a person without it I
learn and grow as a person without it I want to be able to face my fears head-on
want to be able to face my fears head-on
want to be able to face my fears head-on I know now that to pursue your dreams
I know now that to pursue your dreams
I know now that to pursue your dreams and to achieve what you’ve always wanted
and to achieve what you’ve always wanted
and to achieve what you’ve always wanted to achieve sometimes all it takes is
to achieve sometimes all it takes is
to achieve sometimes all it takes is stepping outside your circle thank you
stepping outside your circle thank you
stepping outside your circle thank you [Applause]
”
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