Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) is Prosperity Lab’s youth entrepreneurship bootcamp designed to introduce early-career youth to the foundational mindset and tools of self-employment. The program is tailored specifically for individuals ages 18 to 25, including court-impacted youth, former foster youth, and young adults facing barriers to traditional employment pathways. Rooted in the belief that entrepreneurship can be a powerful path to long-term financial stability, BYOB helps participants see their lived experience, creativity, and initiative as assets—not obstacles.

The bootcamp is anchored as a one-day, six-hour intensive learning experience, offered four times per year to young residents of Santa Clara County. Cohorts will be recruited both through direct outreach and directly recruited in partnership with local organizations that serve young people already pursuing vocational training, workforce readiness, or seeking alternative economic pathways. The BYOB curriculum blends practical business skills with the core qualities needed to navigate uncertainty—resilience, adaptability, and community connection.