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

from Time for Teachership · host Lindsay Lyons

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/

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This episode was published on May 12, 2026.

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