Making A “Hot Shot” Out Of Your Small Fry (NAPSA)—Whosays business can’t be fun? Not the millions of kids who play an award-winning online game that teaches them entrepreneurialskills. While selling lemonade at a sidewalk stand or investing your allowance can be a time-tested lesson in businessprinciples, today’s kids may prefer a gamethat lets them run a virtual business, such as a pet spa, skateboard factory, comic shop or landscape service— andlearn firsthand just how much fun and challengingit can be. Kids can do just that in “Hot Shot Business” (www.hotshot business.com), an online entrepreneurship simulation game that blends fast-paced game play with real-world lessons to teach kids entrepreneurship concepts and skills as they build a virtual business from the ground up. Developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Disney Online as part of Disney.com, a family entertainment site that attracts 12 million visitors a month, the game wasdesigned for kids 9 through 12 and has recently been enhanced to give players an even more realistic and challenging taste of what it takes to start and run a business. “Kids identify with careers that are real to them,” said Carl Schramm, president and chief executive officer of the Kauffman Foundation. “Hot Shot Business’ is intended to plant the seed among kids that being an entrepreneuris a real option.” In a survey by the foundation, more than 41 percent of children in this age group had thought about starting a business, either to follow a dream orhelp others. While the game highlights management, it also teaches children such generally useful skills as problem solving and planning, and specific skills such as marketing. Players mustthink fast, act faster and take advantage of trends to succeedin a kid biz game. Young business owners change products, services and prices, start marketing campaigns and respond quickly to demanding customersandbig newsevents. To succeed, players must think fast, act faster and take advan- tage of trends. “Hot Shot Business” version two was just released with game enhancements including more immersive, realistic story lines, a new business choice (landscaping), new financing options and a multiplayer environment that places focus on market competition. “We hope to show kidsthatit’s possible to not just dream big dreams but to achieve big things,” said Craig Armstrong, “Hot Shot Business” project director, Kauffman Foundation. Kids also learn how they can benefit society by creating a business that produces jobs. For more information, visit www.hotshotbusiness.com.
