Tom Friedman Calls Endeavor’s Model “The Best Anti-Poverty Program of All”

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an updated and expanded paperback edition of The World Is Flat, New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman calls Endeavor’s model for high-impact entrepreneurship “the best anti-poverty program of all.”

“it is just as important to make small business people in a developing country into big business people who can employ lots of their neighbors.”

“Endeavor (www.endeavor.org) was formed for the purpose of promoting entrepreneurship in emerging markets,” Friedman writes in the chapter entitled “If It’s Not Happening, It’s Because You’re Not Doing It.” “Its basic model is to link up small and midsize businesses with seasoned entrepreneurs so that the little guys and gals can get the advice and contacts they need to grow their companies into bigger businesses that can employ more people.”

Friedman praises Endeavor’s “mentor capitalist” model for helping mid-sized entrepreneurs to expand and create jobs and innovation in developing countries world-wide. “As important as it is to help make poor people into small business people,” Friedman says, “it is just as important to make small business people in a developing country into big business people who can employ lots of their neighbors.” “(I)t is precisely these sorts of middle-class start-ups and small businesses that create the most jobs and the greatest innovation in a society.”

This is the “pro-entrepreneurship” example that Friedman says has the “inspirational power” to encourage individuals in the developing world, where role models are scarce, to think big. “There is no greater motivator for the poor than looking at one of their own who makes it big and saying: ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’”

About Endeavor

Endeavor breaks down barriers that prevent emerging-market entrepreneurs from reaching their high-impact potential. Hailed by NYT columnist Thomas Friedman as the "mentor capitalist" model, Endeavor identifies entrepreneurs leading high-growth innovative companies in emerging markets. These entrepreneurs are given world-class strategic advice, access to key networks and other tools that will catapult them to success. With Endeavor's guidance they become “high-impact” – expanding employment, generating wealth and inspiring others to innovate. Often overlooked, these local entrepreneurs are now jumpstarting private sector development in their countries.

As of January 2007, Endeavor Entrepreneurs throughout Latin America, South Africa and Turkey have created 79,000 new jobs and generated over $1.9 billion in revenues. Endeavor plans to launch operations in Egypt and India in early 2008. For more information, visit www.endeavor.org