Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour to Hit MiraCosta College

Just because the economy has taken a turn for the worse doesn’t mean that the business dreams of young entrepreneurs need to come to a screeching stop. This is one of the messages that hundreds of college students will receive during a one-of-a-kind conference featuring successful businessmen and women who have built their dream businesses while still in their ‘20s.

MiraCosta College is hosting the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour on October 14, 11 a.m.-3 p.m ,in the theatre at the Oceanside Campus. This first-ever national collegiate entrepreneur tour will feature many of America’s top young entrepreneurs who have made their mark before the age of 30, as well as successful local businesspeople like Ralph Rubio, founder of Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill. This high-energy workshop is designed to provide inspiration and practical advice for emerging entrepreneurs and students. Admission is free and lunch will be served.

Keynote speakers include Raj Lahoti and Shira Lazar. Lahoti began his journey as an entrepreneur at the age of nine and established his first Web site at 14. Lahoti created DMV.ORG: The Unofficial Guide to the DMV, which draws in over 65 million visitors annually. DMV.ORG is operated by OnlineGURU, a web publishing business co-founded by Lahoti, which now operates with an in-house staff of 20. Shira Lazar is the host of numerous TV shows, including “1st Look” and “Open House,” and she writes on lifestyle, entertainment and tech on her blog “The Pop Report.” She has also appeared on Fox News, CNN, CBS and MSNBC.

The October 14 event will also include a panel discussion featuring local entrepreneurs Ralph Rubio and MiraCosta student Mary Tamsin Thoren, winner of the spring 2009 Young Entrepreneur’s Project (YEP). YEP is a statewide program that encourages entrepreneurs to start on the path to business ownership.

The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour is the brainchild of two 25-year-old business whizzes, Michael Simmons and Sheena Lindahl. Simmons, who will be the moderator for the MiraCosta event, is a graduate of New York University and a successful author, teacher, speaker and award-winning entrepreneur who founded his first business, Princeton WebSolutions, when he was just 16 years old.

The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour is brought to MiraCosta by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is committed to helping both MiraCosta students and local businesses succeed in the changing economy.

For more information about the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, or to register to attend, go to the tour's Web site or contact Nina Lovejoy by e-mail or call (760) 331-3173.