The Foundation of the Future: Artificial Intelligence

In a resurfaced video from his talk at SXSW, Mark Cuban made it clear that for Gen Z and aspiring entrepreneurs, AI is not just the future – it is the foundation. “If I were 16, 18, 20, or 21 starting today, I would spend every waking minute learning about AI,” he told the crowd. “Even while I’m sleeping, I would have podcasts playing about AI.”

Cuban sees AI as the most powerful opportunity to reshape business, creativity, and innovation. Simply understanding how to use AI, he said, can open the door to countless ventures from launching your own startup to consulting for others. 

Happy 21st Birthday Escape From Corporate America Blog!

Thank you for your readership all these years.  Here's one of the first posts I [Laurel Delaney] I did. We now have between 20,000-75,000 readers a month.  When I first started, I was lucky to have one.

Keep reading and keep engaging!  

Young, Gifted and Black

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Found this wonderful book, Young, Gifted and Black, in the Free Library Box and read through every page.  The graphics and the inspiring stories are irresistible.  It's a launching post for more discoveries featuring 52 black heroes from past and present.

These extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream ... whatever it may be.  

Founder and Celebrity Hair Stylist Jen Atkin’s Brand Eyes Expansion

Founder and celebrity hair stylist Jen Atkin’s brand eyes expansion beyond store shelves into non-retail spaces.

The Los Angeles-based company Ouai didn’t become a household name in its own right until around 2019 when the team made a gamble on a novel means of distribution. Ouai sampled one million units of its leave-in conditioner in FabFitFun subscription boxes. It was the company’s biggest sampling program ever.

Find out what happened.  It's better than you think.  

Women Entrepreneurs Are Incredibly Resilient

According to Audrey McLoghlin, founder of the clothing brand Frank & Eileen, female entrepreneurs are uniquely suited to handle these kinds [fighting for success] of crises. “Women are incredibly resilient and built to be able to handle chaos,” she says. “It’s how we’re created for motherhood—that’s constant chaos. We’re built that way.”

McLoghlin knows just how hard entrepreneurship can be. She launched her Los Angeles-based company in 2009 after declaring personal bankruptcy during the Great Recession and spent the next decade fighting to turn it into a success, which she did.

Now her goal is to make more successful women entrepreneurs.  Read about her story, Tory Burch's, Tiffany Dufu's, and Nancy Twine's here. 

Grants, Loans, and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business

Whether you're starting a new small business or looking to grow the one you already own, finding funding can be a challenge for businesses of all sizes. 

Here are more than 100 grants, loans, and programs to benefit your small business.  

Teens Are Open to Pursuing Entrepreneurship

Research from Junior Achievement and Ernst & Young LLP (EY) found that 41% of teens are open to pursuing entrepreneurship over a traditional job, and among current business owners, 13% got their start at age 18 or younger.

Many of the young entrepreneurs below fall into that camp and have continued on their path of success in the years that followed, thanks to great ideas, unwavering determination, and support and guidance from the right mentors.

Archika Dogra, Grace Leger and Caitie Sfingi are among them.

The stories of these young business owners are a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment. It’s about starting where you are, learning as you go, and staying open to feedback, mentors, and change.