Sam Vahhaji and Shivani Patel during the Business for the Youth (BFTY) toy drive in 2023. Photos: Business for the Youth
A high schooler inspires the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Sam Vahhaji knows a thing or two about business. The 18-year-old Southwest High School senior is an entrepreneur. In his sophomore year at the Linden Hills area school, Sam was balancing class, hosting duties at a local sushi restaurant and running an online slippers business called Cozy Step. After selling 300 pairs of slippers, his friends took notice.
“Friends were asking for advice with their own projects,” Sam says. After brainstorming, he created Business for the Youth (BFTY), a school club and 501(c)(3). As founder and president, he teaches the practicalities of business while also encouraging acts of service. Proceeds from BFTY events are donated to other nonprofits. For example, BFTY catered chicken fingers from Raising Canes for a school lunch and sold them to classmates. Proceeds were then donated to the nonprofit Alight, an organization that aids refugee families. “We use the funds to donate to an organization, but we also use the profits to initiate an act of service,” he says. “It goes hand in hand.”
Public Offering
BFTY launched as an official school club at Southwest High School in September 2023, quickly attracting 115 students. Through initiatives like bake sales, the club raised funds for sandwiches for the homeless and supported donations to Alight. The club’s biggest event last year was the Student Thrift Convention. Its premise was that graduating seniors could both lighten their wardrobes and earn some extra money for college. Hosted in the school gym after school, the event transformed tables into thrift stalls. Entry cost $5, granting access to unique thrift finds. BFTY seniors sold their gently-used clothing, while BFTY retained entry fees. “We could use the funds to initiate an act of service,” Sam says.
Southwest High School students proudly hold up a giant version of BFTY’s logo.
The model has caught on. The nonprofit has since expanded as a school club with chapters around the world, including two in the Twin Cities—Washburn High School in Minneapolis and St. Paul Academy in St. Paul.
“Today, we have 65 chapters around the world,” Sam says. This includes chapters in Australia, Canada, China, India, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. “They’re all helping underrepresented communities,” he says.
Role Models
Sam has always been a businessman. “Business has developed my character,” he says. “It’s who I am.” When asked about particular skills, he mentions the importance of being prepared and the ability to talk to people.
Shivani Patel serves as executive vice president of BFTY. Like Sam, she’s a senior at Southwest High School. Shivani helps Sam set up BFTY’s goals, manages Instagram and assists in establishing new chapters. But she says her favorite aspect is integrating entrepreneurship with charity and giving back. “It’s not common that students can do that integration,” she says. “We made it easier for students and communities to do that in other places through the nonprofit.”
As seniors, Sam and Shivani were asked about their futures, as well as a BFTY exit plan. Sam plans to study business. Shivani plans to study business, finance or applied mathematics. As for BFTY, they say they plan to stay involved with the nonprofit.
“I would like to start a chapter in college,” Sam says, encouraging others to consider launching chapters in their schools. For those interested, visit businessfortheyouth.org.
Business for the Youth
Instagram: @businessfortheyouthglobal
Southwest High School
3414 W. 47th St., Mpls.; 612.668.3030
