New Non-Profit Aims to Create a New Generation of Young Business Owners

PORJECT NILO LOGO ON APR 19, 2023

PROJECT NILO is an initiative started by World's Best Connectors LLC to provide business education to college athletes and their parents.

Grand Canyon University students Christian Mayfield and Faith Powell attended the reception for the launch of  Project NILO, a business education program for college athletes.

Credit: Denise Meridith) Christian Mayfield and Faith Powell are Grand Canyon University students who attended the reception to launch Project NILO, a business education program for college athletes, held at Molina's Fine Jewelers in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 19, 2023.

Photo of Jason Rose and AC Caswell at the Project NILO Launch Reception at Molina's Fine Jewelers on April 19, 2023.

(Credit: Tracey Garrett) Project NILO is supported by business leaders such as Jason Rose (Rose Moser Allyn Public Relations) and AC Caswell (Million Dollar Mingle) at the Project NILO Launch Reception at Molina's Fine Jewelers in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 19, 2023.

NILO Limited is a non-profit, which provides business education and work experiences to college athletes. It adds "Ownership" to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).

NILO Limited is different in that it is open to any student-athlete (male, female, LBGTQIA+, students with disabilities), in any sport in any school, and it includes help for parents.”
— Denise Meridith
PHOENIX, AZ, USA, April 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- In 2021, NCAA changed the rules which had prohibited college and university athletes from accepting monetary compensation. Most NIL awards focus on a few sports and players (e.g., top football programs), and are just one-time monetary bonuses. Historically most football and basketball players have gone broke within five years of retirement from careers which usually last less than four years. With more NIL money, but without any more financial literacy, we cannot expect that trend to change much. The World’s Best Connectors LLC (WBC) is a community of CEOs, which just launched a non-profit called NILO LIMITED. NILO LIMITED is a national public charity, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, which will add “Ownership” to NIL, by providing business education and experiences for college athletes.

“NILO Limited is different,” says Denise Meridith, CEO of WBC and Founder of NILO Limited, “In that it is open to any student-athlete (i.e., male, female, LBGTQIA+, students with disabilities, any race or national origin, etc.) in any sport in any school, and it includes help for parents.”

The program consists of virtual business classes (how to create an LLC, write a business plan, etc.) and work-study opportunities with corporations and business owners. The goal is for each student to leave college with his/her own business. We will also partner with other non-profits to provide literacy training for high school students to help prepare them for collegiate sports and post-college careers.

The 2023 NFL draft is coming up next week when millions of Americans will be watching televised scenes of many talented boys, many of whom are people of color from poor areas, with their families, waiting nervously for a chance to put on one of those professional football team hats. There is a lot of hope and celebration when a kid's name is announced. But very few students will ever get to shake the Commissioner's hand and most do not have a "Plan B."

“It is sad,” continues Meridith, “To think that we have ladened a generation or two of our young and brightest with college-related debts and in many cases no financial management training, and limited applicable career skills. Instead, we should be ensuring that all students have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to manage their own businesses, whether or not they become professional athletes.”

NILO Limited had a beautiful launch reception on April 19, 2023, for its Project NILO initiative hosted at and by Molina’s Fine Jewelers in Phoenix, Arizona. It was attended by top business leaders in Arizona. Project NILO will be an abbreviated pilot with a limited number of students in 2023. The full 18-month program will start in 2024 for first-year through junior college students and their parents. Students and parents are encouraged to sign up for the NILO Mailing List at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/bjZzPQv/projectnilo

NILO Limited is also soliciting contributions (financial and in-kind) that would be used for equipment, supplies, software and programming dues, rental of training/event venues or offices, marketing, and professional services for the pilot session and next year. As importantly, NILO Limited is seeking corporate and business partners, who would provide internship, work-study, shadowing, and other experiential opportunities for students in the program or relevant pro bono services for the organization, students, or families.

In addition to Project NILO, NILO Limited has a division called NILO Media, which includes NILO TV (a 24/7 OTT streaming television network), Actionera (a platform to build, launch and manage media content) -and other modern media services and outlets that will be used to promote activities of Project NILO and its students, sponsors, partners, and other government, corporate and academic customers.

More general information about Project NILO can be found at www.projectnilo.com. There will also be information and announcements updated regularly on our social media and app.

Denise Meridith
World's Best Connectors LLC
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