Fernando Tenesaca

Currently, I am a junior at UMass Amherst and I've decided to return to YEAA for the third year. As a freshman, I was immediately interested in this program because I wanted something unique that would challenge me while earning income, improving my resume, and gaining real-world skills. At the end of my first summer, I ran a $120,000 business earning about $20,000 in income, which was a truly life-changing experience for me. I learned how to market and attract customers to a valuable service I was offering and I sold my own work. I learned how to lead a marketing team and a production team, while also dealing with the everyday challenges of running a business. I learned how to take on more responsibility than any other college student and succeed at a high level because of the amazing support from the Executive Team. I decided to return as a sophomore to become an Executive. At the conclusion of my second year, I ran my own business while coaching 6 rookie managers and oversaw $360,000 in revenue. As an Executive, I learned 10 times more than I did in my first year. I learned to take on more accountability and responsibility to help coach my team to success while also learning how to scale the business model and turn rookie managers into leaders.