Investing in Young Entrepreneurs Worth Risk

June 6, 2012 by Tamara Bell

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Sally Outlaw, co-founder and CEO, peerbackers

Sally Outlaw is co-founder and CEO of peerbackers, a Jupiter, Fla.-based crowdfunding website for entrepreneurs. A seasoned business owner with more than 20 years experience, Sally spent 10 of those years producing television programming in Russia for NBC, The Discovery Channel and PBS. Back in the states, she helped to create and produce The Next Wave with Leonard Nimoy, a popular series on CNBC devoted to exploring innovative technologies for both start-ups and existing companies.

In April, President Obama signed into law the Jumpstart Our Business Startups, or JOBS, Act, clearing the way for small businesses to attract new investment dollars through crowdfunding. But what impact will this law have on Gen Y startups and entrepreneurs, and how will potential investors be kept safe from possible fraud and abuse? Sally joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about the advantages and drawbacks to using crowdfunding when Gen Y want to start or expand their own businesses. She also discusses why investing in young entrepreneurs may be worth the risk.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: crowdfunding, funding, Gen Y Entrepreneurs, investors, JOBS Act, Keeping Up with Gen Y, marketing, Peerbackers, Sally Outlaw, social media, tamara bell

About Tamara Bell

Tamara Bell is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Y Gen Out Loud, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides a platform for Generation Yto discuss national politics and public policy issues.

Tamara began her journalism career as a staff reporter for the Dallas Times Herald. A few years later, she moved to York, Pa., as a political reporter for the York Dispatch, covering local, state, and national government as well as writing investigative stories for the mid-sized daily newspaper.

A Texas girl at heart, Tamara returned to Dallas a year later to work as press relations director for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. John Bryant. The next year, she moved to Austin and the Texas Legislature, where she stayed for 15 years. While at the Legislature, Tamara worked for Democratic House members as Chief-of-Staff and Press Secretary, and as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Senate State Affairs Committee chaired by a Republicansenator.

In 1996, Tamara became co-owner of a political newsletter covering state issues and elections. As Editor-in-Chief, Tamara helped shape the weekly publication into a must-read for state officials, legislative aides, and lobbyists. More recently, Tamara wrote a regular column analyzing coverage by the Texas Capitol Press Corps for an online political publication. She also works as a lecturer in the Advertising Department at The University of Texasat Austin.

Tamara has also been a judge for the 2010 Bright Ideas Award given by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, served as a panelist at the Society of Professional Journalists 2010 Region 8 Conference where the theme was How to Save Journalism, and has been a guest lecture for the Advertising Department’s Internship course, speaking about the jobs outlook for graduating seniors.

Tamara earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, and her B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She resides in Austin with her son, Jackson.

Tamara Bell is also the Host of Keeping Up with Gen Y on WomensRadio. Keeping Up with Gen Y offers discussions, interviews, and commentary about important issues of the day from the perspective of Generation Y (18-to 30-years-old). Aimed at all generations interested in learning about and inspiring young people, this show features professionals, experts, researchers, and members of Gen Y who share insights and experiences about the topics on the minds of today’s young adults.