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Girl School What makes a young woman want to own a business? A little education will help.

By Cynthia E. Griffin

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Since the Internet era unfolded, you've heard a lot about 19-, 20- or 21-year-old males plunging into the excitement of piloting start-ups. But did you ever wonder why you weren't reading about the female equivalents of Marc Andreessen and Jerry Yang? Aren't young women interested in entrepreneurship?

Absolutely yes, says Joline Godfrey, CEO of Independent Means Inc., a company that operates summer camps introducing girls ages 13 to 19 to business ownership and investing. "Girls are flocking to this stuff; once they get access to the information, we see they're hungry for it," says Godfrey, who started in 1996 with a single location. This year, she expects to run 12 camps in North America plus several in Australia.

Before we give the reins over to the youngsters, let's celebrate a veteran.
Mail order pioneer Lillian Vernon celebrates her company's 50th anniversary this year. We asked this trailblazing business owner what she believes was the turning point.

"The most significant change began in the early 1970s, when women entered the work force full time. After gaining valuable work experience, many decided to start their own businesses in [later decades]." Vernon says efforts have been aided by banks and the SBA growing more willing to lend to women, and the advent of the Internet and e-commerce. "These factors have had an enormous impact on our society and changed American culture forever."

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