The American Academy of Entrepreneurs (AAE) was launched in 2020 with participants from Florida, Louisiana and Michigan. That year, 23 pairs of mentors and mentees began their journey together at a kick-off retreat. What followed were six monthly calls for each pair before being officially inducted into the Academy.

Ed Lowe’s own journey through second stage is the backbone of the AAE program. He often wished for a mentor to help him address the tough challenges of growing his business — and he even coined “American Academy of Entrepreneurship.” “America is built on the backs of entrepreneurs,” Ed wrote. “If successful entrepreneurs band together to work collectively, they will make a powerful investment in the future of America.”

At the heart of AAE is experience and a giving spirit. Mentors are selected for a willingness to share their vast lessons learned from running their own businesses into and through second stage. Mentees are second-stage entrepreneurs themselves who are actively working through the challenges of growing their businesses.

With guidance from their mentors, each mentee identifies their barriers to growth. During the seven-month program, mentors serve as a sounding board, connector, commiserator and cheerleader. In addition to the mentor-mentee dynamic, there is mutual respect as peers, and mentors often learn as much from their mentees as the mentees do from them.

Similar to other Edward Lowe Foundation programs, strategic partnerships are key to the American Academy. Louisiana Economic Development, GrowFL Inc. and Michigan Economic Development Corp. collaborated with the foundation to provide support for these entrepreneurs in their home states.