By Carol Leish, MA –
“You don’t have to be great at something to start, but you have to start to be great at something”—Zig Ziglar
Founded in 2020, the A.I.M. Entrepreneurial Academy has been making strides in shaping the next generation of business leaders by combining practical life skills, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial training. The Ventura-based 501 (c) 3 nonprofit is the vision of cofounder, Fred Morales, a career technical educator and ordained minister who has a passion for empowering youth.
The other co-founder is Patricia Morales, who is a licensed real estate and insurance broker, and a retired tax advisor. She co-founded the Academy, along with Fred, after repeatedly witnessing the lack of financial literacy among her adult clients. She said, “In my practice, I saw firsthand how many people were unprepared to manage money, save, invest, or stay out of debt.”
“Our mission is to develop leaders who can thrive not only in business, but also in life,” said Fred Morales. “We focus on essential values such as responsibility, active listening, and patience. Fred Morles brings a diverse background to his work. Once the top golfer at his high school, he became a father at 20 and quickly faced the realities of adulthood. His journey led him to launch a jail and street ministry and to eventually become an ordained minister. His deep-rooted faith and real-world experience inspired him to create a program that addressed the gaps he once experienced firsthand.
He said, “Too many students graduate high school without basic life skills. My wife and I saw the need for young people to be better prepared: emotionally, socially, and financially, in order to navigate adulthood.
“A.I.M. Academy addresses these challenges by offering youth the tools to save, invest, avoid debt, and to turn their personal challenges into personal power. The curriculum draws inspiration from resources like, ‘Adulting 101,’ by Joshua Burnett.
“The Academy also promotes the idea of giving back through service and mentorship. We are helping students to move beyond self-centered thinking by encouraging them to pay it forward.” Located at 2112 Eastman Avenue, Suite 101, in Ventura, A.I.M. Academy invites community involvement and support. For more information, call (805) 432-1015 or visit www.aim4it.org.
