Fortunately, when pondering my business idea as a kid, I was growing up in the United States, a nation that offers many benefits to entrepreneurs in terms of both official government policies and an overarching culture of entrepreneurship.

The U.S. government makes it easy to start a company. There is little paperwork to complete. There is a fundamental belief in the United States that private business entrepreneurs should be afforded maximum freedom to do what they need to do to grow their business. Onerous government regulation and paperwork can stifle an entrepreneur�s creativity, and thus should be avoided. In this spirit, the government offers tax benefits to small-business owners and funds educational programs. The government believes in the power of private enterprise.

Other than providing such emergency services as police and fire protection, U.S. policy generally favors competition in an open market rather than a nationalized equivalent. Our country, then, welcomes new entrants, even young entrepreneurs.

America�s cultural attitudes are even more important to its entrepreneurial success. In the United States, if you have the courage to start a business, you are celebrated and you are encouraged. You are seen as an innovator, a pioneer, a successful rebel. If you fail � and there�s a good chance you will if you start your own business � most Americans will shrug it off as a learning opportunity. There�s no shame in failing. Families, schools, and the media alike share this acceptance of failure.

In one sense, in the United States you have a permanent fresh start. Youth, in particular, are seen as beacons of innovation and creativity. As an aspiring young entrepreneur, I benefited from these attitudes. I became proud of my individuality and pursued my ideas without embarrassment.