"I Started with Every Hat and Trusted the Process": Michelle Blue on Founding Next YE Development, Reaching 10,000 Students Across NYC, and Building a Business Rooted in Purpose, Possibility, and Prosperity

Michelle Blue is a TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and trained psychoanalytical coach with over 12years of experience transforming how individuals approach work and life. As the Founder of Next YE Development, an education consultancy focused on future-ready entrepreneurial andcareer development programs, she equips early talent and educators with the mindset, skills,and tools needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Since 2021, Next has supported over10,000 students and educators across New York City. Michelle is committed to empoweringmore than one million people and teams by 2035 to build futures rooted in purpose, possibility,and prosperity.

Q: Did you start the venture alone?

Yes, I started Next YE Development on my own.In the early stages, I did everything: designing the curriculum, facilitating workshops, building partnerships, handling operations, and figuring things out in real time. It was very much a “figure it out and make it happen” season.As the work started to grow, one of the most important decisions I made was to bring on facilitators who were also entrepreneurs. That was really intentional for me. I didn’t just want instructors—I wanted students to learn from people actively building, failing, pivoting, and creating in real life.Now, we’ve built a strong team of facilitators and collaborators who bring the work to life at a high level. But those early days definitely required me to wear every hat and trust the process.

Q: What’s your business model, and how have you grown your revenue?

Our business model is centered around B2B partnerships with schools, districts, and corporate organizations that are invested in education and workforce development.We design and deliver:

• Future-ready curriculum
• Workshops and multi-session programs
• Teacher trainings
• Large-scale events and career experiences

We also partner with corporations and institutions that want to support talent pipeline development and community impact, aligning our programming with their goals.In terms of revenue growth, it’s really come down to three things:

Delivering real impact
We focus heavily on outcomes—student engagement, skill development, and transformation. That’s led to a 95% customer return rate, which has been huge for sustainable growth.

Building strong relationships
A lot of our growth has come from referrals, renewals, and expanding within existing school systems and partners.

Evolving our offerings
We’ve grown from single workshops to district-wide curriculum development, multi-program partnerships, and larger contracts. As the need for future-ready skills continues to grow, we’ve positioned ourselves as a long-term partner, not just a one-time vendor.Now, we’re focused on scaling that model—expanding into more cities, deepening corporate partnerships, and continuing to build programs that prepare students and entrepreneurs to thrive in a rapidly changing world.