Entrepreneurship, money, and life skills taught through a book teens actually want to read.
From the co-founder of Zogo, a financial education app used by 2M+ people and 250+ credit unions.
Supported by Chad W. Beckerman, creative director and designer behind Diary of a Wimpy Kid and 40+ New York Times bestsellers.
Backed by behavioral psychology, advised by Dr. Sam Akbar
Aligned with Jump$tart National Standards for Personal Financial Education
Flagship title now available; additional volumes planned
Trusted by credit unions with a shared mission
At Harborstone, we believe that financial empowerment starts with the next generation, and that the best way to reach young people is to meet them where they are. Start Young and Build Freedom does exactly that. It tells a real story, in a format teens actually want to engage with, about building the mindsets, habits, and skills that lead to financial freedom. We're proud to put this book into the hands of families across the Puget Sound and to continue the work of showing up for our communities in meaningful ways
Hazelmae OverturfVP of Impact, Harborstone Credit UnionWe're always looking for meaningful ways to connect with young people, but the challenge is creating something that captures their interests. This delivers on our vision. It's a book teens will want to read, one that builds real skills and carries our message into their homes. It's a natural fit for who we are and the impact we aim to create.
Emilie LewisDirector of Community Engagement, Palmetto Citizens FCUSupporting young people as they explore entrepreneurship and financial independence is core to our mission. This partnership with Dream Publishing lets us give youth an engaging resource they can take with them beyond our programs.
Jennifer WatsonChief Executive Officer, Limestone Federal Credit UnionEmpowering youth and teens with financial knowledge today helps to build a strong foundation for tomorrow's leaders. We're investing in our next generation by providing them with the tools to form healthy financial habits. Start Young and Build Freedom tells a real story that connects with teens.
Erik ShawPresident/CEO, 5Point Credit UnionStart Young and Build Freedom is the kind of resource that creates a real, lasting impression on a young person and the fact that it arrives co-branded with their credit union's logo makes that connection even more powerful.
JohnPaul McGeeCEO, evergreenDIRECT Credit UnionWe've always believed financial education is one of the greatest investments we can make in young people. What makes this book special is that it doesn't just teach financial concepts – it helps youth see what's possible for themselves. We're excited to put that message into the hands of families across Central Texas.
Priscilla OlveraDirector of Community Education & Scholarships, A+ Federal Credit Union
A win–win for young people and your community
84%
of teens say entrepreneurship education is vital to their financial well-being.
3%
of them feel confident they could actually start their own business.
You can fill that confidence gap.
How Credit Unions Use Dream
Distribute to parents and teens
Hand out co-branded copies at account openings, youth events, and community days – or include them in mailers.
Bring into classrooms and programs
Provide class sets for teachers, entrepreneurship programs, libraries, and after-school clubs.
Use at branches and workshops
Use the book and discussion guides for seminars, financial education nights, and youth advisory boards.
A different kind of publisher for credit unions, families, and the next generation.
Engaging format
Humorous illustrations, story-driven lessons, and challenges that make learning stick.
Connect with teens and parents
Co-branded books teens finish – tested with hundreds of families.
Book-based learning
Print books that pull teens off screens and into focused, long-form learning.
Turnkey and co-branded
Plug-and-play materials for marketing, engagement, and community outreach.
Aligned and flexible
Follows Jump$tart Standards; works in classes, branches, home, and online.
Built by an expert team
Dream was founded by Simon Komlos, co-founder of Zogo (acquired) — an app that partnered with 250+ credit unions and helped 2M+ people build financial skills. At 12, Simon was struggling in school until a pen pal introduced him to coding. That spark changed his life. Now he wants to pass it on.
Simon Komlos
Founder / CEO
Serial entrepreneur and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Education, now building Dream to spark the next generation of teen entrepreneurs.
Chad W. Beckerman
Art Direction
Award-winning creative director and designer behind Diary of a Wimpy Kid and 40+ New York Times bestsellers, shaping the cover and interior layout for Start Young and Build Freedom to help captivate young readers.
Maddy Winchester
Partnerships
Former Head of Partnerships at Zogo, now leading Dream's credit union and school partnerships nationwide.
Jo Eberlein-Venckus
Illustration
Texas-born illustrator, comic artist, and animator (MICA grad) bringing Dream's stories to life with expressive, teen-friendly visuals.
Chris Ukaoma
Partnerships Intern
UT Austin student studying Finance and MIS, helping Dream build credit union partnerships and expand youth reach across Texas.
Advisors
Chuck Long
Partnerships
With 7+ years in credit union partnerships at Zogo, Chuck personally signed 250+ FI partners and helped grow financial education nationwide.
Dr. Sam Akbar
Behavioral Psychology
Clinical Psychologist, acclaimed author and expert in stress and resilience. Advises our team on behavioral psychology.
Richard Koch
Strategy & Growth
Bestselling author of The 80/20 Principleand strategic advisor guiding Dream's mission and growth.
Reviews
What people are saying
See how Dream is transforming financial education for teens and strengthening community connections.
To bring the next generation to credit unions, we need leaders like Simon who inspire youth—and vendors like Bankjoy that make it easy to join and stay engaged. Together, Dream and Bankjoy help CUs grow with modern, youth-friendly experiences.Weiwei DuncanCOO, Bankjoy
I really loved your book and I was fascinated and blown away by your drive and ambition! I would LOVE to get each of my teens a copy and tell them your story – it is so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story with the world – teens everywhere will LOVE your books and benefit greatly from them – they're perfect for young teens like my daughter who will be 13 in a short few months. Keep doing what you are doing!ParentTeen ages 12 & 14
It was great having Simon come speak to my students. His sharing his experience was a real eye-opener for many of the students. I noticed one student kept turning around on the computer and reading something. Then she would turn back around and ask Simon a question which he would answer. My students liked that they got to give feedback on the titles for his book and the color.Dawn SernaTeacher, CTE Department Chair, Crockett High School
For a credit union to make the effort and care that much to provide this book would make me see them as worthy of holding my money and doing business with them. Our values would be aligned.ParentTeen, Age 15
I would be so excited if we could read this in school! It is very motivating and inspiring.TeenAge 17
It feels like a life-skills book written in a language teens actually understand. It's not preachy, more like a 'level-up' guide for real life.TeenAge 14
Supported by great institutions
Read a Sample Chapter
Get a free preview of our book. Download the Introduction + Chapter 1 and discover how Dream teaches teens entrepreneurship, money, and life skills.