By David Seduski | Development Associate
Students from across the Sunshine State came together on May 21st to compete in the 2013 NFTE South Florida Youth Bizplan Challenge. The young entrepreneurs were tasked with creating a business plan and presenting complex concepts, including marketing analysis, economics of one unit, and business goals, to a panel of local community and business leaders. The five finalists competed at the University of Miami School of Business for the right to advance to the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York, and for $1,500 in venture capital money. Even those who received honorable mention at the South Florida Finals still received $250 for their businesses for having advanced through the initial classroom competitions and the semi-finals. The prize money was funded in part by the donations through the Give For Youth platform.
The winning presentation came from Giselle G, 15, for her business Crazy 4 Bowties Bowtique. Giselle started off making fashion conscious bowties, but soon expanded into graphic t-shirts which incorporate bottle cap logos. In order to increase sales in her area she uses designs with local school emblems and logos. Also advancing to the National Challenge in New York was 17 year-old Jennifer C. She makes custom bras for her business, Precious Pearls. Her innovative bras adapt to each wearer’s unique shape through the use of memory foam and are marketed via house parties for women.
Nicklas Sarnicola of The Sarnicola Foundation, the Challenge’s presenting sponsor, was on hand to deliver the keynote address. He stressed the ability to overcome obstacles, even the failure of a business, as key to the future success of the young entrepreneurs. NFTE is thankful to his organization, along with other sponsors MasterCard Worldwide, Banesco, Southwest Airlines, the University of Miami, and donors like you, for the support that allowed the competition to take place.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
