Rochester, IN: “This was incredibly hard,” said Judge Abby Warpenburg when returning from tabulating scores and deliberating over the top winners in the “First Pitch” event hosted by FEDCO (Fulton Economic Development Corporation.) Warpenburg, having herself been a participant in the 2018 Adult Entrepreneurial Pitch event, knows first-hand the amount of preparation in developing a sound business plan and the nervous excitement of making a “first pitch” of that plan to a team of judges.
“All of the teams here today are to be congratulated on doing an outstanding job of presenting,” she continued. The youth “pitch” event featured two finalist teams of entrepreneurs from each of the following area schools: Caston, Rochester and Tippecanoe Valley. Warpenburg, owner of Rochester Green House and Brooch Boutique, was joined in her sentiments by the events’ other judges, Joe Koch of Fulton County REMC and Kim Martin of Hoffman Body Shop in Akron.
Amy Beechy, FEDCO’s BizGro Coordinator, launched the day’s competition by calling Caston’s Team “I Do For You” to be first presenters. Their business model was based on a unique twist on all-inclusive wedding services. Their motto is “We do the work for you while you don’t have to!” and used a multi-tier guide and a contractual arrangement with multiple providers for services; taking care of details themselves. Team members included Mariana Garza, Sophie Jellison, and Izzy Smith.
Next came Rochester’s “Bee Bot Co.” Their passion was finding a unique solution to the bee colonization crises. This sparked an artificial intelligence guided “bee” that could be utilized in place of live bees for pollination. An oversized prototype model was on display for the judges. Team members were Ashley Haselby, Kamrynn Burkett and Kinzie Conrad.
The third presentation was by Tippecanoe Valley team “P&K’s Desserts.” Their dessert-based business included a dessert bar tasting station, Cake & Canvas events, Dessert of the Month classes and more. Sporting their logo-branded aprons and a canvas visual, the team shared dessert samples with the judges. Team members were Peyton Oldham and Kailey Rudd.
Fourth up was Caston team “Across the Road” which offered a localized shopping and delivery service that could ease the time constraints of a wide variety of clientele including busy moms, mobility limited patrons, seniors and harried professionals. The online service differs from other venues by offering all-inclusive shopping and delivery to your door from multiple area businesses. Team members included Tim Lee, Byron Rentschler, and Nathan Russell.
Another Rochester team, “EV Performance”, presented a plan that targeted EV Grand Prix Series participants from around the globe. The team developed a lightweight, yet more durable solution in a patented battery box for series competitors and would produce other performance parts, as well. They have partnered with a local manufacturer to handle the production of their inventions. Team members were Blake Plummer, Kyle Reinartz, Gunther Halterman, and William Smith.
Next up was Tippecanoe Valley team “Nikki’s Farm Fresh” which offered up a farm-to-table experience restaurant featuring locally grown meats and produce. Complete with logo-designed menu, the judges were treated to a strong visual representation of their concept. Team members included Nicole Ziemek, Misael Ramirez and Jesus Quintana.
After each of the team’s five-minute “pitch”, the judges had time to ask clarifying questions and then when all presentations were finished, the judges retired to a sequestered room for scoring and deliberations. During that time audience members mingled with students to learn more about their projects and goals. When asked about what they learned from this year’s experience in entrepreneurial enterprises, business plan processes and pitch contest, it was interesting to note that most of the students talked about learning to work in a team and the new friends they made in the process. Some shared challenges, as one student said, “It’s really hard learning to work in a team, when you think you have this great idea for a product, but then other people on the team have different ideas about how to develop it.” One even admitted, “I like to keep things moving and didn’t want delayed by other people’s ideas,” and laughed at herself for the struggle to work in a creative team. Another young man concurred, “This was a fun process, but it was really difficult. Everyone had a different strength, and didn’t think the same, but could come together to produce something.” Another student noted, “I liked the freedom to be creative and come up with an idea without it being put down or told I couldn’t do it.”
Once judges made their decision, winners were announced and cash prizes (donated by Fulton County REMC) were awarded as follows: 1st Place – EV Performance ($500); 2nd Place – Bee Bots Co. ($400); 3rd Place – P & K Desserts – ($300); 4th Place – I Do For You ($100); 5th Place – Across the Road ($100) and 6th Place –Nikki’s Farm Fresh. Judges also shared positive and constructive feedback for each team on their presentations.
Judge Joe Koch had this to say about the event, “As the sponsor for the First Pitch Contest, Fulton County REMC was amazed at the quality of the presentations given at today’s competition. We appreciate the foresight and hard work of the administrators, teachers, and students of Caston, Rochester, and Tippecanoe Valley schools for making this competition a great success. Programs like this give students a better understanding of how to start their own business.”
Program Director, Amy Beechy, added, “This was a great event. It’s always fun and exciting to work with students. The goal of this competition was to expose students to the process of starting a business so they could learn about feasibility, marketing, competition and finances. Based on the high quality of their pitches, they exceeded our expectations. I hope they continue to pursue these or other business ideas in the future.”
FEDCO appreciates the support of the schools, teachers, sponsors, judges, timekeeper and the community partners who support these programs. The event was held at the Rochester Learning Center. For more information about any of the FEDCO business development programs feel free to contact them at (574) 223-3326 or www.fultondevelopment.org
Student Participants, Teachers, Judges, and Amy Beechy of FEDCO