Students participate in “Shark Tank” style business plan competition

information and photos released; Pictured above — 1st place winners: Wellness by the Water- students Phinley Teague, Teagan Byquist and Rylee Winters

At the Lake Chelan Rotary’s November 14th lunch meeting, students from Manson High School who took this fall’s Buzz on Biz class from teacher Nikki Medved presented the business plans they developed over the course of the past several months to the club.

There were seven teams of students this year tasked with designing a business plan that could potentially be implemented in our own community, and in the process learned about teamwork, presentation skills, and various elements required to run a successful business. The students presented and took questions from a panel in a “Shark Tank” type format, and Rotarians had the opportunity to evaluate each team based on how effective they were. Visual presentation awards were also created by each team and displayed during the subsequent lunch meeting at Sorrento’s.

The program was started 8 years ago with the help of Rich Watson, who facilitated funding for the project from the NCW Business Loan Fund. This has sustained the program through this year’s session.

The teams developed plans for A & Z’s Mobile Barbershop; Rolling Waves Thai and Sushi; Wellness by the Water; Deep Water Gaming and Lounge; Leons FC; Chelan Battleground; and A & E’s Sweet’s n’ Treats.

The top three teams were awarded cash prizes. The winners are :

  • 1st place: Wellness by the Water- students Phinley Teague, Teagan Byquist and Rylee Winters
  • 2nd place: A & Z’s Mobile Barbershop- students Zahyr Sanchez and Angel Pineda
  • 3rd place: Rolling Waves Thai and Sushi- students Kaiden Zenner, Finn Smith and Jesus Estrada

The award for best display board went to A & Z’s Mobile Barbershop who was the winner of a $50 cash prize. Congratulations to all students on a job well done!

Wellness by the Water – First Place Presentation Winner

A & Z’s Mobile Barbershop – Second Place Presentation Winner

Rolling Waves Thai and Sushi – Third Place Winner

A & Z’s Mobile Barbershop, winner of the best display board

Special thanks go to Rotarian Dan Hodge, who has led the program since inception; and Rotarians Kim Dunbar, Susie Hepner, and Cindy Buboltz. Thank you also to teacher Nikki Medved; Tracy Kellum of Concur Technologies who taught effective presentation skills; and several local business owners who taught specific classes to the students about their specialties: Antonio Nunez of Antonio’s Landscaping; Krysta Westmoreland of The Meat Shop; Jeff Conwell of KOZI; Madison Mackenzie of Local Myth Pizza; Jordana LaPorte of Evergreen Accounting; Stacy Willoughby of Cashmere Valley Bank; and Coron Polley of VIP Insurance Agency.

Rotary is also grateful to Dr. Bob Jankelson and Bob Hargadon for making space for this year’s final presentations in the Tsillan Cellars Tasting Room and at lunchtime in Sorrento’s.