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N.E. Ohio college teams learn about starting company, presenting ideas, competing for money
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Saturday, Aug 16, 2008
Hilary Dell figures the entrepreneurial bug bit her at age 5, when she gathered up the books in her house, called her bedroom a library and tried charging her sister to borrow from the collection.
''Maybe that was kind of unethical,'' the Kent State University student said with a laugh.
This week, Dell and 34 other students from Northeast Ohio colleges learned how to start a new business the right way.
Entrepreneurship Immersion Week 2008 is the flagship event of a consortium created by KSU, the University of Akron, Ashland University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University and John Carroll University.
Business faculty at the schools came together two years ago to talk about new ways to encourage an innovative spirit in undergraduates. One way, they agreed, was to give students an intensive look at what it takes to start a company.
The week culminated Friday with five-member teams from each school presenting their ideas for a chance to win part of an $8,000 pool. Students can take the money and run, or sink it into their business idea.
Dell and her partners — Sarah Stannard, Sophia Shaheen, Zach Mikrut and Joe Robinson — won $2,000 for a plan to create a clothing adaptation service for people who struggle with off-the-rack garments.
A panel of four judges heard the market research and growth potential for Mend to Trend, which would offer wardrobe consultations and full-service alterations for the elderly, the disabled and people with physical limitations.
The week's $4,000 grand-prize winner was Case Western Reserve University, whose stu
dents came up with an idea for a coupon card that would allow consumers to load up and redeem coupons electronically while helping retailers collect information about shopping habits.
KSU shared runner-up status with the team from John Carroll University, which won $2,000 for a Web site that would help residents find eco-friendly products and services in their community.
The Internet also was a focus of the University of Akron's team, made up of Ashley Privett, Brandon Fabris, Cody Albert, Raymond Latiano and Colleen Bowen.
The team would like to pursue a Web site that would become the preferred start page for students and faculty, and be replicated for other schools.
The site would include a unique ''map your day'' feature, Latiano explained to the judges.
Users could type in their destinations and get a walking guide, which could be printed or sent to a cell phone. Other features include a list of events, daily specials at restaurants and retailers, and easy access links to popular social networking sites, search engines, weather and news.
Latiano said the idea was born of a casual discussion about where team members spent their day. When the students realized they had never heard about some of the places their peers were patronizing, they saw a gap in knowledge that needed to be filled.
UA adviser Todd Finkle said a strength of Entrepreneurship Immersion Week is that participants come from such a wide variety of disciplines.
Bowen is a UA dance major, for instance, but said the program fit her goal to one day own a dance studio.
''I've got some real-life experience,'' Bowen said. ''What I'm missing is the book work.''
After Friday's award luncheon, KSU adviser Julie Messing said she expects the students will stay motivated for a long time to come. ''The energy is so high right now,'' she said. ''It's really exciting.''
Last year's winners from Case Western Reserve launched their business plan this year. Fresh Fork Market (http://www.freshforkmarket.com) helps restaurants buy produce directly from farmers.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
Hilary Dell figures the entrepreneurial bug bit her at age 5, when she gathered up the books in her house, called her bedroom a library and tried charging her sister to borrow from the collection.
Get the full article here.
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