By: Nathalie Monero, Staff writer

On April 17, the J. Donald Lee Center for Entrepreneurship hosted their annual Business Plan Competition Final Pitch at Pound Hall Auditorium, where student finalists presented their final pitch to the judges.  

Students were to be registered for this competition back in February, when they submitted their executive summaries and registered to participate. Semi finalists were notified on March 1 and given information regarding the requirements of the full business plan.  

Over a couple of months, eight finalists were selected on March 30 to present to the judges. 

VSU Management Professor and J. Donald Lee Center Director Dr. Byeonghwa Park explained the aim of the competition. 

“The competition at its core is an experiential learning opportunity,” he said. “So, students don’t just submit ideas on paper. They go through a structured process where students research a problem, develop a solution, think through the market, and then eventually present that idea to a group of judges at the final stage.” 

This competition is meant to nurture the entrepreneurship spirit within students and give them an opportunity to not just receive feedback from the knowledgeable judges but also receive up to $20,000 in total cash prizes.  

The event started with opening remarks given by Dean of the College of Business, Dr. Guclu Atinc and Professor of Marketing Amy Watson,  followed by eight presentations, each given equal time to present and receive questions and feedback from the judges.  

In third place was She Means Brand, a woman-owned marketing agency built to drive growth to local businesses and strengthen the community that they serve. This presentation was delivered by Nicole Taylor and Ashlin Meadows.  

In second place was SaludYa, a business created by John Barbosa with the goal of helping doctors in Columbia.  

In first place was Jfleming.StudioWorkshop, which is a company that produces accessible clothing for people with disabilities and limited mobility.  

During his presentation, first-place winner Jeffrey Fleming said, “Competitors can copy product, but they cannot copy our story, network, or founder.” 

Fleming got the idea to create this company from his father, a disabled veteran who struggles to find stylish clothing that also fits his accessibility needs.  

“This is my passion, students raising the bar, please take the next step!”  Judge and Professor of Management Dr. Mary B. Rousseau said, “ I’d like each of you to know that if you are serious about your business and would like coaching to take that deeper dive and ask the questions, I will hear, and that is something I love to do.”