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YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIPCHALLENGE
In no time at all Barton County's fourth annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge will be HERE!! Check out below to learn more about the competition and see how you can be a part of it!
See you in March 2024!
Teachers and mentors
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More information
Info on 2023's YEC Event.
Updated information for March 2024, Coming Soon!
Welcome to Barton County's third annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge! This competition is created to challenge our youth, encourage our business community to partner with and mentor our younger generations, and foster a community spirit for entrepreneurship!
This competition will take place at the Great Bend Events Center on March 8, 2023. All participants will put together a tradeshow presentation of their business idea and share it with the public. They will also present their formal 4-minute presentation to the judges. The competition has grown to include 7th graders through 12th graders, this year.
After the tradeshow exhibition, the winners will be announced!
There is $2500 in prize money to be divided among the top four competitors. Third place will receive $500, second place will receive $750, and first place will receive $1000 and the opportunity to continue onto the Statewide competition! Audience members will also have a chance to vote for their favorite and award TWO competitors $250!
The public is invited and encouraged to attend this event to cheer on our student competitors and show their support for the next generation of business ideas.
Question and answer
Do I have to apply to compete?
No. There is no application process, all you have to do is fill out the registration form and you're in!
Does is cost money to compete?
No, it is free to compete.
Do I need to spend a lot of money to create my tradeshow display?
You have full creative control as to what you're tradeshow display will look like and what work and money you will put into it. You do not have to spend a lot of money to create your vision! If you find that you need some help or resources to create your display, you can reach out to myself (Sara Hayden director@gbedinc.com) or Megan Barfield (mbarfield@greatbend.org) and we will point you in the direction of local resources.
What is a tradeshow display?
A tradeshow display is, simply put, a display you create to show off your business! It could be a poster board display, a video, a photo board, a product that you created to demonstrate your business, etc. The sky is the limit - you can create whatever you feel shows off your business best!
Do I have to use the prize money towards my business or school?
No, it's a cash prize that you get to use however you choose!
How do I get help when I have questions?
This question has two answers. The first one, if you have specific questions or get stuck, reach out to myself or Megan Barfield and we will do our best to answer our questions! Next, if you have specific questions related to creating your business Megan and I will put you in touch with a local business mentor that specializes in your topic of concern and they will work with you.
Sara Hayden at director@gbedinc.com or Megan Barfield at mbarfield@greatbend.org
Can I request a specific local business mentor or a mentor that specializes on a specific topic?
Of course! Let us know who you'd like to work with and we will do our best to make it happen! If we can't, we'll make a similar connection for you.
Listen in on our 2023 info. session for participants!
What will the judges scoring be based on?
Executive
Summary
Score Card
Tradeshow
Scorecard
4 Minute
Presentation
Scorecard
Have more questions? Send an email or give us a call and we'll answer them and then add them to the list for others to get to see!
Executive Summary Tips and tricks
Executive Summary Example
Start Up
Cost Table
Example
Finance
Sheet
Example
Executive
Summary
Guidelines
Executive
Summary
Example
Executive
Summary
Score Card
Want more? Click on the below articles for a more detailed account on how to create your executive summary!
4 Minute Presentation Tips and Tricks
4-Minute Presentation Judging
Judging will reflect a business’s performance in the following categories:
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Business Overview: What is it, who occupies key roles (management/operations), what is your experience, what legal structure will you use, ?
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Business Description: What product or service will you provide, where will your business exist, when will it happen, what funds will you need, etc.
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Marketing: Market research including target market, is the market big enough to matter, how will you reach your market, potential growth, who is your competition, what promotion and advertising will you use, how did you choose your pricing strategy
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Financials: Project financial requirements, cash flow, projected income, etc.
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Presentation: Poise, confidence, comprehension, ability to answer judges’ questions, proper attire for a business presentation, captures attention, is within time limits, etc.
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Google Slides: Creative, neat, easy-to-understand, relates to your business, engages judges,
Investable: Is it an idea that, based on the judges’ experience, makes them interested in investing in your company.
Want more? Click on the below articles and videos for thoughts on how to give the best presentation!
Tradeshow Tips and Tricks
Judging
Judging will reflect a business’s performance in the following categories:
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Business Overview:
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What is it, who occupies key roles (management/operations), what is your experience, what legal structure will you use, etc.
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Business Description:
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What product or service will you provide, where will your business exist, when will it happen, what funds will you need, etc.
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Marketing:
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Market research including target market, is the market big enough to matter, how will you reach your market, potential growth, who is your competition, what promotion and advertising will you use, how did you choose your pricing strategy
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Financials:
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Project financial requirements, cash flow, projected income, etc.
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Presentation:
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Poise, confidence, comprehension, ability to answer judges’ questions, proper attire for a business presentation, captures attention, is within time limits, etc.
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Booth Display:
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Creative, neat, easy-to-understand, relates to your business, engages judges, etc.
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Investable: Is it an idea that, based on the judges’ experience, makes them interested in investing in your company?
Want more? Check out these pictures of previous YEC tradeshow displays and interviews!
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