Last Friday, Oglethorpe students competed in the third “Shark Tank”-style Idea Incubator for a chance to win up to $4,000 for their start-up business. The event was sponsored by the Hammack School of Business and the Oglethorpe Entrepreneurship Club.
Like the hit show “Shark Tank,” student entrepreneurs gave short pitches detailing their business ideas for a panel of judges. Each pitch included a business case, competitive analysis and plans for expansion. Afterward, judges were allowed to drill down on presenters and ask questions about their businesses. The competition was organized Entrepreneurship Club President Roei Levi ’21 and advisor Glenn Wasser.
Altogether, seven students presented five different start-ups for a panel of five judges that included incoming Dean of the Hammack School of Business Dr. Stephen Craft; Department Chair of Business Dr. Lynn Guhde; Senior Lecturer in Marketing Dr. David Nasser; Senior Lecturer of Accounting Robert Burchfield; and Assistant Provost & Special Advisor to the Dean of the Hammack School of Business Dr. Beth Concepción.
Student presenters were:
- Brittney Turner, “BodaciousBritts” – Sustainable, handmade clothing
- Garshae Mowatt-McKenzie, “ProductDiscovery.com” – Turnkey solution for showcasing products and services
- Ulises Rodriguez, “Neighbors Supply Co.’s Herb Flask” – All-in-one smoking kit
- Morgan Rosberg, “Pari Gaming” – Online betting for video games
- Azaan Subhani, “Marlin Staffing” – Fast, affordable online staffing service
- Caleb Smith, “Avery Media Inc.” – Video production company
The winners of the competition were Brittney Turner’s “BodaciousBritts” and Ulises Rodriguez’s “Herb Flask,” with Turner winning $2500 and Rodriguez winning $1500.
Watch each presentation, as well as past presentations on the Oglethorpe University YouTube channel.
