Students from across the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center district got to show off their entrepreneurial skills this year in a new competition designed to grow their business skills.
Shark Bite (business ideas that excel) is an exciting business training competition designed to empower students with real-world entrepreneurial skills to cultivate a business from the ground up. The hands-on learning provides a unique blend of education and practical application to prepare students for the business world.
“Lots of CKTC students want to go into business of their own, whether that is in construction, baking or to open a childcare center. This competition allowed them to design a business plan, grow that plan with help from business leaders and staff and to “pitch” that plan to a “Shark Tank” type panel in a year end competition,” said Shawn Adams, Shark Bite creator and Small Business Coordinator with CKTCs Business and Industry Services department.
Each step along the way we invited professionals from across Southwest Oklahoma to meet with the students and give them their advice on starting their business, added Adams. Those professionals taught lessons in how to start a business, how to develop a business plan/model, create a budget, and market their business idea to funding partners. In all, more than twenty professionals volunteered their time to work with these students and help them in their quest.
“Our mission at Career Tech is to give students the skills they need to go into industry,” said Jennie Nunn, superintendent at CKTC. “If that path is to start their own business, we wanted to give them a little bit more information on how to make that happen.”
The training that students were offered culminated in a final “pitch” to a panel of sharks that chose the top innovative idea. The winner received a cash prize for their creativity and presentation to help get their business started.
“Although we had a top winner, and it was by a fraction of a point, several of the teams have started the path to create their business,” said Adams. “Several of the businesses are up and running, and have a really good chance to be successful.”
The competition was open to students actively enrolled at CKTC in any program area.
Originally 19 business submittals comprised of 28 students from 10 different sending school districts and adults, submitted ideas in areas from cell phone apps to screen printing. Students from 11 different CKTC career programs proposed ideas. As the competition and training progressed, some of those applicants withdrew, or decided their plan needed more refinement.
“We are so grateful to our industry partners,” said Adams. “We had 26 different businesses, organizations or individuals assist with the program. Many volunteered their time to teach classes or help the students develop their plans. There is no way we could have done this without their help.”
After a year-long training and development, 12 final groups submitted proposals to the panel of sharks. Those sharks consisted of experts in industry: April Clark with Shamrock Bank, Mark Worthley withy Legacy Bank, Jennifer Ellis with Cameron University and Caddo County Industrial Authority, Jennie Nunn with Caddo Kiowa Technology Center, and Lori Laufer with Oklahoma Department of Career Technology.
The final presentations, along with business and marketing plans were scored and the winners prevailed by less than one point from second place.
The first-place winners, taking home a prize of $1,500 and a year’s worth of website hosting, were the team of Elizbeth Berkley, Juden Walker and Venus Beaver. Berkley is from Verden and Walker and Beaver from Anadarko.
“This really gave us confidence to step out and do something that we probably would not have done on our own,” said Berkley.
“We are so proud of all of our students who participated in this competition,” said Nunn. “The growth we saw from the first session was amazing! These students have a great mix of knowledge and the confidence it takes to start a business now.”
Final results were:
1st Place – “Bake My Day” a traditional bakery plan by Juden Walker, Venus Beaver and Elizabeth Berkley.
2nd Place – “Berkely’s Designs” a printing company by Hanna Berkley specializing on tumblers, mugs, mousepads etc.
3rd Place – “Nevaeh’s Heavenly Sweets” a specialty bakery by Nevaeh Smith featuring sugar free sweets.
For more information on next year’s competition, watch the CKTC website cktc.edu or follow CKTC on social media.