Less than two weeks ago the Napa Valley College Small Business Development Center held its first Business Plan Competition for young entrepreneurs. In the past 16 years that I have worked with businesses and business development, I have never been as impressed as I was with the caliber and spirit of our young entrepreneurs.

 From over 40 submitted business plans, 26 high school and college students took the stage to present their power point business plans to judges, teachers, sponsors, advisors and families. These tech savvy students communicated clearly and the visuals were engaging. 

The judges and sponsors from Napa Community Bank, Napa Chamber of Commerce, Net-Flow Internet Solutions, Napa Valley College, Umpqua Bank and Foster’s Wine Estate were instructed to look for creativity, believability, logic, research, clear explanations of products and services and realistic financial plans from each business that presented.

There were five finalists presenting in the high school division, including a young business women 12 years of age. Vintage High’s students researched and wrote their business plans in Mike Cromwell’s ROP Hospitality class. DeBoer Clothing won first place, presented by Myles DeBoer from Justin Siena High School, who designs and produces original graphic arts apparel.

“It was wonderful to tap into the resources of the Napa Valley College Small Business Development Center in teaching entrepreneurial explorations for my advanced hospitality and food service students,” said high school instructor, Mike Cromwell. “The project was to develop a detailed business plan and receive guidance from the staff at SBDC, as if opening a real business.

There were eight finalists in the college division. Students were from Napa Valley College classes taught by professors Walt Unti, Ian MacNeil and Charlie Monahan. Business ideas ranged from a digital game room to a local soccer bar restaurant.

Josh Diaz, Amy Francis and Kindall Hoxsey won first place with their business, Top Beef, intending to offer “the highest quality beef possible for restaurants, from cattle raised locally on a Napa Valley ranch,” said the group with conviction.

The grand prize team for the best business plan in both categories received laptops which were provided by Net Flow Internet Solutions and the NVC SBDC.

The Napa Chamber of Commerce gave a $250 cash prize scholarship to each second place winner in their respective division. Second place winners were Lauren Bowen with BowenAppetite in the high school division and in the college division, Olivia Everett and Paul Martinez-Everett for Artmosphere. All students who entered the competition received business software and other prizes.

Before the final competition, free training and counseling were offered by SBDC Advisors to the students, with training and advice for starting a business. This assisted the students in developing their business plans and also in entering the competition.

The Youth Entrepreneurial Program is made possible through a grant to NVC from the chancellor’s office, career technical education division. Napa Valley College will continue to provide training and entrepreneurial skill building opportunities for youth in 2009.

For more information about the Youth Entrepreneur Program, contact the SBDC at  253-3210.