Pitch for the Box Slinger Link to Facebook page –(1) The Box Slinger | Facebook
The GCC Business Pitch Competition brought students and community members of all ages together in person for the first time since 2019 to share their business ideas and passions in front of two judges and the local business community.
“It runs the gamut, it could be absolutely any kind of business, we don’t care, just research it, look into it, and we try to guide them,” says Dr. Lina LaMattina, Director of Business Programs at GCC.
BriixBandz clothing Pitch– Link to Facebook page-(9) BriixBandz Clothing | Facebook
The 6th Annual Business Pitch Competition was open to all students and community members and participants did not have to be a business major.
“We want people to see this as almost an incubator situation, they come in with an idea, we want to work with them, we have connections at GCEDC and the Small Business Development Center.”
On Tuesday morning, there were remote students, in person students and one community member who showed up to present. The 16 presenters pitched their ideas or current businesses to Judges Jim Krencik, Director of Marketing and Communications at GCEDC and Kelly Bermingham, Director of Membership Relations and Special Events at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
Flower Farm Girl-Handmade Jewelry
Several of the participants on Tuesday morning already have their businesses up and running but may need help with website creation, a social media presence or in marketing their product or service. Others were still in the research stage. Either way, the Judges and some community members viewing the pitch had questions that seemed to spur more creativity and more ideas for the presenters.
“I want to inspire them and expand their thinking and make them realize the traditional career path does not have to be I get a college degree and now I have to pound the pavement and find someone to hire me. Maybe they don’t pay what you think you are worth. We see a lot of entrepreneurs who go into an industry they are passionate about and learn it and get some experience in their field and then 3, 5, 10 years later then can come back to being an entrepreneur. They should know they don’t have to be trapped, there is always this possibility.”
If interested in pitching an idea in next year’s competition, contact Dr. Lina LaMattina at lmlamattina@genesee.edu
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