“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” - Jim Rohn
Dear Guidance Counselor, Career Services Officer, Inspirer of Minds,
My sophomore year in high school was an extremely transformative one. I started my first entrepreneurial effort and won a business plan competition at Baruch College business plan competition. While I never was necessarily a straight-A student or vital in my school’s extracurriculars, I finally found a word, “entrepreneurship,” that really described my interests and allowed me to find what my talents and future interests were beyond my high school.
So I set out to create a revolutionary competition, but I needed a sponsor that had the same passion as I do. That’s when I found Alexandra Fairweather. When she was in high school, Alexandra started her first entrepreneurial effort a feature film that would lead to a scholarship in her name at Alexandra’s high school.. Little did she know it was the start of a journey that led to her creating Fairweather Films, one of several companies she would start (Fairweather Magazine, Ivy Untapped and Startup Station)
The timing was perfect to collaborate with Alexandra. Ivy Untapped, her new venture (a dedicated network hub, a place for collaboration, talent, new ideas and business opportunities for its members) was looking to find young entrepreneurs and was already meeting young people who were launching new beverage lines, a consultancy agency, a web series, an innovative real estate startup and a VC fund—to name a few.
Alexandra thought, “let’s include high school students.” I then called Options for College, a private college counseling firm that has been dedicated to students not only getting into college, but getting the most out of it, since 2005, and that has worked with young entrepreneurs at a young age and helped them think about college as more than just an admissions letter. They agreed to host info sessions and share information about the event. So it time for my new launch!
The Betesh Entrepreneurship Contest at the Columbia Club
October 19th, 2014
Entries due October 1st, 2014.
Info sessions and sign ups (please attend one):
12 PM, May 3rd, 2014 / 12 PM, May 4th, 2014
12 PM, September 6th, 2014 / 12 PM, September 7th, 2014
Info session address: 1115 Broadway, Floor 10, New York, NY 10010
First prize: A Startup Station Consultation Package and a $2,000 scholarship, as well as lots of recognition!
Competitors can enter as an individual, ask to be assigned to a team, or come as a team. No distinction will be made for whether an entry is from an individual or team. Everything will be judged in the same category. No distinction as to the age of a student will be made. The only qualification is that students must be enrolled in high school or college.
We will be hosting four information sessions at Options for Colleges' office space, where we will explain the rules of the competition as well as answer any questions about the competition that students might have. Attending one is mandatory (they are all identical).
The student or team of students that wins the competition will receive a complimentary business website, designed by Ivy Untapped's affiliate, Startup Station, a boutique consultancy agency, that assists individuals launch start-ups as well as a complimentary, consultation with members of Startup Station's staff to discuss launching the winner's business. As well as a check for $2000.
To learn more about the competition or register for an information session, please email beteshcontest@gmail.com or call 917-557-0159.
Sincerely,
Sol Betesh