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2nd Second annual entrepreneur seminar
Eight hours of excellence
by Scott Christely—Daily Herald
Students from all walks of life gathered to the Aloha Center Ballroom last Friday
morning to get a dose of enthusiasm and kick off the year's entrepreneurship seminar.
Students attended an opening session for two hours taught by Gary Rhoads and Jim
Ritchie. Rhoads descended from Mount Success with a list of ten commandments to follow
when starting a business. It included good advice such as becoming a specialist and
thinking as the customer thinks.
Ritchie took over for the second half and told his own struggle
to stay out of debt so he could serve the Lord. He told students that Latter-day Saint
entrepreneurs should not be in business to make money but to be leaders and provide
service to others. He reminded LDS students of the great responsibility, identity and
heritage that they have. "Students should tell themselves, 'I cannot fail. I must
not fail,'" said Ritchie.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the students separated into smaller
groups to attend their choice of six classes held every hour. Overall, the 14 different
classes offered professional advice ranging from evaluating your business ideas to marketing
to investing in real estate and even software technology.
"They were excited to be here teaching us," said Jennilee Johnson,
an accounting major from Silverdale, Washington. "I like hearing about the experiences and
success stories of other people." James Elton, an IDS major from Vancouver, Canada,
was also at the event. He said, "I wish I could have gone to all the classes. There's
a wealth of experience that they can share with us. I hope I can remember what they
taught us when I need it." The climax of the conference however, came in the afternoon
when the finalists in the Entrepreneurial Challenge gave their 20 minute business
presentations to the audience.
The students had been working on these plans for months.
They had been narrowed down from eleven to the final three by the judges the night
before.
First place and $3000 cash went to Jason Peterson, Lynn
Teitjen and Zack Sutton. Their future business is Oteris, a consulting firm that helps
businesses to record and access new ideas and innovations and then incorporate them
into their current system. They will divide the money among themselves or possibly have
a leg wrestle. Second place was the team of Sean Robinson, Scott Benfield, Trevor
Lambert and Jeremy Wilson. They plan to rebuild and refurbish old computers and
sell them to the Hispanic population in America. They also will provide Internet
service to the people. For their idea they will receive $2000 to share. Third place
and $1000 was awarded to Samuel and Enos Eghan. Their wish is to start Zion Poultry
Farm in Africa. They wish to raise grain and the chickens to provide meat and eggs
to nations in Africa who are in desperate need. They would also sell to the restaurants,
hotels and communities in the more populated areas.
If getting first-hand, specialized advice on how to make it big
wasn't enough to attract students, a sack lunch was provided. Along with lunches,
the whole seminar, contests and expenses were funded by the individual speakers who
came on donated time and effort.
Don Livingstone, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship
at BYU in Provo, was organizer of the event. He spoke with great respect about the 25
gentlemen who flew out here on their own expense to teach BYU-Hawaii students. "These
men are successful in all aspects of their lives, including the church. It's the learn,
ear and return principle. They want to share with students. Most of them also donate
their regular teaching time in Provo." "We're not here just to teach the current students,"
said Livingstone. "we're also here to help BYUH build up its entrepreneur program."
Citing the scripture in Jacob 2:18-19, Livingstone said, "Wealth is a by-product of working
hard and doing good."
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