While many students attend college to prepare for future careers, some are interested in carving out their own niche in an industry as entrepreneurs.
But among those who have ideas for businesses, finding the money and motivation to make them a reality in college can be challenging.
In many ways, that’s why Grace College in Winona Lake started hosting its annual
Business Plan Competition. Each year, the event gives students an opportunity to pitch their business concepts to investors for a chance to earn funding and support to launch.
This year, students came to the event on January 20th, 2022 prepared with creative business plans, involving everything from cupcake baking to hair braiding, treasure hunting, and video gaming.
Based on the pitches, here are four student entrepreneurs to watch in Northeast Indiana.Noah Jeong
Major: Business Management and Entrepreneurship
Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Incheon, South Korea
Business: CGCON (College Gaming Convention)
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Noah Jeong founded CGCON (College Gaming Convention).
Noah Jeong is passionate about the experiences people have at gaming conventions.
“Gaming has been a large part of my life, and I want others to experience the joy of gaming,” he says.
This pursuit to “share the joy of gaming” resulted in Jeong’s business concept for College Gaming Convention (CGCON), which focuses on partnering with colleges to improve the gaming convention experience. The goal of CGCON is to open more career paths in the gaming industry to students and to help competitive players earn recognition through their involvement in tournaments. The business will function as an event-based organization.
“I am looking forward to starting and growing the company,” Jeong says. “Since the collegiate gaming industry is new, there are lots of opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Kaley Dawson
Major: Entrepreneurial Management
Graduation year: 2023
Hometown: St. John, Indiana
Business: Kaley's Cupcake Co.
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Kaley Dawson founded Kaley’s Cupcake Co.
Kaley Dawson loves to bake. She began selling custom cakes, cupcakes, and sugar cookies three years ago after spending a year at culinary school at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois.
“Making custom cakes and cupcakes has been my passion for as long as I can remember,” says Dawson.
As such, her goal is to remodel a vintage camper so she can sell baked goods on the go. She plans on starting at events, such as weddings and farmers markets, and her dream is not far out of reach.
“I’ve just started remodeling the vintage trailer that I have, and I hope to finish it by this summer,” Dawson says.
After receiving $10,000 from the Grace College Business Plan Competition, she has everything she needs to remodel her trailer and purchase the equipment necessary to launch her business. Dawson’s long-term goal is to open a storefront for Kaley’s Cupcake Co. In the meantime, she sees the money that she won in the business plan competition as a “perfect stepping stone” to get there.
“I can’t wait to see how Kaley’s Cupcake Co. grows in the future,” Dawson says.
Learn more about her business on
her website and Instagram at
@kaleys.cupcake.co.
Tommy Meier
Major: Marketing
Graduation year: 2022
Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana
Business: RelicRaid
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Tommy Meier and his father, Rusty, built a real-world, high-tech treasure hunt business called RelicRaid.
In August of 2019, Tommy Meier and his father, Rusty, set out to build a real-world, high-tech treasure hunt.
“The origin of the idea was to have people work together to solve a series of clues that would help aid them in the search for a treasure,” Meier says.
The business stemmed from the thought: “What if there were professional treasure hunters, and what infrastructure would need to be built to see that vision through?’” says Meier.
Thus, RelicRaid was born. Players can sign up for a public, private, or fundraising raid to win cash prizes. Since Meier launched the company in 2019, RelicRaid has worked with a wide range of companies and nonprofit organizations. Most notably, it has hosted corporate raids for Lippert Components, a billion-dollar RB company, and Hyper Whistle, the world’s leading brand in outdoor survival whistles.
Over the next few years, Meier intends to develop more game modes.
“The long-term goal is to have an ever-changing leaderboard on an app to encourage the players’ competitive spirit, build excitement for larger cash prize amounts, and expand the business so that individuals are playing RelicRaid worldwide,” Meier says.
Learn more on RelicRaid’s
Instagram at
@relicraid.
Mackenzie DeLong
Major: Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing,
MBA
Graduation year: 2023
Hometown: Vassar, Michigan
Business: Game Face Braids For Athletes
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Long-time athlete Mackenzie DeLong created the business Game Face Braids For Athletes.
Long-time athlete Mackenzie DeLong knows what it takes for a female athlete to have confidence and focus during a game. After many years of competing in high school and several years as a dual-sport athlete in college, she has a clear vision for her business.
“Our goal is to give athletes their Game Face, one braid at a time,” she says.
Game Face Braids for Athletes is designed to provide athletes with a hairstyle that will boost their confidence, help them relax, and get their hair out of the way before a game. DeLong is excited to officially open the business, and even more, she looks forward to braiding the hair of her very first customer.
“The next step will be to save up for my startup costs,” DeLong says. “Thankfully, the materials don't cost much. It’s hair ties, hair spray, and combs. But I am eager to start the process of incorporation and gathering contact information for the large sports facilities.”
DeLong also competed and was awarded $5,000
in the 2021 competition for her other business, Rae Thrift Boutique. Since the competition, DeLong has purchased a trailer needed for pop-up events and has hosted its first successful pop-up event on the Grace College campus. She has plans to sell clothes at a number of festivals this summer.
To follow along with all of DeLong’s business endeavors, check out her
Instagram, at
@a_rae_of_beauty and
@Rae_Thrift_Boutique.
Natalee Riggins is a second year student at Grace College getting her bachelors degree in Educational Ministries and masters in Women's Ministry Leadership Studies. She has written for Grace College, Elgin Community College, and her personal blog. After college, she aspires to be an author and a speaker.