MARSHALL, Mo. /eNewsChannels/ — The final round of the 2012 MADE In Missouri State Entrepreneurship Competition was held on August 16th at the Missouri State Fair. The annual event is sponsored by the Missouri Alliance for the Development of Entrepreneurship to recognize the importance of locally owned businesses and provide a venue to assist them toward becoming successful.
The competition assists new and aspiring businesses through a competitive and educational business development process that awards business investment funds to the winners.
Competitors start by answering a questionnaire about their business ideas including the impact their business would have on their community and are provided with tips and suggestions on how to make their businesses better in the first round. The finalists had turned in their finished business plans and financial projections prior to the event. During the final round of the competition they presented their products, and services in a trade show and presentation format for judges at the Missouri State Fair on August 16, 2012 in Sedalia, Missouri.
Certificates and business investment awards were given out to the winners in each of the two classes, Open and Youth. In the Open class the first place winner is Thomas Duggan from Glendale with Makin’ Good Energy: Gardens. The second place winner is Kevin Broyles from St. Louis with S.N.E.W. Inc. In the Youth class Brandon Banks from Troy with Spot Light Stars took first place. The student managers of Bulldog Express Deli, a project of the Leeton Public School of Leeton took second place. Third place went to Hannah Carlton of Plattsburg with Jewelry by Design.
This project and event is a step toward economic stability in Missouri by helping locally owned businesses reach toward success. These new business owners become leaders and reinvest in the communities that support them. They create an economic footprint, hire local people and make a difference in the communities.
The Missouri Alliance for the Development of Entrepreneurship (MADE) is comprised of members from several state agencies, USDA Rural Development and others and is facilitated by Missouri Valley Community Action Agency of Marshall, Missouri, a not-for-profit organization located in Marshall, Mo..
This project/program is funded at 75 percent at $15,000 by federal funds and 24 percent at $5,000 by nongovernmental sources for a total amount of $20,000. The federal funds are received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided by the Missouri Department of Social Services, Family Support Division.
More information on the Missouri Valley Community Action Agency: http://mvcaa.net/ .
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