Business Students Compete for Mentorship at LSUA’s Startup Pitch Competition, Bark Tank

Dec 11, 2024, 09:43 AM

The LSUA College of Business hosted its first-ever Bark Tank competition, an entrepreneurial event inspired by the...

ALEXANDRIA - The LSUA College of Business hosted its first-ever Bark Tank competition, an entrepreneurial event inspired by the popular TV show Shark Tank. The event showcased the innovative ideas of LSUA's brightest student entrepreneurs.

Student groups presented their business ideas to a panel of "Top Dogs," including Dustin Matthews, VP of Southern Heritage Bank; Kel Bonton, owner of Bonton Media; Ryan Donaghey, Director of Operations at Long's Products; and Kellie Peyton, owner of Queen Bee Marketing. These seasoned professionals evaluated the pitches and selected the top four teams for awards and mentorship opportunities.

Projects ranged from membership-based hangout spaces for teenagers, to clothing exchange programs, to an app that can track your child's school bus route. One pitch walked the audience through the scenario of realizing you paid too much concert or sports tickets and using their app to swap with someone else in the arena for a discount. Some teams even effectively presented business plans complete with proposed profit-and-loss statements based on real-world business research.

Rafael Romero, instructor of business and host of Bark Tank, said, "We are excited to launch Bark Tank at LSUA. This event not only celebrates our students' entrepreneurial spirit but also connects them with leaders in our community who can help them grow and succeed."

Experiential learning opportunities like "Bark Tank" provide first-year business students with a hands-on introduction to essential entrepreneurial skills. Business ideation requires students to identify problems, generate creative solutions, and develop feasible business models. This mirrors real-world entrepreneurial processes, fostering critical thinking and innovation. Crafting and delivering professional pitches strengthens communication, public speaking, and persuasion skills-critical for business success. National trends in business education emphasize such active learning methods to develop job-ready graduates equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Equally important is the experience of receiving constructive feedback from veteran business professionals. This interaction bridges classroom learning with real-world expectations, offering students industry-relevant insights and a better understanding of market dynamics.

Kellie Peyton, owner of Queen Bee Marketing, LLC, said of her experience, "It's promising to see this level of enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit! There were actually a few Bark Tank ideas I would consider investing real money into!"

First-year business major Connor McLain, who is already a young entrepreneur who owns McLain ProWorks, LLC., said, "Bark Tank was an invaluable experience that provided an opportunity to collaborate with my peers and navigate the entire process of developing and refining a business idea. It allowed me to gain hands-on experience in takin and idea from conception to execution, allowing for both creativity and strategic thinking."

For more information about the LSUA College of Business, visit explore.lsua.edu.