Students take part in statewide elevator pitch competition

Bryant freshmen are finalists in e-pitch competition against prospective entrepreneurs from around the state.

Two “Business 101” projects by Bryant freshmen were finalist at the Second Annual Rhode Island Elevator Pitch competition held on Wednesday, November 8, at the Johnson and Wales Harbourside campus in Providence.

Matt Ciaffone ’11 (East Brookfield, MA) and Derek Castello ’11 (North Providence, RI), creators of “Milky Way Mini Golf,” an indoor, nighttime miniature golf course, and Andrew Lazouras ’11 (Barrington, RI), cofounder of “Mr. Teez Graphic Designs,” a design studio where customers can design their own t-shirts, were two of nine finalists and won $50 each. Seven additional teams of Bryant students also pitched their businesses as part of the contest.

The Bryant teams that presented were part of an original group of 20 teams that approached Dave Greenan, lecturer in the management department, earlier this semester about representing Bryant at the statewide competition.

At the event, which is part of 2008 Rhode Island Business Plan competition, 33 people including students from Brown, Johnson and Wales, Salve Regina, and the University of Rhode Island, as well as prospective entrepreneurs from around the state, made 90-second “elevator pitches” about their ideas to a panel of business professionals.

The Bryant students created their projects as part of the “Business 101” class that is required of all Bryant freshmen. More than 80 teams of students got the chance to present their pitches in a campuswide e-pitch competition held by Bryant’s Global Entrepreneurship Program and the student-run Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

At Bryant, Lazouras took home honors for the “Best Pitch.” Members of his team included Brittany Glenn ’11 (Easthampton, MA), Brendan King ’11 (Kennebunk, ME), Nicole Latulippe ’11 (Salem, NH), Bri Lefebvre ’11 (West Springfield, MA), and Bridget McNulty ’11 (Madison, CT).

When the group was formed at the beginning of the semester, Lazouras and McNulty learned that they had identical ideas for a business and felt there was a market – especially with college students. Through the project, Lazouras learned about the value of working together as a group. “Never underestimate another member of a team,” he says. “We always shot for an A and that is where our inspiration comes from.”

While the startup costs may prohibit opening their business as students, Lazouras has plans to start his own martial arts studio some day. He already has the confidence to make his dream a reality.

“It will happen, there is no question about that … it is just a matter of when,” he says.

Winning the award for the “Business Idea Most Likely to Succeed” was the duo of Thomas Pagliarini ’11 (North Providence, RI) and Sean Kaukas ’11 (Glastonbury, CT) with their business “Team America,” which would rent plasma TVs at a low cost to students.

“This experience was amazing,” says Pagliarini. “If someone had told me I could help create a business from scratch I would have laughed at them. I can honestly say that this project has given me a whole new perspective on my work.”

Pagliarini’s team included Kristy Doherty ’11 (Monroe, NY), Matt Galluzzo ’11 (Londonderry, NH), Nick Jones ’11 (Windsor, CT), and Rachael Jones ’11 (South Easton, MA).

The winner of the “People’s Choice” award was Pat Helmas ’11 (Norwood, MA) for RecruitRhodeIsland.com, a sports recruiting web site.

“I learned the importance of confidence and passion,” Helmas says. “The best pitches were casual dialogue by a person who was passionate and knew exactly what they were talking about.”

His team included Brent Besch ’11 (Wallingford, CT), Ben Broadhurst ’11 (Stafford Springs, CT), Mike Giordano ’11 (Mansfield, MA), Chris Heminway ’11 (Highland, NY), and Anthony Raia ’11 (Tolland, CT).

Tom Mosey, president and CEO of Mini Melts, an Inc. 500 company that makes gourmet frozen desserts, and Barry Bresnick, executive vice president of Planet Shoes, gave keynote addresses as part of the event.