If you had just sixty seconds to pitch the best idea of your life,
how would you go about it?
Eighteen students put themselves to the test,
competing for nearly $1000 in cash and prizes in the Anderson School's first annual Elevator Pitch Competition sponsored by Target on October 22.
how would you go about it?
Eighteen students put themselves to the test,
competing for nearly $1000 in cash and prizes in the Anderson School's first annual Elevator Pitch Competition sponsored by Target on October 22.
Each competitor had precisely one minute to persuade a panel of judges that his or her idea was worthy of merit. The pitches covered a diverse and imaginative range of concepts, varying from blood donation to the Peace Corps to personal branding. The competition took place in two rounds: the first round eliminated all but five students, and the second round narrowed the contestants to three.
Dowan Kim captured the first prize of $500 with his resourceful pitch to a hypothetical recruiter at the Harvard Career Fair. Michael Camp took the second prize of $300 by pitching a sleek, high-quality pen, and Chris Johansen won the third prize of $100 with his presentation of a mobile phone jammer to improve university student performance.
Three runner-up prizes were also awarded. Jared Colombel won “Most Bold” and received a pound of Bold Coffee and a gift card to Starbucks; for “Best Use of the Tips for Making a Memorable Pitch” Jeremy Otero won a “tip jar” stuffed with quarters; and Marybell Tena and Eric Rivera, for “Best Dressed,” each won an Anderson portfolio and business card holder.
Prior to the Elevator Pitch Competition, students had an opportunity to participate in workshops led by Sara Douglas, a leadership and career coach with Sara Douglas & Company, and Susana Rinderle, trainer, coach, facilitator, and president of Susana Rinderle Consulting, LLC. The coaches helped students articulate a personal brand, and refine their message and speech skills.
Several members of UNM and the local business community judged the competition: Dr. Nick Flor, Anderson School of Management; Sue Neal, Human Resource Director for Republic National Distributing Co.; Kevin McNally and Sean Blackmen, Target; Stacy Sacco, Anderson School of Management; Vickie Wilcox, Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law and Anderson Foundation Board member; and Xavier Zamarripa, visual artist, entrepreneur, and newly appointed member of the Anderson School of Management Foundation board.
