In today’s rapidly changing economic environment, the old adage is truer than ever: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” With the Great Ideas Conference, the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship at BYU–Hawaii provides aspiring entrepreneurs that chance. Over 200 students participated in the 2013 conference, held November 21-23, joining in workshops and submitting more than 197 business plan ideas.
For many students, the conference began months before as they planned business ideas that could be used to start and maintain a successful organization. Working either individually or in a group, the ideas were submitted and reviewed by a panel of judges before being advanced to the semi-finals.
Robert Horlacher, an entrepreneur who has been involved with more than a dozen projects, gave an opening-day keynote speech. Although speaking in a business setting, his remarks were applicable to all university students, encouraging them to take advantage of their studies. “A university education is about becoming well-rounded, being a capable thinker,” he said. “I worry that most university students are looking for job training, and they’re missing the beauty of becoming intelligent and educated. In today’s rapidly changing economic world, the key to being successful is to be highly adaptable. Being pretty good at a lot of things is a stronger talent than being an expert at a single thing.”
The conference concluded with the top 10 finalists presenting their ideas. Lenny Hatch, a senior from California, created a mini drum that attaches to the front of a guitar, giving a musician the ability to tap out beats while strumming a melody. Max Rezende, a junior from Arizona, proposed an attachable water filter to kitchen faucets that can also function as a measuring device, dispensing set amounts of water for cooking or baking. Both ideas won first place at the Great Ideas Conference, and the students walked away with $200 each to further develop their ideas into actionable plans.
Following the school’s mission to “Learn, Lead, Build,” the Willes Center’s motto is “Learn, Return, Earn.” Richard Tanner, director of the Willes Center, says a main purpose is to help international students to provide for themselves and their families when they return home to their various countries. “Entrepreneurship is about creating a small business or a start-up company because if you can't find a job, you have to create a job,” Tanner said. “Self-reliance, economically, is key to what we're doing.”
Those with great ideas for successful businesses are encouraged to develop them and prepare for the Empower Your Dreams conference in the Winter semester. Get more information at willescenter.byuh.edu.