Salesmanship was put to the test at the 5X Blackstone LaunchPad Elevator Pitch Competition and Professional Fair that took place Oct. 5 at the University Library.
More than 25 competitors took part in delivering a polished 90-second elevator pitch to promote their business or themselves. The experience took on a new level of reality as participants made their presentations inside an actual elevator.
“The significance of an elevator pitch is to sell yourself or your business to another in a quick and succinct way that you can capture someone’s interest during the length of an elevator ride,” says Zach Mikrut, marketing and events manager for Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad. “Having the competitors actually ride and pitch inside an elevator makes the experience all the more real.”
The winning business pitch was delivered by Kavitha Bagavandoss, a Kent State senior finance student, who pitched her concept of a financial literacy course for high school students. Bagavandoss won $500 for her presentation. Kent State student Kerri Greathouse-Towsley, founder of Armed & Glamourous, was runner-up for best business pitch, and Samantha Feuer won best personal pitch.
In addition to the competition, event participants were able to gain valuable professional development resources from eight different departments and student organizations on hand at the accompanying professional fair. Attendees were able to learn how to build websites and LinkedIn profiles, create business cards and have their résumés critiqued for content and design among other activities. Lending expertise in the professional fair were members from hacKSU, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO), Collegiate Business Association (CBA), Modista, AIGA Kent, University Libraries, the Writing Commons and Career Services.
With more than 60 people participating, Mikrut pledged that the event would become an annual tradition for the Blackstone LaunchPad program.
“The event had so many positive applications for student development that we look to build on that interest through the entire year,” Mikrut says.
For more information about Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad program, visit www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.