The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) program has already seen one young entrepreneur on his way to EO membership, and now a second is on the same path.
"When we see someone win the GSEAs, move on to the Accelerator program and then become an EO member, we know we have fulfilled our mission of supporting the entrepreneur continuum," said Dean Lindal, EO Global Vice President.
Twenty-one-year-old Mike Brown, owner of ModBargains.com, took first place in the 2006 GSEA Global Finals competition. After his victory, he was mentored by EO Orange County members Michael Caito and Matt Stewart. Mike rode the media wave that followed and joined the EO Los Angeles chapter’s Accelerator program— EO’s program that fast-tracks entrepreneurs with sales between US$250,000 and US$1 million and gets them into EO-qualifying territory.
One year after joining the Accelerator program, Mike joined the EO Orange County chapter with an estimated US$2.5 million in sales for 2008. Mike credits GSEA and Accelerator, EO’s Emerging Programs, and his mentors for helping him get to where he is today.
Fraser Doherty (pictured above) of Scotland, winner of the 2007 Global Student Entrepreneur Award, is now on the same path to success.
Fraser went against the conventional wisdom of his peer group’s expertise with web-based business ventures, and instead turned to an old family recipe. He began making homemade jam in his parents’ kitchen using his grandmother’s recipes and selling the jam to neighbors and townspeople.
Before going off to the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Fraser devoted a year to developing a recipe for his "Super Jam" made entirely from fruit and fruit juice high in nutrients. When he finished, he had a manufacturing partner and contracts at some of the biggest grocery retailers in the United Kingdom and Ireland— and Eat Super Ltd. was born.
Fraser will receive US$10,000 in cash, a year’s tuition toward the Accelerator program, attendance at an EO University, approximately US$10,000 in donated services from EO member companies and an EO member’s mentoring for one year. Not too shabby for a 21-year-old!
"The EO Global Board has spent a lot of time thinking about why the emerging programs are so important for EO. We have been working on a five-year strategic plan, and one of the bigger line items of that plan is to make sure we’re growing future EO members. GSEA and Accelerator helps us accomplish that goal," said Troy Hazard, former EO President.
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More than 120 EO members around the world participated as champions, judges and supporters of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, and EO Global wishes to wholeheartedly thank you. EO also extends its gratitude to our sponsoring partner, Mercedes-Benz Financial, for its support.
If you are interested in hosting a Global Student Entrepreneur Awards regional competition in your chapter – with the winner representing your region at the Global Finals in Chicago, Illinois, USA, in November 2008 – email Erik MacKinnon, Emerging Programs Manager, or call him at +1.250.391.6035.