Rich Aviation Services won the top prize at the 2014 Fort Worth Business Plan Competition Thursday night at Texas Christian University. The company was awarded $6,000 in cash and services valued at about $34,000 in training, counseling and advertising. Second place went to Boy Construction Services LLC, which received about $20,000 in cash and business services. Janz Hair & Fashion Jewelry Galley finished third, winning cash and prizes valued at $16,000. The presentations before judges Thursday accounted for 30 percent of the final score. “We’re very, very happy,” said Rich Aviation Services (RAS) owner Shawn Rich. “This competition has given us exposure to very valuable business training. Now, more people will be hearing our name.”
RAS business development manager Paige Oliver said “this competition helped build a solid foundation for a direction for our company.” RAS is located at Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth. Rich Aviation Services and Fort Worth Flight Center are pilot training facilities that provide flight training to students within Texas and outlying states. Boyd Construction Services provides general contracting services for non-residential construction projects. Janz Hair & Fashion Jewelry Gallery is a start-up business that offers hair extension, fashion and jewelry image consultant services. The Business Plan Competition was conceived four years ago by the city of Fort Worth’s Business Assistance Center in conjunction with founding partners Capital One Bank and The Alternative Board. The competition provides an opportunity for small businesses operating in Tarrant County to develop a business plan while receiving six weeks of training and coaching on strengthening their business. Twenty-three businesses were selected to compete.
Scott Sherwin, President, SalesMastery Consultants, Inc., an authorized licensee of Sandler Training, was the keynote speaker, addressing “What you know CAN hurt your business.” He discussed why people really do business with one another, the essential “rules” that can guarantee success and the three words that increase value in business. Sponsors in addition to founding partners Business Assistance Center, Capital One Bank and The Alternative Board, are SalesMastery Consultants/Sandler Training and media sponsor Fort Worth Business Press. Additional support is provided by B2B CFO, Solomon Bruce, the TCU Neeley School of Business MBA Program, SCORE and Tarrant Small Business Development Center.