A group of Tarrant County student entrepreneurs won a national business pitch competition, along with $75,000 in donation from FedEx.
Our Story, a company formed at Fort Worth’s JA of the Chisholm Trail, was selected as the winner of this year’s FedEx Junior Business Challenge on Wednesday, August 21.
The competition was held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, in conjunction with the PGA Tour Championship.
“We’re proud to work with the PGA TOUR and JA Worldwide to positively impact aspiring entrepreneurs through the FedEx Junior Business Challenge,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president of Integrated Marketing and Communications at FedEx. “We’re absolutely thrilled to see the innovation and forward-thinking presented by JA students at the finals.”
From all across the nation, three student companies after securing their spots through individual regional qualifying rounds, pitched their original business ideas to a judging panel.
May’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth was one of the qualifying round host locations.
The finale judge panel consisted of Steve Smith, NBA Champion and All-Star; Tommy Fleetwood, professional golfer and PGA Tour player; Ian Finnis Fleetwood’s Caddy; Ryan Lane, founder of Dream Beard and FedEx Small Business Grant recipient and Laura Neal, senior vice president of media content and communications at PGA Tour.
“It was so fun being a part of the event as a panel judge and learning about the students’ aspirations for the companies they developed,” Fleetwood said. “FedEx has created a really unique experience for JA students to take part in at the TOUR Championship.”
The night before the final pitch event, the student teams rehearsed presentations in front of business professionals, which included Paul Hourigan of the Coca-Cola Company.
Now in its third year, FedEx Junior Business Challenge has donated nearly a quarter of a million dollars to participating JA chapters to help positively impact the next generation of entrepreneurs.
This year’s winner, Our Story, was formed by students from V.R. Eaton High School in Northwest ISD. Namely: Kaylin Yedice, Madyson Hooley, Logan Kelley and Rachel Bailey.
Our Story is a motivational journal company for teenage girls that helps alleviate anxiety and stress and aid in setting and goals.
The student company also donates a percentage of its sales to the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation.
The winning donation awarded to the company will be received by the JA of the Chisholm Trail.
The fund, according to JA of the Chisholm Trail, will be utilized to help expand learning experiences in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.