Claire Ficek, winner of the nineteenth annual Gillespie Enterprise Plan Competitors, receives congratulation from fellow opponents. Ficek, a sophomore from Maple Plain, Minnesota, is the founder and CEO of Altar’d Socials, a social media platform developed to enhance enterprise’ social media initiatives. Photograph by Joe Worthem
OXFORD, Miss. – A social media advertising and marketing enterprise that makes use of a five-task plan to successfully handle digital advertising and marketing took first place within the 2023 Gillespie Enterprise Plan Competitors on the College of Mississippi.
Altar’d Socials, based by Claire Ficek, a sophomore built-in advertising and marketing and communications main from Maple Plain, Minnesota, was declared the general winner of the annual contest. Her firm oversees web site administration, content material creation and engagement on social media apps, in addition to electronic mail advertising and marketing for his or her clients.
“I’m blessed to be part of such an incredible group just like the Middle for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and have the alternatives they supply for college students,” Ficek mentioned. “The Gillespie Enterprise Plan Competitors was only one instance of adults in our group coming collectively to assist us as college students.”
Ficek received $15,000 for her enterprise, plus a 12 months’s value of workplace house at Perception Park. She was named a Seibels Scholar, which additionally introduced her a further $5,000.
“Claire Ficek supplied wonderful pitches for her post-revenue Altar’d Socials enterprise, which led to her victory” mentioned Clay Dibrell, co-director of the CIE. “Going ahead, we search for nice issues from her, in addition to the remainder of our Ole Miss pupil entrepreneurs.”
The second-place winner within the competitors was iOS Launch, a service offering software program improvement to small companies and startups. The corporate was awarded $5,000. This service was based by senior Carson Zylicz, an accounting and finance main from Sugar Land, Texas.
This service permits small companies and startups to customise cell app templates to assist them compete with bigger organizations. One among Zylicz’s apps supplied software program for the 2022 Gillespie Enterprise Competitors winner, Rumie App.
Among the many different finalists had been SellVNTG LLC, Up4Grabs, Navigator Medical and Abbikadabbi’s Baking Co. Every of those companies competed within the ultimate spherical and acquired $1,250.
The CIE helps college students who create and construct enterprise plans and concepts, and hosts the marketing strategy competitors every year.
“The Gillespie Enterprise Plan Competitors is the end result of our Ole Miss pupil entrepreneurs engaged on their ventures by means of our CIE pupil competitions, entrepreneurship main and minor courses, in addition to working individually with our school, campus and digital mentors, and different pupil entrepreneurship assist teams, such because the Innovation Hub at Perception Park and the Insurgent Enterprise Capital Fund.” Dibrell mentioned.
A number of college students additionally acquired Gillespie particular awards:
- Navigator Medical was awarded the Thomas W. Colbert-Group Financial institution Innovation Award for $5,000, supplied by Group Financial institution, of Flowood.
- Abbikadabbi’s Baking Co. acquired the GenTeal Attire Client-Going through Award for $5,000, funded by GenTeal, of Oxford.
- LeaseSavvy earned the Lynn and Ron Samuels Scholar Entrepreneur Award for $5,000 , supplied by Lynn and Ron Samuels, of Nashville, Tennessee.
- The Huge Sis Group LLC acquired the Stephen E. Rowell Entrepreneur Award for $5,000, funded by Stephen Rowell, of Brandon.
- Moose Medical was awarded the Edward G. Francis Sr. Entrepreneur Award for $2,500, supplied by Edward Francis Sr., of Denver.
- FAX took the Most Improved Enterprise Award for $2,500.
“This 12 months’s Gillespie Enterprise Plan Competitors set data for the amount of cash given to college students that totaled $50,000” mentioned Ken Cyree, dean of the College of Enterprise Administration. “That is an incredible success story and signifies the dedication of our school and workers, and the dedication of our alumni in funding these budding entrepreneurs.”
The Landshark Tank Video Pitch first prize of $1,000 was awarded to The Huge Sis Group LLC; second prize of $500, to SOLIEX; and third prize of $300, to Sassy Workwear.
“This 12 months’s Gillespie reached a file excessive of 47 complete entries and introduced extra developed companies and polished pitches since COVID, which is basically thrilling and inspiring” mentioned Tong Meng, CIE program director. “We couldn’t have achieved this with out the beneficiant assist from our mentors, particularly Owens Alexander, Anne Mathis, Invoice Andrews, Invoice Mobley and Dr. Josie Burks.”
The ultimate spherical judges had been: Troy Drewry, a professor of observe in biomedical engineering; Jan Farrington, former govt director of Medical Help and Improvement Group Inc.; Lawrence Farrington, member of the board of administrators for mTrade Inc.; Liza Cirlot Looser, CEO of The Cirlot Company; Rick Looser, COO and president of The Cirlot Company; Lois Lovelady-Rayburn, co-founder, president and chief income officer of mTrade; Matt Mossberg, managing associate of West Group’ and Steve Rowell, president and proprietor of Flagstar Building.
