ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Two Winthrop University students and their best business ideas earned statewide acclaim – and a cash prize.
Tanaiya Aldridge and Carly King, both business administration majors from Rock Hill, participated in S.C. Innovates 2021, the second annual statewide student pitch competition in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week. The S.C. Department of Commerce and the S.C. Research Authority also collaborated on the competition.
Aldridge and King made it to the top 15, each earning $100. The ideas:
*“Get Sketchy Studios” by Tanaiya Aldridge
Her inspiration: her own experiences when art first caught her attention; and the lack of public studio spaces
“When I first started purchasing my own art supplies, I realized how costly it can be, especially if you are a high school or college student,” Aldridge said. “It’s hard to find places locally that allow you to work as long as you want on whatever you want, and I wanted to provide that for people. With these realizations, I thought it would be cool to give people a space that would help supply materials so they would not have to worry too much about budgeting for a hobby they really loved while also providing Rock Hill with a new and fun activity.”
*“Carly’s Beauty Bar” by Carly King
Her inspiration: her years-long passion for makeup
“I have had a passion for makeup since high school and saw my work grow into a more professional look,” King said, “so I thought it would be a great service for the Rock Hill area since there are not a lot of makeup services offered in this area.”
In Carly’s Beauty Bar, patrons could purchase makeup in addition to having it done for them.
Jennifer Miles, a faculty member in Winthrop’s College of Business Administration, encouraged Aldridge, King and other students in her class to participate in the competition.
Ideas were judged by a volunteer team of seasoned entrepreneurs and investors based on how well the participants articulated: (1) the problem; (2) the solution; (3) the revenue model; (4) the social/environmental impact; (5) to what extent is the business idea innovative (novel, unique, unconventional); and (6) to what extent is the business idea feasible (realistic, implementable, commercially viable).
For more information, contact Miles at milesj@winthrop.edu.
