Acadia business administration student Andy Romain has created an innovative plan for an online men’s magazine that closes an important gap in the existing marketplace. It’s a business plan that won him first place and $5,000 in the Wes Nicol competition recently held at Acadia University.

The fourth-year Brampton, ON native entered the competition to learn more and hone his entrepreneurial skills. “I wanted to find out if this was a viable business and I was really impressed with how well everything came together,” said Romain. “I think the competition makes it easier to go and pitch the plan to picky bankers, financiers, or skeptical friends and family who might be your investors.”

Blake MacDonald and Fritz Stubbs are the student creators of a business plan entitled, Valley Semmcom Techm, designed to respond to the computing technology needs of senior citizen in the Valley and beyond. The team nabbed second place in the competition and a $2,000 prize.

Daniel Thayer created a business plan entitled, Drywall Delivered, which aims to help contractors by creating a commercial entity that aggregates and delivers small orders of drywall to building sites.  His entry earned him third place and $1,000.

“What is very pleasing about this year’s competition is the overall quality of the business plan submissions,” said organizer Dr. Conor Vibert, a professor in the Fred C. Manning School of Business Administration. “Most of the plans were highly realistic in terms of their revenue and cost expectations.”

Eight teams submitted business plans to the competition, which is hosted by the Fred C. Manning School of Business Administration with help from the Acadia Centre for Social and Business Entrepreneurship (ACSBE). The competition is sponsored by Ottawa entrepreneur Wes Nicol. It is designed to generate interest in entrepreneurship by students and to help them develop skills that will assist them as entrepreneurs. 

This year’s panel of judges included Tony Munden, Munden Enterprises; Marc Poirier, BMO Nesbitt Burns; Sharon Horne, ACSBE; and Dr. Meyryar Nooriafshar, University of Southern Queensland.

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