Two young entrepreneurs from Bashaw missed out on a $25,000 payday but still managed to earn some valuable business training.
Brett Kikel and Ty Wilson were among five finalists to emerge last August from the preliminary round of Perfect Pitch — a competition to promote agricultural and rural-based business ideas. They and the other finalists received business coaching and mentoring to help with their ideas, and last month presented their ideas again in Edmonton.
Megan Oleksyn of Vermilion was declared the overall winner for her communications consulting company.
For his part, Kikel is producing and packaging chemical-free meat at his family’s farm. Wilson is a country singer who wants to produce a promotional CD.
In the preliminary round, which took place in Bashaw, they and nine other participants each had three minutes to present their ideas to a panel of judges. The competition was open to participants 18 to 30, and attracted entrants from across Alberta and one from Saskatchewan.
Perfect Pitch was organized by FarmOn Foundation, the Bashaw Agricultural Show Committee, Creating Pathways for Entrepreneurial Families and Growing Forward.