It was a night of innovation, inspiration, and big ideas as the Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce proudly hosted the first-ever Youth Entrepreneur Challenge on May 15 at Shevchenko School in Vita. Students from across the southeast pitched creative and thoughtful business ideas in a “Dragon’s Den”-style event, competing for prizes and gaining real-world entrepreneurial experience.
“We’re moving and shaking here in the southeast corner of Manitoba,” said Mark Bernard, RM of Piney councillor, local business owner, Chamber of Commerce member, and business coach for the event. “This was our first time trying something like this, and wow,these kids really stepped up.”
Business Ideas as Unique as the Students
The challenge welcomed students in grades 9 to 12, and each of the six participants worked closely with Bernard to prepare their pitches.
“I met with each of them for about two hours,” said Bernard. “We worked on everything, from how to write and deliver a speech to building confidence. They even called me with follow-up questions. That told me they were serious.”
The student-led business ideas were full of creativity and community spirit:
1st Place: Miguel Bouchard – “Grandma’s Garage”: A woodworking business where Miguel crafts custom items by hand. Winning a cash prize of $500. Sponsored by the RM of Stuartburn and Smith Neufeld Jodoin Law Offices.
2nd Place: Alexis Gobeil – “Gobeil’s Gifts”: A business celebrating Métis culture through handmade beadwork, inspired by her grandmother. She took home a $100 Co-op gift card sponsored by Clearview Co-op, Vita location
3rd Place: Tony Zacharias – “Zacharias Lawn Care”: A service-focused lawn care and snow removal business for those who need an extra hand. won $50 Co-op gift card sponsored by North 49 Land Management Services.
4th Place: Janessa Ginter – “Cluck Houses”: A concept for portable, pre-built chicken coops. She won a $50 cash sponsored by Prevost Perennials.
5th Place: Carlos Zacharias – “Farm Fresh Rabbit”: A small-scale farm business raising rabbits for pets or other uses, who took home $50 cash sponsored by Prevost Perennials.
“All of these students brought something special,” Bernard said. “They really challenged themselves to think like real entrepreneurs.”
Community Support and Real-World Connections
The event drew a crowd of about 38 people, including family, friends, community leaders, and local business owners. There was coffee, cookies, photos, and even some surprise networking opportunities.
“One of the coolest things was seeing a retired carpenter connect with Miguel, the woodworking student,” Bernard shared. “He offered him some leftover wood and gave him advice on what types are best to work with. That’s mentorship right there.”
Judges included local business professionals and municipal leaders, including MLA Konrad Narth, who asked insightful questions after each pitch.
“They were real entrepreneurial questions,” Bernard said. “The kind of stuff that helps these kids think deeper.”
Every participant also received a gift bag, thanks to the generous support of:
-
Sunrise Corner Economic Development
-
Shevchenko School
-
RM of Piney
-
Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce
-
Manitoba Crime Stoppers
-
Konrad Narth, MLA for La Verendrye
-
Delta Real Estate
-
Access Credit Union
Looking Ahead
The feedback from the students and community has been overwhelmingly positive, and the organizers are already planning next year’s challenge.
“When people heard the top prize was $500, there was a lot of interest,” said Bernard. “Next year, we expect even more students. The kids proved you don’t need to go to the big city to build something meaningful, you can start right here.”
The goal, Bernard explained, is to encourage young people to stay, grow, and lead in their communities.
“These students are the leaders of tomorrow. I’m so proud of their courage and creativity. And I’m proud of how our community came together to support them. It was just a wonderful experience.”
Congratulations to all the participants, your futures look bright!
The Piney Chamber of Commerce extended its heartfelt thanks to the local Chamber members who volunteered as judges: Dylan Gurman (RM of Stuartburn Councillor and local beef producer), Konrad Narth (MLA and local business owner), Chris Loeppky (recently retired from Access Credit Union), Connie Gamble (Special Projects, RM of Piney) and Jonathon Prevost (Owner, Upper Hand Technologies).
The PRCC would also like to thank the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce for sharing resources from their successful Chamber Challenge, which served as a model for this event.