The following “Expertise Beyond the Numbers” blog post highlights SC&H Group’s role in supporting the recent Junior Achievement of Central Maryland entrepreneurial program at Hereford High School.
When starting any business, success is never guaranteed. In fact, only 10 percent of start-ups actually succeed. These winning companies have a perfect product/service for the market, can recover from set-backs, and leave no stone unturned when it comes to running the business.
However, one of the most critical elements for achieving success is having the right mentors to help guide entrepreneurs along the path of business prosperity.
SC&H Group recently had the special opportunity of guiding some of the brightest young business minds in the Baltimore region.
The firm played a very hands-on role in supporting Junior Achievement of Central Maryland’s new JA Company Program for future business leaders at Hereford High School in Parkton, Md. The new program encourages students to discover their entrepreneurial spirit by launching a business venture to solve problems within their community.
SC&H Group hosted the program, as well as provided feedback and guidance to the students who launched a company called BullTech – named after the school’s mascot. The new company developed and sold portable cell phone chargers, as well as cleat covers to help student athletes walk indoors without damaging floors or wearing down their cleats on cement walkways.
In addition to hosting a “shark tank”-like pitch meeting, SC&H Group offered 13 different training modules that covered everything from building a business plan to marketing to supply chain management to uncovering ways to raise capital.
“We were incredibly impressed with how quickly the students formulated their business ideas, and the hard work they put in to bring them to life,” said Henry Coxe, an Investment Banking Analyst at SC&H Capital, and JA Company Program Manager for the firm. “They did all of the necessary research and sold shares for $10 each, with a plan to pay back their investors. It was truly a comprehensive approach to starting and running a real business.”
The program ended last month, but SC&H Group will be working with the BullTech team to help them apply for the JA Company of the Year Competition, which will take place at the JA USA National Leadership Summit later this year.
“These students were truly inspiring, and really made us see how the next generation of entrepreneurs will change how we live and work in ways we have never thought of before,” said Megan Bisasky, a Senior Auditor at SC&H Group, and another JA Company Program Manager for the firm.
SC&H Group is passionate about giving back in the community. The firm has made it a priority to contribute to a wide range of charitable programs and events through volunteer activities and donation opportunities. To learn more about SC&H Group’s community involvement, click here.