The Milledgeville-Baldwin County Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP) aims to encourage youth to develop business ideas and pursue them in its 2025 Business Pitch Competition.
The program is led by the Milledgeville- Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Milledgeville Main Street/Downtown Development Authority, Georgia Power, Georgia College, local entrepreneurs, the Baldwin County Board of Education, elected officials, and other community leaders.
YEP is open to all Baldwin County 11th and 12th graders and features a threeround business pitch competition through solo endeavors or team pitches. Teams must include at least one junior or senior, but the second team member can be a freshman or sophomore.
A panel of judges will screen the applications.
“To ensure there is no bias, judges will not know the applicants’ names, school, and other information beyond their business pitches,” said Kara Lassiter, president & CEO of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce. “From the selection, 10 applications will move forward into the competition and be paired with a mentor that shares similar aspirations or a similar business. This mentor will guide them throughout the program.”
The top 10 will receive $100 to start their business and will work with a local partnered bank to learn about the loan process and will participate in financial classes to ensure they understand how to start a business and manage its finances.
“We want our youth to learn about the real world and see that they can get started at a young age,” said Lassiter. “They will have about two months to run the business and then they will present in front of a panel of judges, like the show ‘Shark Tank,’ to be selected as one of the three finalists. Each applicant will be judged on the growth of their business, how they manage the market and their finances, and more.”
The three finalists will have one more month to improve their business before presenting one final time in front of the panel of judges and the wider community. A winner will be selected and all three finalists will receive a cash prize.
“Students will become their own business leaders, receive one-on-one mentoring, and gain valuable experience as a young entrepreneur, with feedback,” said Lassiter. “The final presentations will be an event that the community comes together for to support their businesses and for those who compete to support their peers.”
To apply, students must have a business idea, which may include an already existing business, and must detail a plan of how they believe it will run, who they will market toward, and other basic details. As businesses are judged on their growth and overall development alongside the applicant’s presentation skills, both new businesses and existing ones may compete on equal ground.
Fouts Bros Inc. is the title sponsor for this event. To apply visit milledgevillega. com/yep-application/. All applications are due by Sept. 30. For questions, call Lassiter at 478-453-9311.