Back row: Logan Doerr, Carter Nelson, Jacob O'Connor, Bryce Vogt, John Fausz, Charlie Dake, Dylan Wheeler, Trevin Cannon
Front row: Klayce Cooper, Tyler Nelson, Hayden Reese, Madelyn Blandford, Elise Hotchkiss, Jeremy Zeidler, Brandon Hall, Preston Oberkfell
Front row: Klayce Cooper, Tyler Nelson, Hayden Reese, Madelyn Blandford, Elise Hotchkiss, Jeremy Zeidler, Brandon Hall, Preston Oberkfell
Class History
The class of 2018-2019 proved that each year the entrepreneurial spirit within the students gets stronger and stronger. With having several established businesses already, students were able to capitalize on the knowledge gained in startUP and grow their ventures to a new level. Similar to the class of 2018, many students graduated from the program and continued to grow their business.
Class Business
Monroe County startUP 3V3 Basketball Tournament: After many ideas were shared students decided to host a basketball tournament to generate seed money for their individual businesses. On a snowy January day this venture turned out to be quite successful. With over $4,000 in profit, this tournament attracted hundreds of people from Waterloo, Columbia, Valmeyer and beyond.
Individual Businesses
Madelyn Blandford - MJB Photography, specializing in senior pictures, event photography and headshots
Trevin Cannon - Cannon 3D Printing, custom 3D printing services
Klayce Cooper - LapNap, stylish bib that lets you eat and drive without getting messy
Charlie Dake - Dine & Discover, web-based platform to match you with local eateries
Logan Doerr - The Buddy System, in-home pet sitting business
John Fausz - Fausz's Fresh Roast, spice bag company for coffee lovers
Brandon Hall - Think Right Think Bright, community that helps kids with disabilities
Elise Hotchkiss - A-La-Car, snack boxes for work or personal vehicles
Carter Nelson - Burning Love, custom wood burning designs
Tyler Nelson - MCMC, online marketing for all platforms
Preston Oberkfell - Lockdown Sports, website that enables parents to find the perfect select baseball team
Jacob O'Connor - OC Projects, automobile accessory company featuring the Perfect Posture Protector
Hayden Reese - The Reese Cup, unique advertising opportunities for local businesses
Bryce Vogt - GrubGo, food delivery services to Columbia residents
Dylan Wheeler - Trout Hollow Retrievers, hunting dog training services
Jeremy Zeidler - Woobie, technology infused dog toy
Trevin Cannon - Cannon 3D Printing, custom 3D printing services
Klayce Cooper - LapNap, stylish bib that lets you eat and drive without getting messy
Charlie Dake - Dine & Discover, web-based platform to match you with local eateries
Logan Doerr - The Buddy System, in-home pet sitting business
John Fausz - Fausz's Fresh Roast, spice bag company for coffee lovers
Brandon Hall - Think Right Think Bright, community that helps kids with disabilities
Elise Hotchkiss - A-La-Car, snack boxes for work or personal vehicles
Carter Nelson - Burning Love, custom wood burning designs
Tyler Nelson - MCMC, online marketing for all platforms
Preston Oberkfell - Lockdown Sports, website that enables parents to find the perfect select baseball team
Jacob O'Connor - OC Projects, automobile accessory company featuring the Perfect Posture Protector
Hayden Reese - The Reese Cup, unique advertising opportunities for local businesses
Bryce Vogt - GrubGo, food delivery services to Columbia residents
Dylan Wheeler - Trout Hollow Retrievers, hunting dog training services
Jeremy Zeidler - Woobie, technology infused dog toy
Entrepreneur of the Year
To capitalize on the angle of individual growth, the Monroe County startUP program offers the opportunity to earn Entrepreneur of the Year. All current startUP students are eligible for this honor. Selected individuals for this award possess the following qualities during their entrepreneurial journey:
- Entrepreneurial Spirit
- Integrity and Influence
- Innovation
- Intellectual Comprehension
- Perseverance
The 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year was named to Jacob O'Connor of Columbia High School.
From day one Jacob beamed with the entrepreneurial spirit. His energy and passion toward growing as a professional was so unique that it was impossible to overlook.
At the new student orientation hosted in the summer of 2018, Jacob already had a business idea he was ready to pursue. With great excitement and determination he began exploring that venture through research and experimentation. His idea involved adding a notification strip to the back of a cellular device. This add-on product would offer greater convenience and accessibility for the consumer to receive daily communications. After much conservation with industry personnel, Jacob discovered this venture was not applicable for him at this time. Without missing a beat, Jacob was eagerly working toward his next idea.
Like a true entrepreneur Jacob's mind was swirling with ideas and solutions to make everyday life a bit easier. Thus came the idea of 3P, the Perfect Posture Protector. 3P is a specialized seat cushion aimed at alleviating back pain, while promoting proper posture for the user. Over the next several months Jacob built a network that proudly resulted in a finished product ready for the market. In the midst of working with industry professionals he was offered a summer internship with the company that mentored him through this process. He spent the summer of 2019, expanding his skills in this position.
The 3P is only the start for Jacob and his company, OC Projects. He is currently working with prospective companies to offer a royalty deal on his product. In the fall of 2019, Jacob will begin his senior year at Columbia High School.
From day one Jacob beamed with the entrepreneurial spirit. His energy and passion toward growing as a professional was so unique that it was impossible to overlook.
At the new student orientation hosted in the summer of 2018, Jacob already had a business idea he was ready to pursue. With great excitement and determination he began exploring that venture through research and experimentation. His idea involved adding a notification strip to the back of a cellular device. This add-on product would offer greater convenience and accessibility for the consumer to receive daily communications. After much conservation with industry personnel, Jacob discovered this venture was not applicable for him at this time. Without missing a beat, Jacob was eagerly working toward his next idea.
Like a true entrepreneur Jacob's mind was swirling with ideas and solutions to make everyday life a bit easier. Thus came the idea of 3P, the Perfect Posture Protector. 3P is a specialized seat cushion aimed at alleviating back pain, while promoting proper posture for the user. Over the next several months Jacob built a network that proudly resulted in a finished product ready for the market. In the midst of working with industry professionals he was offered a summer internship with the company that mentored him through this process. He spent the summer of 2019, expanding his skills in this position.
The 3P is only the start for Jacob and his company, OC Projects. He is currently working with prospective companies to offer a royalty deal on his product. In the fall of 2019, Jacob will begin his senior year at Columbia High School.
"Jacob is a remarkable young man who really learned what it takes to get a project complete. I was surprised that when he hit a roadblock he would ask how to get past it. He had many, many obstacles to creating his product and had to make many changes. I think he understands that you just have to follow your project, learn as you evolve, change when you need to and never give up."
- Joe Koppeis, Owner of Admiral Parkway Development & mentor of Jacob
- Joe Koppeis, Owner of Admiral Parkway Development & mentor of Jacob
