Competition Host Best Practices

Choosing Location and Time

If working with an academic institution, consider the school calendar first and foremost. Choose a time of the year that is not overloaded with other extracurricular activities, such as sporting events.
- Most successful events take place during school hours
- Attendance from the public will likely be lower on evenings or weekends
- Hosting the event at the school is probably the lowest-cost option
If the event is not held at an academic institution, make sure it is in a place well known to community members so the public can access it easily
Choose a location that is easy for the public to access. For example, make parking easy to find and free.
Another thing to consider - make up of attendees. Do you want to influence/inspire community members, educators, parents, other entrepreneurs? This would then drive the location and time of day.

Request time to present about the competition’s benefits to entrepreneurs and mentors
Pitch it in a way that is easy to understand and appealing
Find a mentor to be your champion – doesn’t have to be a business teacher
Connect mentors with other mentors that have done this in the past
Connect mentors with educational materials
Volunteer to teach a session or find a guest speaker for the mentor
Make sure the mentors know star entrepreneurs to encourage to compete
Work with educational pathways
Develop a good relationship with school administration – this will trickle down
Let mentors know they don’t have to change their curriculum but can instead incorporate your competition into their existing curriculum
Don’t discourage mentors’ ideas
Let the mentors have a say in the project to create buy-in. For example, allow them to help make decisions on the guest speaker, date/time, and/or what the event looks like.
Offer to come into the classroom as often as needed to assist the entrepreneurs
Be accessible for whenever the mentor has questions
Be a support system
Follow up every couple of weeks to check in on progress
If working with schools, start talking to administration as early as possible
Pitch your competition as a development opportunity, a way to bridge the gap between school and the real world, and a way to develop soft skills
Keep the mentors in the loop. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Get information to both parties as soon as possible
Let entrepreneurs know their ideas are valid
Guide entrepreneurs in critical thinking – find an idea that piques their interest but also has an actual need for a solution
Help entrepreneurs understand the importance of entrepreneurship in the real world and specifically in their community
Help entrepreneurs understand the resources they have access to
Offer local entrepreneurs the chance to take part in this event for exposure to their business and/or to give back to the community
Connect entrepreneurs with local business owners for mentoring and advice
Gently push entrepreneurs out of their comfort zones
Help entrepreneurs to think about their products/services from a marketing perspective
Involve the judges as mentors
Think about having a “Counselor’s Corner” / Makerspace type of set up at the event
Celebrate successes with entrepreneurs after the event is over
Organizing a day where resource partner(s) are available in person is key
Ask business leaders to volunteer in person or to review a handful of draft executive summaries – good way to connect entrepreneurs with resources
Have entrepreneurs give their presentations to a group for practice
Plan a trip to explore local businesses or empty buildings or to visit with the local appraiser or treasurer's office so they understand the costs of owning a building/what's available for retail space, etc.

Hit the public in three ways, whatever three ways work best for your community. Likely you'll want to share it verbally, in writing (like a letter), and maybe an advertisement/flyer
Use flyers/posters, table tents, or even print a banner/floor banner to really grab people's attention. Post flyers around town in plenty of visible places
Make sure all entrepreneurs receive a flier or brochure to peak their interest
Place a newspaper ad in your local paper or a radio ad on your local station
Consider doing a direct mailer to each person you want to invite
Create custom invitations for families of contestants and families of other entrepreneurs
Utilize local resources to spread the word
Post about the event on social media – Facebook and/or Twitter
- Create a hashtag, boost your posts or create an ad
Personally talk to key community members that you would like to attend this event
- You may consider asking them to judge
Making in person presentations to specific groups is important. The school board, the Rotary, Chamber or Lions Club, etc. Pick organizations who will help spread the word and excitement about what the entrepreneurs are doing.