Real Business Experience

Announcing the Zotec Business Competition

Zotec Partners (Zotec), who provide specialized billing services to the hospital-based specialty market, is a new 2012 COB REAL Partner. As part of their partnership, Zotec has created the Zotec Business Competition. All Real Business Experience (RBE) teams currently enrolled in the MG 202 are eligible to compete.

Awards will be given to the RBE business that captures the true entrepreneurial spirit of risk taking, innovation and success. Zotec will specifically be looking for how well each team demonstrates the Five P's: Passion, Persistence, Perspective, Predictability, and People.

Teams will be vying for cash awards

There will be three top cash awards where teams can decide to re-invest in their business or use as a cash bonus for a job well done. Awards will be split evenly among each team member.

For spring - RBE class awards are the following:

First Place: $9,000
Second Place: $5,000
Third Place: $3,000

For fall - RBE Class awards are the following:

First Place: $4,000
Second Place: $2,500
Third Place: $1,500

Teams will also be evaluated on the following:

RBE Teams will be reviewed throughout the semester not only on their presentation skills and their execution of the Five P's but also on their:

REAL business process management
Sales/marketing success
The hiring of quality employees
Growth/partnering
Use of technology
Social responsibility and
Business valuation.

View the Zotec Business Competition announcement video for additional details and explanation of the Five P's and the competition. Good Luck!

"I received the chance to act as the CEO."

In just one year, students form teams, create a business idea, apply for funding (to a group of real business executives) - and if they receive funding, start and run their real business. The class is facilitated by a team of faculty and professional mentors who coach the businesses. The mentors have impressive professional experience and include business owners, consultants, doctors, lawyers and executives in fields such as life sciences, manufacturing, and human resources. The result is an amazing, interactive experience in which the facilitators learn as much as the students. Past student businesses have included a travel agency, screen printer, asphalt company, food importer, photo booth, advertising agency, ticket broker, calendar printer, transportation company, consulting service and more.

Each business is looked at as a process, how the students will behave and react in that business. Their grades are not determined by whether they make the largest net income or highest sales. We're looking at how the students actually run the business and what lessons they learn from that business.
Dick Halstead
Lecturer in Management
Coordinator of Real Business Experience

Business Profile: Strike a Pose

The real business:
A 16-person-capacity, mobile photo booth for events such as weddings, birthday parties and proms. Partygoers preserve their memories with a souvenir picture. The company charges $400 to $1,000 to transport the booth and provides guests with a 4x6 inch, high-gloss sheet containing four photos and the name of the event. The photo booth has an LCD monitor on the outside so those waiting in line can see what the picture will look like.

The real story:
The business becomes so successful that a second group of RBE students decides to buy the company. They, in turn, sell it to a third group whose members are so confident, they intend to continue to run and expand the business after they graduate.

Visit the Strike a Pose website.

"I've fallen in love with this business. It has a high profit margin and it's a fun thing to do. Strike a Pose feels like me."
Kyle Nicholas, Class of 2010
Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Strike A Pose

Business Profile: Back to Earth Compost

The real business:
A pick-up service for compostable kitchen waste. Customers receive a bucket for compostable waste, which is collected weekly. Customers receive a share of the compost to use in their gardens.

The real story:

Library Guide on Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Click here to access the Butler Library Guide on Entrepreneurship and Innovation.