Nelson Marlborough Young Enterprise 2023 Highlights by ntchamber

Nelson Marlborough Young Enterprise Scheme 2023

The Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) grew out of an initiative started by the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce back in the late 1970s and aims to inspire young people to discover their potential in business and in life. The mission for YES is to ignite the spark of entrepreneurship in the hearts and minds of young individuals, and to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the world of business. YES is an organisation at the forefront of inspiring and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. We firmly believe that fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and financial literacy is essential for the personal and professional growth of our students. Our commitment to this vision is evident in the diverse range of programmes and initiatives we offer. YES provides innovative classroom programmes that stimulate creativity, real-world business challenges that develop practical skills and mentorship opportunities that guide young minds towards success. Within the Young Enterprise programme, our students embark on an exciting journey of growth and learning, punctuated by four significant milestones known as the ‘YES Challenges’. These challenges are designed to be both transformative and educational, providing students with opportunities to apply their entrepreneurial knowledge and skills in real world scenarios. All students that complete YES (Challenges 1-4) will receive YES micro-credentials on their NZQA Record of Achievement. YES 2023 Across the year, over 4,500 secondary school students participated in The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme, setting up over 1,000 companies between them. In Te Tauihu 106 students took part in the programme. The local schools involved were;  Waimea College  Nayland College  Nelson College  Marlborough Girls College

“Inspire young people to discover their potential in business and in life”

Achievements and Prizes – Class of 2023 Throughout the year YES students were able to extend themselves by applying and competing in a variety of ways, including challenges, competitions, taking part in national events and applying for funding and be rewarded with prizes and invaluable experiences. Below lists where those extra achievements were awarded.

Achievements and Prizes 2023 School Marlborough Girls College Waimea College Nelson College Waimea College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Nelson College Nelson College Waimea College Nelson College Nayland College Nayland College Waimea College Waimea College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Nayland College Marlborough Girls College Nayland College Waimea College Marlborough Girls College Nayland College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Waimea College Nelson College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Marlborough Girls College Waimea College Waimea College Marlborough Girls College Nelson College for Girls Nayland College 3

Team Who is She? Fruitbay Sorbet Matt Donaldson Ester Gould Bess Cuddon Corlet Who is She? Grandpa Jack's Spices Thrift & Sport Bubble Matt Donaldson PTT Honey Pure Hold Fruitbay Sorbet Fruitbay Sorbet Kawaii Loops Off Your Face Compass ReFloat Pure Hold InProtein Bluem PTT Honey Who is She? ReFloat Fruitbay Sorbet Grandpa Jack's Spices Off Your Face Off Your Face Kawaii Loops Who is She? Fruitbay Sorbet Fruitbay Sorbet Stephanie Benseman Emma Fryer Marina Kere

Achievement Seed Funding Seed Funding EIA Weekend Participant EIA Weekend Participant EIA Weekend Participant Seed Funding Seed Funding Seed Funding Seed Funding Speaker at YES Hall of Fame Challenge One 1st Prize Challenge One 2nd Challenge One 2nd Challenge Two 1st Challenge Two 1st Challenge Two 2nd Challenge Two 2nd Challenge Two 3rd Challenge Two 3rd Challenge Two 4th Challenge Two 4th Market Day - Best Customer Service Market Day - Best Presentation Market Day - Most Sustainable Business Challenge Three 1st Challenge Three 2nd Challenge Three 3rd Innovation Award - Regional Final Creative Award - Regional Final Best Annual Review - Regional Final Environmental Award - Regional Final Regional Winner 2023 Alumni of the Year 2023 Finalist - Alumni Awards Finalist - Alumni Awards

Kickstart Kickstart was the first event in the year. It is where students get to hear about YES, come up with a business idea, run their ideas past a number of speed coaches for feedback and hear from a panel of business leaders. Some of our speakers this year were Melissa Muirhead of The Great Work Lab who talked about Growth Mindset. Jacquie Walters of WaltersPR explained the need to tell your story when planning a branding strategy. Anton Drazevic of Nelson Environment Centre highlighted the importance of sustainability. Tracy Atkin of Angel Investors Marlborough recommended what students should include in a business pitch.

Jacquie Walters

Anton Drazevic

Melissa Muirhead

Tracy Atkin

Mid Year Pitch The pitch is the second challenge for YES students, after the Validation Challenge where they will have received feedback from their target market. For “The Pitch” they will have created a prototype of their product and created a 5-minute presentation and pitch their business idea to a panel of four judges to gain feedback to further hone their business. This is great to help with the development of their YES business, students are asked to outline their plans for marketing, sales, production, and finance and to deliver a professional, persuasive pitch by engaging with the judges and using well-designed visual aids.

Mid Year Pitch

YES Market Day The YES Market Day is held in Term 3 and provides an opportunity for students to sell their goods, promote services, continue to gather market research and also have a fun experience getting to know students from other schools who are participating in the programme. The group market day is run in the lead up to the students’ sales and marketing challenges where they need to demonstrate different promotional methods. To receive top marks, they had to use several promotional methods and demonstrate different sales channels, outline what they learnt, how effective their strategies were and any potential areas for improvement.

Regional Winners Fruitbay Sorbet

The Waimea College students, Lianna Godwin, Sebastian Davey, Isla Anderson and Lexie Griffith came out on top after the judges had a tough job to choose a single winning team. Moderating judge, Lester Binns, says “Reaching the regional finals is an outstanding achievement in itself and, like all entrepreneurs, it shows you all have resilience to keep momentum and bring your ideas to life. Well done to you all, and we hope you all carry on”. The judges were particularly impressed with the all-round strength of Fruitbays’ business. From their product, to financials and pitch. They felt the team demonstrated a clear view of the future pathway for the business. Olivia Martyn from The Food Factory mentored the team through their journey, Olivia said “Fruitbay managed their time here at The Food Factory professionally with great care and passion for both product and processes. It was amazing to see their product creativity and thoughtfulness for the environment. It has been a pleasure to have them on site here at The Food Factory”.

A big thank you to Olivia and The Food Factory for taking these students under your wing and sharing knowledge and providing the facilities to support this young start up company. The team members were awarded $1000 Massey University scholarships and their school will receive “The NMIT/Te Pukenga Winning School Award”, a $5000 scholarship. Regional Excellence Awards were also awarded to the following teams; Annual Review Award – Who is She? Marlborough Girls College. Temiah Cyster, Charlie Richmond, Abby Sandell, Danista Gurovich and Hannah Bain Creativity Award – Kawaii Loops, Marlborough Girls College. Emma Robinson and Kayley Hutchison. Innovation Award – Off Your Face – Marlborough Girls College. Jayd Dobbs, Katie Hedgman and Siobhan Tantrum Environmental Award – Fruitbay Sorbet, Waimea College. Lianna Godwin, Sebastian Davey, Isla Anderson and Lexie Griffith

The judges said this about each team; Off Your Face Punching name, a product that wouldn’t look out of place on cosmetic shelves. Kawaii Loops Super innovative product. We could feel the care and love you have for your Croucher designs. Great research and work on your pattern designs. Fruitbay Brilliant presentation and slides, delicious and well thought out product Who is She? Very strong branding, you clearly work well together as a team. You were all so articulate. A huge thanks to our judges: • Lester Binns – Good Storage • Cam Burns - ShuttleRock • Nikki Neate – Mahitahi Colab • Louise O’Connell – OneFortyOne And our MC Sarah Derecourt from Mediaworks.

Regional Final Event

Regional Award Winners Environmental Award was won by Fruitbay from Waimea College Environmental Award winners – Fruitbay Sorbet, Waimea College. (l to r:) Lianna Godwin, Sebastian Davey, Isla Anderson and Lexie Griffith. Nick Dalgety represents YES sponsors MPI.

Best Annual Review Award was won by Who is She? Marlborough Girls College Who is She? From Marlborough Girls College. Temiah Cyster, Charlie Richmond, Abby Sandell, Danista Gurovich and Hannah Bain. Won the Annual Review Award, Mike Drummond from CAANZ presented the award, CAANZ are National YES sponsors. The team’s mentor, Tony Katavich says this about the team. “I think their great success was seeing YES as an opportunity to engage with and extend themselves in the world beyond school. From the outset they had their plan to seek endorsement from their list of prominent women, and they got that. As I mentioned to them a few times, outside of the silo of school, everyone wants their YES company to succeed, and the external endorsement and validation helped propel the company forwards.

I’m proud of the way they worked together, it is a fairly large number of students involved but they all had their assigned areas of responsibility, and each were on top of their material when I would query various aspects. And importantly they listened and took on board gentle suggestions and guidance.

Regional Final Event

Regional Award Winners Creative Award won by Kawaii Loops from Marlborough Girls College

Kawaii Loops, Marlborough Girls College. Emma Robinson and Kayley Hutchison.

Surrey Collett, business studies teacher says this about the Kawaii Loops team,“Kayley and Emma have based their business idea around a personal passion and hobby of theirs. They found a gap in the New Zealand crochet market and have worked extremely hard this year to create a high quality and unique product. They spent a considerable amount of time coming up with their own crochet patterns and conducted thorough research on suppliers as well as product regulations they had to meet. Their market research was meaningful and conducted at a local craft market in Blenheim. This enabled them to make good decisions about their product. They have had success with sales at local markets, their Storbie website and most recently, a local craft store in Blenheim. Working in a business and competing in the YES challenges has been key for Kayley and Emma's personal growth this year. Their confidence and communication skills has gone from strength to strength and their success this year is credit to their consistent hard work and determination”.

Regional Final Event

Regional Award Winners The Innovation Award won by Off Your Face from Marlborough Girls College

Off Your Face business owners Jayd Dobbs, Katie Hedgman and Siobhan Tantrum with Fiona Wilson, Chief Executive, NRDA.

The team’s mentor, Hope Dollimore, General Manager, Designer SkincareNZ says, “When I first met the team they had great enthusiasm to create something different and unique, the ideas were flowing and with my guidance with raw materials, the compressed face mask idea was created. Not only is this a unique idea but it is also an affordable and fun way to look after and treat your skin at home in this expensive world.” “The girls worked well together and they seemed to have their own roles within the team. They were involved in the whole process from creating the idea to manufacturing, packing and labelling the product. It always makes my job easier when a team shows enthusiasm, excitement, and passion in what they are creating. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did”.

Regional Final Event

YES National Finals Over 350 guests attended the Young Enterprise Scheme National Awards 2023 at Tākina Convention and Events Centre in Wellington. Across the year, over 4,500 secondary school students participated in The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme, setting up over 1,000 companies between them. The awards night celebrated 30 of these companies, and Trees for Change was crowned National YES Company of the Year. Trees for Change from Papa Taiao Earthcare have created a business that supports its community by facilitating tree planting locally, with a sponsorship model on the corporate side of their business, as well as retail sales through their own nursery. Trees for Change has truly delved into the heart of the environment, making a significant impact on both the community and social fronts. The judges were particularly impressed by the company's commitment to fostering growth in conservation across the West Coast. Trees for Change stands as a shining example of a business making a positive difference in the world, with a strong emphasis on community impact and environmental stewardship. Second place was Pounamu Chews from Manurewa High School who have silicone chews that replicate pounamu and provide a safe way for babies to use while they are teething. Their annual report spoke volumes, and the judges were impressed by their ability to navigate setbacks and pivot effectively. What set them apart was the admirable cultivation of te reo around their product, showcasing a deep cultural connection. Pounamu Chews has truly demonstrated resilience and cultural sensitivity in their journey. The company was awarded $2000, as well as an additional $2000 for their school. Third place was Enivo Pots from Wellington Girls’ College who are hoping to create biodegradable plant pots using forestry waste products such as slash. The judges were particularly impressed by sole trader, Elisa Harley’s overall goal. The judges acknowledged the long road ahead, recognising the big plan through various projects to fund the ultimate end product. Enivo Pots secured a top-three pitch with their exceptional ability to identify problems and create innovative solutions. The judges were inspired by Elisa’s focus on the bigger picture and the ultimate goal of their project. The company was awarded $1000, as well as an additional $2000 for their school. The judges for the competition were Burcu Senel – Chief Executive Officer of HSBC, David Steele – Trustee, The Lion Foundation, Lance Walker – Trustee, Young Enterprise Trust, Rachel Taulelei – Co-founder of Oho, and Rod Baxter – CEO, The Princes Trust. This event was the culmination of the companies’ business year. Over the past year, these students have created and run their own businesses right from conception through to production, marketing, and sales. The programmeme gives students an authentic learning experience that prepares them for life after schooling by teaching entrepreneurship and connecting them with the business community.

YES Feeder Programmes Extra Extreme Experiences YES students can apply to take part in several extra programmes throughout the year three of our local students were successful in being chosen to take part in the Entrepreneurs in Action (EIA) weekend in Wellington along with 64 other students from across the country.

EIA was an experience that I will never forget! We were put in an environment where none of us knew each other, it was fast paced & we had no time to waste being shy. Over the weekend we got given two business challenges, my team managed to win both, making our team only the third team to do so in EIA history. I would highly recommend this experience, the thrill you get off from it is unmatched!” Bess Cuddon-Corlet, Marlborough Girls College “The EIA weekend was eye opening. Being part of something so advanced and unusual for teenagers, was special. It showed me how capable people are, through teamwork and hard work. From ideation, writing a business plan, preparing slides, then pitching to 70+ people... all in a single day, (makes school feel unproductive). Overall, the two biggest things I took from the event was the reassurance that I do want to continue with business and entrepreneurship, and the value of a good team of people”. Esther Gould, Waimea College

“EAI was an incredible platform to grow, learn and lead in a dynamic highperformance environment! Although challenged by the extent of the task, our team hosted by the Ministry for Primary Industries excelled, producing business plans and pitching concepts for two separate businesses over 72 hours. It was a challenging, yet rewarding experience where growth and innovation was not only encouraged, we were judged on it!” Matt Donald, Nelson College

YES Feeder Programme Entrepreneurs in Action (EIA) 2023 Te Tauihu YES student, Bess Cuddon-Corlet from Marlborough Girls College was part of a double winning team at the YES EIA event over this year. Bess's team was crowned the winners of both challenges. The judges were impressed with their proposal to expand a fictional beef company into the German market which included a thorough market analysis and research into distribution channels. Esther Gould from Waimea College and Matt Donald from Nelson College were part of the Ministry of Primary Industries Team and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Every EIA participant received a $1,000 Massey University scholarship, and because they won both challenges, Bess's team, Team Creative HQ received an additional $6,000 in scholarships each.

The Nelson Marlborough region was well represented at the YES Alumni Awards in Auckland this year, ex Nelson Girls College student, Emma Fryer owner of FuturEcology was a finalist Environmental Leader, Marina Kere ex Nayland College student, owner of KDM Digital, a finalist Alumna of the Year. Steph Benseman, ex Marlborough Girls College student took out Alumna of the Year! Steph participated in YES in 2013, started a YES company Reverb creating recycled clothing, then at 19 co-founding the online platform Filtr. The YES journey doesn’t end at the conclusion of the programme. There are many ways you can connect and collaborate with likeminded YES alum Including exclusive events, networking opportunities, connecting with the startup eco system and volunteering and giving back to YES and current students. 22 Join the Alumni whanau Here

A big thank you to all who volunteered their time in some way to Help We couldn’t deliver YES in 2023 without YOU! Gina Jewell A Lighter Touch Ali Boswijk NTCC Tracy Atkin Angel Investors Marlborough Britt Coker NTCC Hannah Tunstall Be Seen More Kim Odendaal NTCC Jon Marshall Beca Ltd Rikki Smith NTCC Todd Starr BeSeenMore Sandra Crone NTCC Tristan Wastney BeSeenMore Ron McLuckie New Futures Charlotte Parish Blenheim Flooring Xtra Andrew Strang New Zealand Artesian Water Simon Parish Blenheim Flooring Xtra Ami Mitchell NZTE Amy Johnson Boost Your Learning Julie Jackson NZTE Brian Dawson Business Trust Marlborough Craig Boodee NRDA Beth Barnes Button Help Mathew Pottinger One Giant Leap Ltd. Pip Jamieson Consultant Jenny van workum OneFortyOne Arko Biswas Cutting Edge Signs Ltd Louise O'Connell OneFortyOne Allan Willoughby Datacom Rameez Khan OneFortyOne Hope Dollimore Designer Skincare Louis Picot Pete's Natural Terry Shubkin Ernst & Young Limited Marleen Suy Pete's Natural Robbie Dellow Forbidden Beauty Pete Suy Pete's Natural Nikki Jacobson Forsyth Barr Neela Patel Pridewear NZ Helen Smale Forte Management Nicola Burton School for Transformations Tony Smale Forte Management Cam Burns ShuttleRock Sean Marr Future Food Systems Milo Coldren Skipper Training Emma Fryer FuturEcology Ltd Alison Blanchett-Sax Smart Business Centre Alexia Hilbertidou GirlBoss Myles Montgomery Studio Montgomery Limited Ashlin Redpath Ipiphany Tahi Spinks Taumauri Me Tahi Ltd Deliese Mackay Johnston Associates Amie-Jo Trayes Te Pūkenga/NMIT Jonathon Deans Johnston Associates Michelle Anderson Te Pūkenga/NMIT Tony Katavich Linguistic Robotics Olivia Martyn The Food Factory Nikki Neate Mahitahi Colab Melissa Muirhead The Great Work Lab Mark French Marketing Essentials Ian Williams The Vic Pub Mark Unwin Marlborough District Council Greg Jones Transform You Ltd Sarah Derecourst Media Works Liz Darling Unstoppable Force Rebecca Mason Meihana Consulting Stew Darling Unstoppable Force Alison Cary Mentor Greg Chapman Viridian Glass Justin Hall MicroChannel Dave Phillips Windies Trading Zoe Moulam Minerva Food & Beverage Natasha Gordon World of WearableArt Nick Dalgety MPI Torie Henderson Yellow Bird Global Ang Wilson MSD Ian Musson Young Enterprise Scheme Anton Drazevic Nelson Environment Centre Trina Zimmerman Young Enterprise Scheme Nita Knight Nelson Market Young Enterprise Scheme 2Andrea Lim 3

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