Paul Bass Photo
Five teens emerged from a “shark tank” ready to make downtown cleaner.
The teens won a competition among budding entrepreneurs to receive $1,000 and a seat at the city’s new small-business center in Dixwell Plaza to turn a business plan they developed into a new company called “Downtown Dirty.”
They made their pitch to a panel of three judges seated at a graduation ceremony held Wednesday afternoon at the center (next to the Stetson branch library), where 11 teens earned certificates for completing a first-ever summer entrepreneurship program. They spent five weeks learning about starting businesses and developing business plans.
The center ran the program with support from the state, United Illuminating, and Southern Connecticut Gas. Officials called it the first program of its kind in Connecticut; other cities have contacted the city for info in hopes of replicating it, according to small business center Director Jackie James. The idea behind it was to nurture not just mid-career adults looking to create jobs with new ideas, but young people as well.
The students formed three teams to investigate ideas by canvassing New Haveners; then, they prepared business plans, which they pitched to the judges at the end of Wednesday’s ceremony.
They dressed for the occasion and took turns narrating scripted pitches, followed by questions from the judges (pictured): former state African American Affairs Commission staffer Earl Bloodworth, city economic development officer Clay Williams (a former banker), and barber (and indoor mini-golf game inventor Darryl Minchenko)
Adam H.L. Telford, Eliezer Junior Rivera, and Alexus Baker-Rowland pitched a plan to create a recording studio that, unlike competitors in town, would charge people only $25 an hour, after the first $55 an hour. (“We’re trying to keep money in your pocket,” Telford declared.) They’d also have a mobile studio to take recording capability direct to customers. They proposed using billboards, social media and CT transit buses to promote the business. “A lot of youth ride the bus,” Baker-Rowland observed. She described the studio as “like a boxing gym,” but a more artistic way for students to relive their stress.
Pressed by Judge Williams for financial information, they said they’d have to raise $30,000 in initial capital from investors. They said they’d keep the business open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Javon T. Johnson, James Stephens, Jr., and Breana M.G. Anderson unveiled plans to launch Re’Kickz, a company that cleans and alters $150-$200 new sneakers that get dirty (with stuff spilled on them, the first day, for instance), so people don’t have to buy new ones. They’d charge $35 per pair, and $100 to attend classes on reviving sneaks. The business would target customers ages 12 – 30. The owners would need $30 for a starter kick, and envisioned making $116,000 in profit their first year.
“What kind of solution” will they use on the sneakers? Judge Minchenko asked.
“You have to pay $100 to take the class to find out,” declared Judge Williams.
The winning team — Naari Little, a Career High Student, Dante Lee Frazer from Coop, incoming University of Hartford freshman Malik Lovell Nieves, Shania John’Nay Anderson from Career, and Derrick Scott Sims, Jr. from Coop (pictured at the top of the story) — said they got the idea for their “Downtown Dirty” company by observing all the litter downtown. (Click here for a story about another group of teens who spent the summer in Dixwell focusing on litter.)
The Downtown Dirty crew noted that “ambassadors” from the Town Green Special Services District and Yale help pick up trash. But there’s still lots of it. People drop trash “every 30 steps.”
So their company would put a “port” every 30 steps on the Green to collect cans and bottles and other recyclable trash.
They’d make money by redeeming bottles for 5 cents apiece; charging small businesses fees to advertise on the ports; and eventually selling other recyclable trash to a trash-to-energy plant.
The judges praised all the entrants; Williams said Downtown Dirty won because it seemed the most ready to become a real company.
In addition to the $1,000 in prize money, the team will receive one of the 19 incubator spaces at the small business center, where they get not just room, but advice from experts.
“A lot of people,” Mayor Toni Harp (pictured with Maurice Gordneer and Jacoby Jones) told the graduates, “start businesses not knowing what you know today.”
Cool idea, I really like this program! Just let the kids know that advertising is not allowed on the Green.