From selling muffins, cakes, supplies, and milk; to providing services as cleaners and repairers; African Christian College students successfully stepped up in our recent Entrepreneurship Challenge.
The 2014 Entrepreneurship Challenge was given to all second and third year students. The challenge was simply this:
“Make as much money as you can in the next four days. Here is R100 to get you started.”
Given on Thursday morning with presentations and awards on Monday morning, the Entrepreneurship students immediately got to work with ideas, research, and selling.
All seven groups successfully made a profit — and many lessons were learned.
One group did research among the students on campus to find a high demand for fresh and sour milk. They overcame supply difficulties to sell over 20 litres to students over the weekend.
Another group, calling themselves Super Services, found their niche providing car wash and house cleaning services to staff and faculty across campus.
Others sold goods and food on campus, in town, and at church events over the weekend.
Muffin sales brought the heated competition. Fast Track Enterprises first sold muffins in the mornings, but were challenged by the Queen Anne Cakes (claiming higher quality) sold by another group who called themselves ACC Baker’s Choice. They marketed their cakes with the slogan, “We don’t just bake, we treat you!”
The goal of the 2014 Entrepreneurship Challenge was to provide quick, practical lessons in business. That was met in the lessons on market research, supply, demand, pricing and costs, pay to employees, product quality, and competition. These experiential lessons will be built upon through the remainder of their entrepreneurship course.
Why teach Entrepreneurship at ACC?
Because work — both within and without the church — is to be done to glorify God. These skills help graduates as they seek employment or create employment for themselves and others after returning home. ACC students desire to provide for their families and others. Entrepreneurship is the most likely way for them to provide for themselves financially after graduation.