Lord Fairfax Small Business Development Center and Bright Box Leading Entrepreneur Competition

The second regional entrepreneurship contest will award prize worth $8,500

The Lord Fairfax Small Business Development Center and Bright Box announce the launch of their second annual regional entrepreneurship competition.

The LFSBDC is the lead agency this year, and has rebranded the competition RISE (Regional Initiative Supporting Entrepreneurship). Bright Box is the title sponsor.

Participating entrepreneurs, who have been in business for at least two years, take six classes related to launching a business, submit a business plan and create a sales pitch. Finalists will be chosen to compete on April 18 at the Corron Center on the LFCC Middletown Campus for $5,000 in cash, and $3,500 worth of chamber of commerce memberships, social media consultation and advertising dollars.

Participants must be licensed in Winchester, Front Royal, or Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah or Page counties.

A separate, but related, competition for entrepreneurs registered in Fauquier or Culpeper counties will award one year’s free rent at the Fauquier Enterprise Center in Vint Hill.

Registration is now open, and classes will begin on Feb. 22 at the LFCC Middletown Campus with remote broadcast to our Luray-Page County Center and Warrenton/Culpeper.

“Last year’s event, entitled The Entrepreneur Café, was a resounding success,” LFSBDC Executive Director Christine Kriz says. “Classrooms were full at both the LFCC Middletown Campus and remotely at our campus in Luray/Page. This year, we’re expanding our classroom reach to include Warrenton and Culpeper at the Vint Hill Business Incubator.”

At last year’s event, Bill Long, owner of Auto Care Clinic in Warren County, was the top winner, while Laura Gomez of Route 11 Outfitters received the $750 People’s Choice Award.

“The program helped me develop my business plan, which we have now met and exceeded,” Long says. “Even if you don’t win…the education is well worth the registration fee. I have to say, it was the best money I’ve ever spent!”

This year’s sponsors include Dish Network/Via Satellite, First Bank, Northern Virginia Daily, Shenandoah University, Piccadilly Printing, Frederick County EDA, Warren County EDA, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, Web Strategies, InterChange and Bank of Clarke County.

Community partners include the Frederick County EDA, Warren County EDA, Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, Top of Virginia Chamber, Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, Page County Department of Tourism and Shenandoah University.

“We are very excited to offer this program once again to the regional entrepreneurial community,” says Marla Taylor Jones, Warren County EDA director of marketing and business development and a RISE Advisory Committee member. “Last year’s event was very well-received by the community and highly acclaimed by those business professionals who participated as sponsors, judges and instructors.”

To register for the competition, or for more information, visit www.lfsbdc.org/programs.

Seats are limited, and registration will close at 6 p.m. Feb. 17.