Featured Student Stories
Through various programs and avenues of support, the IDEA Bank features student stories
that highlight the entrepreneurial journeys and innovative projects of young, student
entrepreneurs.
2024 Marketing Competition Winners
Four 快猫成版视频 Students and Graphic Design majors鈥擭athan Hobbs, Reanna Thompson,
Jared Hester, and Howard Purvee鈥攈ave launched Studio 207, a multimedia design company
based in Troy, applying their classroom knowledge to real-world use. Their company
has quickly achieved success, winning the IDEA Bank鈥檚 Marketing Competition and receiving
a $2,000 advertising bundle, while also securing a major contract with Troy Regional
Medical Center. They continue to benefit from IDEA Bank support as they manage their
business operations and focus on their creative work.
2024 JUST START High School Entrepreneurship Summer Camp Winner
Diarra King, a standout Russell County High School student, won a $2,000 快猫成版视频
scholarship during the IDEA Bank鈥檚 JUST START High School Entrepreneurship Summer
Camp for her innovative idea, Phazers Shoe Company. King, a two-time participant of
the camp, returned to refine her concept, impressed judges with her pitch for a shoe
brand featuring interchangeable patches for different phases of life. The camp, sponsored
by the Wiregrass RC&D Council and the Regions Foundation, provided high school students
with entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and hands-on workshops. King now has a
prototype, business plan, and a pitch, marking a significant step toward making Phazers
a reality.
2023 Business Idea Competition Winner
快猫成版视频鈥檚 IDEA Bank and the Sorrell 360 Center held the 2023 Business Pitch
Competition, where four Sorrell College of Business students competed for a $1,000
prize. The students underwent an eight-week training program focused on digital tools,
opportunity capitalization, and pitching skills. After eight weeks of training, the
program culminated in a pitch competition. Alden Barentine, a junior accounting major,
won with his pitch for 12:5 Coffee, a mobile coffee business. Barentine recently reported
that he was able to use his earnings to purchase a home coffee roaster to "learn the
ins and outs of roasting, and gain some valuable experience before going commercial."
2023 Marketing Competition Winner
Sarah Snyder, a sophomore business major from Roeton, AL, won the IDEA Bank鈥檚 Student
Entrepreneur Marketing Competition for her business, Countryside Kennels. What began
as a part-time job has grown into a full-service dog care facility, offering boarding,
baths, nail clipping, and a Doggy Daycare service. Snyder competed against 13 other
student-owned businesses and was awarded a $2,000 marketing package for her winning
display and strategy. Her kennels feature indoor/outdoor spaces and a fenced exercise
yard, all designed to provide a safe and loving environment for pets. Snyder credits
her love of dogs, especially her own pet Jethro, for inspiring her entrepreneurial
journey.