“Think your idea will change the world?”

This question guided the eleventh annual College of Human Sciences Entrepreneurship Showcase. The event posed this question to students and gave them a platform for displaying their business proposals, pitch ideas and consulting project recommendations.

It took place May 1 in the LeBaron lounge.

Students and community members perused tri-folds and poster displays of business ideas that were set up on tables throughout the lounge. Some ideas included food service, retail, fashion and event management businesses.

Linda Niehm, associate professor of Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management 474 and 574, is the organizer of the showcase. Students in her course had the option of completing and showcasing either a business plan or a consulting project.

For the consulting project, students worked in conjunction with the Iowa Retail Initiative, a collaborative project between the College of Human Sciences and the College of Design that connects resources with retailers in small Iowa towns.

Niehm said that she was a part of starting the event 11 years ago after noticing that student ideas were not leaving the classroom. The showcase is an attempt to provide interaction with business owners, bankers and small business consultants.

“They really benefit from some more feedback and reaction to their business proposals in addition to my grading comments,” she said.

There were also students from apparel, merchandising and design 576 and an independent study student showcasing their ideas. A pitch competition was open to students from any major in the College of Human Sciences.

Sonali Diddi, graduate assistant in apparel, events and hospitality management, helped coordinate the event. She said that this experience helps students understand the supply chain of business startups.

“They get a 360 degree perspective of it,” she said.

Andrew Pugh, senior in culinary sciences, received the best pitch competition award for his plans for a craft brewery that would offer classes, supplies and brew-your-own activities. He said that the experience gave him insight on what it takes to start a business and gave him respect for small business owners.

“I had no idea it would be this difficult,” he said.

Some students have taken this project forward by acting on their business plans and some have expanded their already-established businesses for the project.

Laporchia Davis, graduate assistant in apparel, events and hospitality management, is one such student. In 2013, she created LC Beauty Extensions. The website sells extensions and eyelashes that cater to African American women. She made eyelashes available for purchase as part of this project and said that this showcase allowed her to promote her business.

She said that LC Beauty Extensions is a one-stop-shop for any lady that wants to purchase hair extensions.

“I wanted to create it for women who wanted to look beautiful on a budget,” she said.

The winners of last year’s showcase have gone on to start White Willow Events, an event planning business in West Des Moines that they presented.

A presentation of awards started in the LeBaron auditorium after the showcase.

Awards were given for the following categories: technology innovation, people’s choice, best display and visual, most sustainable business proposal, best use of experience economy strategies, best of show for small business consulting strategy, best of show for new business start-up idea and best of show.

The judging panel included representatives from university and apparel, events and hospitality management faculty, local business and community leaders, the Iowa Retail Initiative and AESHM graduate students.

Niehm said that throughout the 11 years of the showcase, the course has grown from 46 to 115 students and that the interest in entrepreneurship among students has exploded.

The diversity of business has also expanded to include many service, lifestyle, food, fashion and technology businesses under the umbrella of the College of Human Sciences.