NEO scores divisional first place in Love's Entrepreneur's Cup competition

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Business and Technology department students competed in Love's Entrepreneur's Cup, finishing first in the Small Business Division.

The Love's Cup is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real-world process of researching a market, writing a business plan, and presenting it to potential investors.

The NEO project was "Tidy Toasties," a food truck serving signature sealed sandwiches. The business would deliver a quick and easy meal for customers to eat on the go without the worry of making a mess. To accomplish this, the team created a prototype sandwich press, "The Tidy Press," enabling an efficient and simple way to cook the sealed sandwiches on a flattop grill.

"Our team accomplished something amazing," said NEO Business and Technology department chair Calvin Becker. "They were the first team from NEO to win the Small Business Division. Developing a prototype was new for us, and I believe it helped. Overall, I can't even express how excited I am for the team, and the positive reaction we have felt across campus. This win was a major accomplishment for our team and NEO."

The NEO Love's Cup team competed against Oklahoma's regional universities, which include six four-year colleges. They brought home a total of seven trophies and $16,000. Kaitlyn Stephens finished first in the Paulsen Interview, winning a $5,000 scholarship.