CARTOONS BY CHRIS BRITT

BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION EXAMPLE
Emily, a Quileute tribal member from LaPush, Washington had grown up as the
daughter of a commercial fisherman who made a living fishing and crabbing for more
than 30 years. She wanted to own her own business and continue to work with her father
and benefit from his years of expertise. She heard about a business plan competition
established by the Nature Conservancy in collaboration with Pinchot University Center for
Inclusive Entrepreneurship and submitted an application. The competition included an
ideation event, a business readiness workshop, a pitch clinic, and other forms of technical
assistance from experienced business advisors to develop and refine their business
concepts. All the participants were pushed outside their comfort zone but welcomed the
positive and nurturing environment filled with mentors and volunteers. Competing
with 11 other finalists who had completed the program, Emily won the first-place prize
of $10,000 for equipment and supplies to launch Lonzo’s Seafood Company, offering
smoked Quileute-caught fresh salmon.
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