UNI Team Wins State-wide Business Plan Competition in December, 2002
Cedar Falls - Toothfairycentral.com won one of three $5,000 awards presented Friday at the Third Annual Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition.
Toothfairycentral.com is owned by Glynis Worthington, a part-time UNI college student. Glynis began the business, which features all things tooth fairy, when she could not find the perfect tooth fairy items for her children. The website offers tooth fairy boxes, pillows, and gifts, as well as certificates of accomplishment for children and a travel log of tooth fairy visits around the world. Children lose their teeth from 4-12 years of age and the site is primarily of interest to adults in the lives of these children, such as parents, grandparents, and relatives.
The Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition is an annual event held in the fall semester of each academic year. Iowa full and part-time college students with an original new business idea write a business plan and compete at the regional and state levels for monetary awards to help launch their new businesses. Three $5,000 awards are presented at the state level.
The three state winners were toothfairycentral.com from the University of Northern Iowa; Cactusjo.com, an interactive, multimedia, subscription web page providing family entertainment, from Iowa State University; and Peace of Mind, which designs manufactures, and distributes affordable infant monitors, from the University of Iowa.
"The competition makes you think about your business. . . We're betting on you to be successful," said John Pappajohn, founder of the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers and president and founder of Equity Dynamics Inc. at the awards ceremony at the Des Moines Marriott Friday afternoon.
The Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers provide a range of innovative education, programs and support services designed for students, entrepreneurs, and existing business owners. The centers provide expertise in all stages of business planning and development, and serve as vehicles to bring new products and technologies to market. Additional information on Tooth Fairy Central is available from their website at www.toothfairycentral.com
2002 UNI Regional Winner at State Competition. Shown are: (front, l to r) Randy Pilkington, JPEC Interim Director; Glynis Worthington, UNI student; Katherine Cota-Uyar, JPEC Program Manager; and John Pappajohn, Equity Dynamics. (back, l to r) Ben Long, Equity Dynamics; Maureen Collins-Williams, UNI Regional Business Center; and Joe Dunham, Equity Dynamics.