Bringing a creative business idea to life isn̢۪t easy and involves not only dedication, but a number of skills, which the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides assistance with for eager students and members of the community.

This week the Lyles Center hosted an array of events to correspond with National Entrepreneurship Week and the Career Center̢۪s Career Expo.

“This week is just a celebration of the heritage of entrepreneurship in America and the new opportunities for a new generation,â€Â said Genelle Taylor, the associate director of the Lyles Center. “It’s a very powerful week as so many students, teachers, entrepreneurs, officials and the general public are involved all over the United States.â€Â

The week was jump-started Monday with a faculty breakfast upstairs in the university student union, where future possibilities for the entrepreneurship center were discussed. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday students with creative new business ideas were able to attend scheduled events.

The first event was Technology Tuesday, where students had the opportunity to have their ideas assessed by the director of the Technology Development Center, Mike Summers. Wednesday, Dr. George Vozikis discussed family business matters with interested students.

Yesterday at the Hop on the Elevator event, students made their business pitches to a panel of judges.

“Students had one minute to pitch their ideas and were judged on feasibility of the idea and how well they communicated or pitched it to the judges,â€Â Taylor said. “The winner received a free workshop on business fundamentals.â€Â

Senior Entrepreneurship major David Hoff, who won the event, presented his idea for a user generated Web site he calls collegeguides.com. He said he wants to create a place where students can receive information that will help them in their transition from college to adulthood.

“I want to make this Web site the Starbucks of college Web sites,â€Â Hoff said. “I want it to be more sophisticated than a social networking site, though, because there are so many of those, but structure a section of it like Craigslist so students will be able to sell textbooks and other materials.â€Â

This last event served as a stepping stone for students at Fresno State and area community colleges such as Fresno City, Reedley College and College of the Sequoias who want to enter the third annual $10K Business Plan competition. To enter the competition, students must write a pitch of their business plan and turn it in to the Lyles Center by April 10.

Students will present their ideas at a semi-final round on April 18. Finalists at this competition will go on to compete for large cash prizes on May 3.

“The first place winner will receive $6,500 and an office in our Student Hatchery for a year,â€Â Taylor said.

Second and third place winners will also receive money to put into their business. The second place winner will get $2,500 and the third place winner will get $1,000.

Taylor said the first place winner will also have the chance to attend a two-day E-myth seminar for free and will automatically be entered into the Draper Fisher Jurveston Venture Challenge, which can win the student an investment of $250,000. She also added that only 16 universities are invited to enter in this competition.

Competition events aren̢۪t the only services offered by the Lyles Center. If a student has an idea they aren̢۪t ready to present to judges, then the Lyles Center is able to assist budding entrepreneurs expand their ideas and learn new business skills.

“The Lyles Center is a huge resource for students that want to start their own business,â€Â Taylor said. “We offer an unlimited amount of support from monetary scholarships to high level CEOs and business owners as mentors.â€Â

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