Moemoea Records managing director Ranui Ellison (16), of
Queen's High School (centre), with King's High School
pupils and company directors (from left) Vladimir Manza
(16), Matheson Tane (17) and Taikawa Tamati-Elliffe (16)
after being named winners of the Otago Regional Lion
Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme Business Plan Oral
Presentations competition. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Dunedin business leaders were singing the praises of four
pupils from King's and Queen's High Schools this week after
their company, Moemoea Records, won the Otago Regional Lion
Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme Business Plan Oral
Presentation competition.
The competition is part of a business programme in which
secondary pupils set up a company, create real products or
services, and make real profits or losses.
This week's event at the Glenroy Auditorium was to determine
which Otago secondary school's business had the best business
plan, the most investment potential, the best trade display
and, ultimately, the best oral presentation of a business
plan.
Moemoea Records won the best oral presentation and trade
display categories, and received several commendations for
its record production company, which is producing a CD of
music written and performed by pupils at Queen's and King's
High Schools.
Managing director Ranui Ellison said the company had already
recorded three of the seven tracks for its CD, which they
planned to start selling at Marbecks in August this year.
"The CD has a distinctly South Dunedin flavour."
Ranui said the secret of their success had been creating a
company based on what they knew well.
"Unconsciously, we instantly decided on doing something
music-wise because we all have amazing musical abilities,"
she said.
"It hasn't been that easy. We can all do music, but we all
had to rely on each other because the business side of it is
what we didn't know how to do well."
The next stage for the company is to produce an annual report
to show its success.
The company was one of 13 in the Otago competition, and all
seven judges commented on how difficult it had been to choose
a winner because of the exceptionally high quality of
presentations.
Two companies from St Hilda's Collegiate School - Good Sorts
and Missing Pieces - were second and third respectively in
the best oral presentation category.
The best business plan category was won by 3ee (Otago Girls'
High School) for a DVD on how to drive a manual car; and the
award for the company with the most investment potential went
to Elastico (Kaikorai Valley College) for its elastic band,
which goes around sports footwear to cover shoe laces.
Other companies competing were Perfect Match (Otago Girls'
High School), Choc Local (Columba College), Dun' Deals
(Kavanagh College), Liaison (Otago Girls' High School),
Pictur It (Kaikorai Valley College), Skinettes (St Hilda's
Collegiate School), Stealth (Otago Girls' High School) and
Wha Taitamariki (Queen's High School).
The regional awards will be announced in October. The overall
winner of the Excellence in Business Award will represent the
region at the national awards in Wellington on December 1.
john.lewis@odt.co.nz
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