Despite their successful night at the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Awards banquet in Regina on June 4, the Bodacious Baskets group ferociously bundled gift baskets together in order to meet their sales goal heading into Father's Day.
It's this dedicated mentality towards building a successful business that earned a group of young entrepreneurs the Teamwork Award and nominations in nearly every other category at the awards banquet, explained Josh LeBlanc, business teacher at Estevan Comprehensive. Over the course of the semester, the Bodacious Baskets were able to meet all their sales goals through Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day.
"In my four years teaching this class, this group was one of the best groups that worked together," said LeBlanc, who oversaw the work done by the students. "There was never any sign of individual competition. They understood things needed to be accomplished together."
The entrepreneur class has been offered at ECS for many years now, but Junior Achievement has only been a part of the school's system for 10 years, ever since the alliance between the school and the not-for-profit organization was established.
As a unit, the entrepreneur students had to come up with an idea that could be successfully marketed, which in this case turned out to be specialized gift baskets designed for various holidays and events. Once the idea came to fruition, much of their time was spent on research, building the baskets, interacting with the local community through social media and, of course, selling them.
Bodacious Baskets made approximately $20,000 in gross sales, and with each student putting $20 into the company as a shareholder, those investments projected a return of around $570. Both these numbers are higher than last year's, when the Truffle Shuffle and First Class Baking entrepreneur companies were in operation.
Katherine Gagne, vice president of program development in the southern part of Saskatchewan, said she's been very impressed with the progression the student-driven businesses have made through Junior Achievement.
"Years ago some of these businesses may have made around $500 a semester. Now students in Estevan are making over $20,000 in a semester with some of their businesses. They've become very successful," she said.
Bodacious Baskets didn't accumulate individual awards in large numbers like the ECS entrants did last year, but their success is undeniable, said LeBlanc.
"This year we had a lot more competition," he said, adding individual awards are based on several things, including performance within the company, nomination forms, and a final assessment done by a panel put together by Junior Achievement.
"In terms of business success, we're right up there," he said.
The entrepreneur class at ECS, in tandem with Junior Achievement, allows students to get an early taste of the business world, and puts them out of their comfort zones where they can experience a more hands-on approach to their work, said LeBlanc.
"They came across a lot of, what we like to call 'aha moments,' when they finally realize why their bosses make the decisions that they do, and why it's important to show up for work," he said.
President of Bodacious Baskets, Tosin Akinsete, said responsibility and organization were concepts that she developed through Junior Achievement.
"Without those two things, you can't really achieve anything," she said.
Tosin recalled a time when their mini-egg orders were misplaced for their Easter-themed baskets, and as a result, they had to think on their feet and quickly find a last-minute supplier.
"We've learned how to set goals, and achieve them," she said.
LeBlanc praised the community's patience and interaction with the students. He said residents understand this is ultimately a learning experience for the students, and it has helped them obtain what he described as an "experiential learning."
"There's an element of risk involved for the students. They're taking their own hard earned money, growing their money, but if their plans fail, they have to pay those debts out, too," he said.
