Dallas ISD students compete in 'Shark Tank'-style business competition

Fourteen Dallas ISD students spent the first part of their summer competing in a "Shark Tank"-style business competition. The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship set up the course at UNT Dallas.

"The connections you make are amazing whether you win anything or not," the group's Trish McKeel said. "Everybody's a winner. You all walk out of here with more than you came in with, not only monetarily but experience-wise."

Students made their final pitches on Thursday. They had to show their target customer, the problem that the customer needs to solve, and data showing an opportunity.

They could use five slides to show the value their business would provide, features that would be unique to the market, the target market and cost structure.

Ideas included decorative eyelashes, individually designed press-on nails, a skin care product, an app to help kids evaluate and improve their mental health, and improved fiber optic connections to increase internet speed.

The winner was Interio Interiors by Mars Ratliff, a junior at Woodrow Wilson High School.

"It saves you a ton of scouring the internet trying to find a good designer, and it gives you an easy way to communicate and collaborate with confidence," Ratliff told judges.

She said the app would also save interior designers time and money, letting them focus on their careers instead of issues like marketing.

Afterward, she said the contest helped her learn more about how to start a small business and the skills she would need.

"I would talk to my customers and get feedback on how I can improve my product," she said.

Alexa Muzquiz finished second with "Alexa's Bouquets."

"I wanted them to know I am confident in myself and wanted to show them this is what I'm really interested in," she said.

Muzquiz' flowers are actually made from other fabrics.

"The reason I started this business is because don't you just hate receiving dead flowers?" she asked the judges. "I do, too. My roses are actually roses that live on forever."

She showed pictures of different bouquets she had designed.

For finishing first, Ratliff wins $300 and a trip to New York for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship's national competition in October.

LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube