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Having heard the pros - and the cons - on producing full-scale business plans, I was unsure whether I was a believer or not in ‘The Biz Plan’. Some successful entrepreneurs I’ve interviewed for fundfindr.tv have indicated a strong Powerpoint and Pro forma will do the trick! Upon arriving at the Small Business BC 5^th Annual Business Plan Competition on February 26^th, I was still undecided. What I found out was an eye opener.

Our cameras captured the fun and reality of businss plans in this fundfindr.tv webisode as the finalists in the Growth and Start-up categories, fellow entrepreneurs, business associates and judges gathered to reveal the winners. Kudos to CEO Tara Gilbert, Jaeger Mah and the entire Small Business BC team for a first-class event and a record of 170 business plan entries. This was the first solo event I covered for fundfindr and I couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement; there was a definite buzz in the air! Besides the cash prizes, finalists were awarded with feedback on their business plans from a panel of impressive organizations like Canadian Youth Business Foundation and the Royal Bank of Canada.

What really empowered the event were the entrepreneurs themselves who were so passionate and dedicated to the growth of their venture. Fundfindr.tv caught up with the Start-Up finalists, first place winner James Shearer from Peragro Media Inc. , whose ventures include Trail Canada, with Teena Legris, owner of NiMa’ma Maternity, a new maternity retailer built around an innovative approach and natural fabrics and with Art Hornal , of the Angry Spirits Beverage company readying to launch MacStewart Brewery, a souped up microbrewery based on historical ethnic origins.

Find how passion, dedication and a determination to expand your venture can be brought on and succeed through a business plan. Check out this webisode and like me you’ll be a believer! And check out the first cameo of our new fundfindr.tv animated characters - beware the buffalo!