CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Bryce Osborne represented Campbellsville University at the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs Collegiate Pitch Competition and earned second place for his small business presentation “The Dapper Kernel.”
The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs Collegiate Pitch Competition is a state-wide competition held in February and allows college students to bring their entrepreneurial spirit into the spotlight. Divided into various categories, Bryce competed against 12 other students, each representing their university and personal creation.
In November of last year, Campbellsville University E-Club also hosted a similar pitch competition where CU students presented their ideas to local business leaders. Awesome Inc., a non-profit based in Lexington, Kentucky, partnered with E-Club to help send a student to the state competition.
Graduate Student and E-Club President, Jacob Hayes, said, “Bryce was first place in our university pitch competition, and more than 51% of his business was in Kentucky, which is all he needed to qualify for the GSE collegiate pitch.” With this added experience, Bryce had learned what to expect and how to impress the judges.
“Leading up to the presentation, I was the last one in my category. So that kind of built up the anticipation. I was still pretty nervous. I had seen a lot of good presentations, and the pressure was on,” said Bryce.
A little nervous but focused on the task at hand, Bryce had seven minutes to present his story and business to the judges.
“It started as an idea on a road trip,” explained Bryce. After dropping his brother, Lane, off at college, Bryce and his father talked for three hours on the ride home. The conversation led Bryce to start his own food truck business, but one that was out of the box. “I was in the mindset of popcorn. I got to thinking about kettle corn. I had some distant memories of kettle corn when I ran track in high school. It was a nostalgic snack for me.”
Bryce immediately got to work researching how to start his own kettle corn business, how to prepare it, and how to market it, anything that would help him get started. A month later, Bryce found himself wanting to purchase his very first kettle. “So as an entrepreneur, I took that risk. I bought a kettle. I brought it home with me.” Now, after operating for about five months, business is popping.
It was not long after his first batch that Bryce began selling his kettle corn locally in Campbellsville at what he playfully named “pop-ups.” The Dapper Kernel was ready for investment.
Bryce finished his business pitch right on time; his professionalism and creativity earned him second place in the statewide competition and a $4,000 check he can use to expand The Dapper Kernel and grow the business even further throughout Kentucky.
Hayes said, “Bryce’s presentation stood out because he was selling a brand. It was more than just kettle corn. It’s the brand of The Dapper Kernel. He did a very good job, and it came across very well.”
Bryce attributed some of his success to the guidance and opportunity that CU has offered him. “I think back specifically to a class, it was small business management, and I was able to lead an association that raised money for business students. Moments where I could take on leadership roles in all my classes really helped me put my own business together.”
Bryce is a senior at Campbellsville University and will graduate in May of this year with his bachelor’s in business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. After graduating, he plans to pursue a master’s in management and leadership at CU and expand his business across Kentucky.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that offers over 100 programs, including doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, associate and certificate programs. For complete information, please visit www.campbellsville.edu.
(By Brandon Roberts, Staff Writer, Office of Marketing and Communications)