A product package for women on their menstrual cycle and an “Airbnb for dogs” were winning business ideas at today’s Macleay College Entrepreneur Exhibition Day.
After spending the last six months developing their ideas, Macleay business students had the opportunity to win the titles “killer pitch” and “killer sales”, judged by external entrepreneurs and their peers.
Roshae Jansen won the “killer pitch” title with her business idea My Monthly Co.
My Monthly Co is a monthly subscription box for women going through their menstruation cycle. Once a month, women receive a $45 box containing natural and organic products including sanitary and skin care products, candles and soaps.
Ms Jansen believes the My Monthly box can help in making periods a “celebratory and exciting time instead of an awkward and painful experience”.
“Ultimately when I thought about what I wanted, the idea of subscription boxes always fascinated me,” Ms Jansen told The Newsroom.
“The products that I’m offering are not things that you can usually just go out and buy. They are very tailored to what I think girls want during their period. Winning the killer pitch has really given me the confidence to pursue my venture further and hopefully make it into a real business.”
Pawfect Stay, an app connecting dog owners with trusted pet sitters, won the “killer sales” award.
Photo of “killer pitch’ winner Roshae Jansen.
The app created by students, Jake Chesterfield and Toneya Price, is essentially the “Airbnb for dogs” and aims to create an affordable and efficient way of finding the perfect home to accommodate pets, providing users with “peace of mind”.
“Struggles that I incurred or could see on a weekly basis formed our idea concept of Pawfect Stay – we are both dog owners and lovers, and could see a large market in the pet industry,” Ms Price told The Newsroom.
“Not only does it mean that I could mind my friend’s dog for the day, but it also gives us the opportunity to bring some happiness to residents and provide them with some companionship.
“We feel absolutely ecstatic (to have won). To have so much passion for your idea and have that passion shared and appreciated by other people is amazing. We could not have asked for anything more – an excellent ending to an exciting day.”
Entrepreneurship lecturer Ronan Healy said the day, held each semester, was a great success.
“Each student group had really innovative ideas and came with a lot of passion,” he told The Newsroom.
“It’s not easy getting up and pitching so they took on that challenge and they came up with great results.
“This is their safe harbour where they get to practice and then when they go out into the real world, they’re absolutely ready to go.”
Other business ideas involved in the day included a retreat organisation for reducing stress struggles located in the CBD, an ID band for immediate action for patients with allergic reactions and an app for content for parents. – Vivien Wickham
Photo of “killer sales” award winners Jake Chesterfield and Toneya Price, by Peter Moon.
About the author
I am a budding 21-year-old student journalist at Macleay College. Since finishing high school I have worked for three years in the retail industry and am currently working in the childcare industry. My true passion is for writing and I hope to continue my progress and pursue my dream of becoming an editor.
