Congratulations to TWU students Connor Byrne, Marissa LaVasseur, and Graham Zastre who won first place in the inaugural Canadian Academic Entrepreneur Challenge for their innovative wellness product idea, Apeiro, and outstanding marketing and distribution strategy.
In 2021, the inaugural Canadian Academic Entrepreneur Challenge tasked teams of Canadian post-secondary students with imagining a distinctive product and designing a comprehensive sales plan that uses direct-to-consumer channels to generate market success.
The competition was open to post-secondary students across Canada, and the winners were announced in February. Congratulations to TWU students Connor Byrne, Marissa LaVasseur, and Graham Zastre who won first place for their innovate wellness product idea, Apeiro, rings made of silver and terracotta that absorb and release essential oils for their wearers, intended to be marketed through social media and social influencers.
Professor Andrea Soberg, Dean of the School of Business, remarks, “On behalf of the School of Business at Trinity Western University, I’d like to congratulate Marissa LaVasseur, Graham Zastre, and Connor Byrne on winning the top prize in the Canadian Academic Entrepreneur Challenge. We are very proud of our students and are thrilled when they can demonstrate and are recognized for their excellent business skills and their entrepreneurial spirit. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”
How the inspiration began
Figuring out the product the team wanted to create together was the hard part, Marissa LaVasseur shared. An afternoon-long brainstorming session included “some pretty bad ideas but a lot of laughing.”
The team wanted a product that fits the direct-to-consumer channel and something that other university students would be interested to own. They were also drawn to "wellness" as an area of interest. That’s when the inspiration for Apeiro arrived.
“Being in university, we are constantly tired, needing energy, and trying to focus on deadlines and assignments,” said Marissa, who graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, specializing in Accounting and Finance.
To answer this need, the team researched essential oils and other products that could improve wellness. They envisioned a line of jewelry that is functional yet stylish, helping the wearer look good while providing an added health benefit.
Their brainchild, Apeiro, would “improve overall wellness in an easy-to-use way.”
Team success
Conner Byrne credits the "entrepreneurial spirit” of his team for their success. The third year Business Administration student specializing in Marketing was inspired by how the competition focused on entrepreneurship, which is his area of passion, and desired the hands-on learning experience.
He adds, “A huge shout-out to Professor Brian ‘t Hart for letting us know about this competition! His marketing class specifically helped me with knowing how to properly research an idea, as well as collaborate in a group and be ecstatic when presenting.”
In addition to encouragement from Dr. Brian ‘t Hart, the team’s partnership and combined strengths secured their success. Connor’s strength was generating new ideas, and he also starred in the team’s elevator pitch video. Graham designed the logo and researched and provided details on the background of the product. Marissa was the team facilitator and responsible for seamlessly joining the various aspects of their winning project.
Business at TWU
Marissa comments on how her TWU education equipped her for entering a business competition, “Being in the business program, we get a well-rounded education of all aspects of business; so when the challenge required us to touch on topics like ethics, marketing, financials, and risk, I felt well-equipped to answer each of those sections.”
As the winning team, Connor, Marissa, and Graham receive a $2,500 prize, as well as the opportunity to present to and meet industry executives of companies who utilize direct selling channels.
See also — Raising a 'more knowledgeable, passionate, confident, and caring community' in support of women's heart health:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts University. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.
The views expressed by students and alumni are their own. They do not necessarily represent the views of Trinity Western University or of any other companies, groups or organizations named.