As part of the Business Plan Challenge, we check in on last year's winners.
1ST PLACE: SENIORLINK CONSULTING
For Sam Steiner, entrepreneurship is not only about making money — although he does. It is about doing something bigger than himself.
Sam’s Business Plan Challenge-winning service conquers fears, cures loneliness and brings families closer. It also has the potential of helping to alleviate teen unemployment. How’s that for impact?
The social entrepreneurial SeniorLink Consulting employs high school students to give senior citizens one-on-one help with technology, whether that is teaching them computing basics such as surfing the net or using email and Facetime, trouble-shooting more advanced issues, or helping them select computers or tablets and getting them all set up with apps and programs. Because learning technology can be intimidating in a class setting, coupled with transportation issues, he believes seniors learn best in their own environment on their own computers.
Sam, who is now a junior at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, has served more than 100 customers through his business, and has two employees. SeniorLink charges about $40 per hour for the service and the business is profitable. He hopes to continue to grow the business, particularly in other parts of South Florida, but admits that it has been a challenge finding other dedicated teen employees. “I continue to try out new employees to meet my growing client base.”
Last semester Saint Andrew’s hosted an international convention (International Round Square Waves of Change Conference) with more than 750 students from 36 countries. Sam was asked to speak about SeniorLink, as an aspect of the convention was a discussion of social entrepreneurship. He also served as a panelist discussing entrepreneurship and led break-out sessions discussing how to take an idea from its beginnings to an actual business.
Sam also continues to run volunteer computer labs at four local assisted living facilities. He has had more success getting volunteers who want to fulfill the required community service hours. He himself has logged over 500 community service at the centers.
Now, after seeing the impact computer access can have for seniors and with his business cranking along, Sam is turning his attention to another challenge: He wants to see legislation enacted that will require Florida’s licensed assisted living facilities have computers for their residents.
“I have drafted the proposed legislation and submitted it to a contest sponsored by Florida Rep. Kevin Rader. He chose another proposal, but I am not giving up and am in the process of speaking with other legislators, especially those with a large constituency of seniors,” Sam said.
Sam has contacted Rep. Rader, Rep. Bill Hager and met with Rep. Irving Slosberg to garner support to amend existing assisted living facility legislation to include computer access for all residents as well as lessons and opportunities to learn. He is also reaching out to Sen. Eleanor Sobel, chair of the Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee, to discuss the value that computers offer to the elderly.
Sam’s advice to the next crop of Business Plan Challenge entrants: Enter!
“The Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge was great for me as it forced me to step back and look at my business. It helped me organize the company and winning it really gave me confidence. The opportunity to establish permanent legislation is the next challenge.”
Read about other winners in the Business Plan Challenge High School Track here.
More about the Business Plan Challenge and to view the contest rules: MiamiHerald.com/challenge
Photo at top shows Sam Steiner with one of his company's customers, Marilyn Pechter, and Amanda Miller who works for him. Photo by Peter W. Cross.