Persons entering the Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs 2015 Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition can save money by registering for the competition before Dec. 31.

Persons will save $25 on their entry fee if they pay by Dec. 31. In January the entry fee is $150.

This is BCE’s sixth business plan competition and it recognizes the late Ropp Triplett, long-time Bluffton industrial leader and entrepreneur. Three cash prizes will be awarded:

• First place prize is $4,000 in business start-up costs.
• Second place is $1,500 in start-up.
• Third place is $500 in start-up costs.

“The contest is open to start-up businesses and emerging businesses. The competition teaches entrepreneurs to write a business plan that will help them improve their existing business or to successfully start a new one,” said Brendon Matthews, BCE board president.

The competition’s initial free session is Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. It takes place, as all session, in the Bluffton town hall third floor meeting room. All sessions are from 6 to 8 p.m.

Kathy Keller, director, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Lima, instructs all sessions and those class dates and themes follow:

Jan. 14: “Launch Your Business Right (free session)
Jan. 21: “So You Want to be an Entrepreneur” (fees and applications are due)
Jan. 28: “Planning to Start a Business”
Feb. 4: “Developing Your Business Idea”
Feb. 11: “Testing Your Business Idea and Getting it to Market”
Feb. 18: “Accounting for Your Business”
Feb. 25: “Financing Your Business”
March 4: “Final Pitch Dress Rehearsal (business plan due)
March 11: Final pitches

To enter the competition, contestants must complete an entry form and submit a $125 application fee by Dec. 31. The fee is $150 after Dec 31. The deadline to enter the contest is Wednesday, Jan. 21.

The form is available online at www.blufftonentrepreneurs.com or by calling BCE at 419-889-3065.

Entries may be mailed to:

Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs
PO Box 142
Bluffton, OH 45817