CBUS Witnesses Huge Success at its Semesterly Business Pitch & Poster Competition
November 19, 2025
We don’t take the name “CBUS” lightly at MSU Denver, instead, we maximize it in all our efforts to help out students and our university. The Center for Entrepreneurship, headed by Dr. Adam Melnick, celebrated its second annual Business Pitch & Poster Competition earlier last week, and not only witnessed an impressive turnout, but even more brilliant ideas than ever. Despite this competition being around for some time now and having a bit of a hiatus, as of last Spring, it has experienced a new and upgraded reboot, and we are proud to say that it’s back and better than ever!
The rules of this competition are simple. If you’re a student who has a business idea or have already started up your own business, this competition was tailored just for you.
All you would have to do is submit a 5-minute pitch video, encompassing details about your business in order to get into the competition and then, if you’re chosen as one of the finalists, you get to move forward and pitch in front of a panel of judges as well as an audience.
The second half of this competition is designed to give more access to students who prefer creativity over public speaking. The poster competition is exactly as it sounds. Students design posters about their businesses and compete to win 1st place.
We have been lucky and humbled to be joined by our returning panel of judges who not only fuel this event but give students the motivation and advice needed to continue their entrepreneurial journeys.
Our four incredible judges as pictured above are:
1- Aaron LaPedis
Aaron is the founder of Fascination St Fine Art, an award-winning gallery that was established in 1991 and showcases a variety if contemporary art. He is also the author of several books: “The Garage Sale Millionaire” and “A Boy Named Penguin”, a children’s book series inspired by his son who has Autism. He has been a columnist for The Denver Post, a host on National PBS for 8 years, and various media outlets as an expert on art collecting, valuation, and authentication. Aaron has helped many national and international clients on purchasing art collections and also served as an expert witness for insurance companies, divorce attorneys and the FBI.
2- Jon Sucher
With over a decade in the beverage industry, currently serving as Regional Chain Manager at The Boston Beer Company, contributing to business growth through effective communication, relationship building, and strategic planning, Jon Sucher’s experiences are nothing short of impressive. He collaborates with teams, retailers and distributors to execute impactful market plans and identifies industry trends to optimize outcomes.
3- Steve Preston
Steve describes himself as a strategist, writer, mentor, creative director, researcher, entrepreneur, and last but certainly not least, an aspiring chef. He is an experienced strategic and brand marketing professional, with over 35 years of experience.
4- Teri Karjala
Teri has 23 years of counseling experience with energy psychology and has applied the principles of quantum physics to transform people’s lives.
As for the winners of the Fall 2025 Business Pitch & Poster Competition, we are proud to present the following students and their respective businesses:
Our first-place winner was a hardworking young man who built up this car detailing business alongside his friend and has expanded it impressively up until this competition. Luis was confident, smart, and sarcastically funny, managing to win the judges and audience over not just with his impressive numbers, but also with his subtle wit. Luis won $2,000 + 5 hours of coaching from judge Aaron LaPedis!
Melissa is a passionate person who wanted to create a safe and welcoming space for all women and people who feel left out in their lives, be it personal or professional. She created The Nova as a way for people to connect, make some memories, and build up their own community. Melissa won $1,500 + 3 hours of coaching from judge Aaron LaPedis!
1- Sydney Vianzon for Flirt Fashion.
Sydney is a vibrant and enthusiastic student who is passionate about fashion and created Flirt Fashion, a platform where she helps customers find their fashion style and exude confidence through that. Sydney received a 500$ prize!
2- Jason Fortune for Take Your Weekend Back.
Jason is a hard-working veteran who not only risked his life for our country but sacrifices his weekends by providing cleaning services alongside his daughter to give their customers more leisure time. Jason also received a $500 prize!
3- Michael Belayneh for Function
Michael is an aspiring physicist who wants to create Function, an app where Denverites can search up local hip-hop/RnB/Afro beats clubs, events, and concerts around the area. In an effort to serve marginalized communities who often feel left out when it comes to nightlife, Function is a fascinating idea that will not only help highlight minorities’ interests, but also benefit local musicians and performers who currently don’t have as much of the spotlight on them. Michael also received $500!
Juliet is an amazing, creative, and wholesome individual who created a children’s book titled “Smile with Malaika” as a tribute to her daughter who was born with a cleft lip. This book has fascinating animation, a heartfelt story, and an essential message that resonates with everyone – inclusivity, acceptance, and love for all. Juliet walked away with a $500.
As we reflect on these businesses, we’re reminded of why we do what we do. Although the term “business” gives off that sense of structure and formality, we must always remember that businesses are people, and our humanity is the factor that wins others over – not our profit margins or ROIs. None of this would have been possible without The Kemper Family’s incredible support.
The Kemper family is the reason we are able to extend such opportunities to our students and they have had a long history of involvement at MSU Denver, including the construction of the Classroom to Career Hub and an endowed deanship for the College of Health and Human Sciences. Not only are they helping build generations, but their generosity is like a gift that keeps on giving. Heartfelt thank you to the Kemper Family from everyone at the College of Business and MSU Denver!
Every person who presented today showed a piece of themselves, their personal lives, and their deepest passions, and were brave enough to showcase that in front of a panel of professional judges, esteemed professors, and an audience of strangers all to show us how dedicated they are, and how deep their passion runs for their businesses.
We are so proud of each and every student who showed up to this event, and even the ones who applied but didn’t have the opportunity to go through to the end – you all represent the best of our college and everything we value. If you didn’t get a chance to participate this time, make sure you keep an eye out on our announcements, future blogs, social media, and newsletters, for our Spring 2026 Competition.
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “The future belongs to all those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”. Dream on Roadrunners, CBUS will always be here to support you in any way we can!
Support comes from MSU Denver’s College of Business, offering flexible programs with real‑world projects and support. Committed to empowering graduates to lead, solve, and inspire.
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