"Shark Tank" Comes to the Upper School

Each fall, budding Potomac entrepreneurs spend a semester experiencing the realities of the business world, where creativity and practical skills combine to develop innovative ideas that work. This week, students in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, an Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Business Concentration (EFEB) course, culminated their semester experience with Shark Tank-style presentations in front of a team of volunteer sharks made up of Potomac faculty and staff, alumni, and Assistant Head of School Tim Jaeger.

Thirty-three students pitched a variety of products that included versatile and customizable sports/leisure bags (Buildable Bags), a contraption that disinfects and deodorizes sports equipment (Locker Room Hero), a baby swing that mimics a mother’s embrace (Huggy Hammock), and an eco-friendly confetti launcher for celebrations (Conservation Confetti). The panel of sharks asked probing questions about finances, marketing plans, future growth, logo selection, and more. They also offered their experience and guidance, which was well-received by all of the students.

Thanks go to alumni Abby Sullivan ’97, Reed Landry ’99, and Andrew Serafin ’92 for spending time with our students. Sean Moran and Harry Strong teach the class. Read more in Discovering an Entrepreneurial Spirit.