Studers To Hold $25,000 Century Business Challenge

December 9, 2014

Quint and Rishy Studer will soon hold a “$25,000 business challenge” in Century, providing a winning business plan developer the cash and guidance needed to open their doors.

That announcement came at a Monday night meeting of the Century town council from Mollye Barrows, an employee of the Studer Institute, a not for profit organization that was founded to identify important issues in the Pensacola area and work toward solutions.

Barrows said details on the Century Business Challenge have not yet been finalized, but it will be much like a Pensacola Business Challenge that was held in 2011-2012. In the Pensacola Business Challenge, a winning business plan was funded with a business startup package valued at over $50,000, including cash, a reduced rent lease in a prime downtown Pensacola retail location, and ongoing business training and consulting. The idea was inspired by a similar program in Asheville, NC.

Exactly what the winner of the $25,000 Century Business Challenge will receive and how the competition will work will be announced “sooner than later”, perhaps before the end of the year, Barrows said.

Regardless of those details, one thing is clear, Barrows said. Someone will receive the funding and support to see their business idea become reality in Century, spurring growth in the local economy.

“We are really excited about it and the possibilities,” Barrows said.

Quint Studer is a Pensacola businessman and philanthropist perhaps best known as the owner of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and as owner and founder of the private health care consulting company Studer Group. He has donated millions to Pensacola area organizations and purchased millions of dollars worth of property in the downtown Pensacola area for revitalization.

Pictured top: Mollye Barrows announces the upcoming Century Business Challenge Monday night at a Century town council meeting as Brice Harris of the Haas Center for Business Research & Economic Development at the University of West Florida listens. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Studers To Hold $25,000 Century Business Challenge”

  1. William on February 26th, 2015 4:06 pm

    mircoserf — Hardees is not in Century

  2. microserf on February 26th, 2015 4:03 pm

    Would be very interested in seeing what a small business in Century, FL, would be able to offer a community that, by all demographic accounts is not exactly a sttong market to do local business in.

    I’ve passed through Century many times driving to back and forth from Pensacola to Atlanta.. my only thoughts were.. speed trap… only money I’ve spent over the years was to either gas up for the run to I-65 or having breakfast @ the Hardees on the corner.. that’s about it.

    Tellings not selling Century! What is your unique benefit to any new companies or businesses that wish to setup shop in your city?

  3. North end resident on December 10th, 2014 1:27 pm

    This is wonderful to read, that there are those in Pensacola who care enough to invest in our little town up on the north end of Century. Thank you :)

    I would hope that the purposed plan that is considered and chosen won’t be something like a small convenient store that would only employ the owners because the town needs something different that will capture the attention to promote future growth and investments.

  4. melodies4us on December 9th, 2014 8:33 pm

    Thank you Mr. Studer for all that you have done for our county.

  5. William on December 9th, 2014 3:47 pm

    >>>I’d be interested to hear about the Pensacola Business Challenge winner. Who are they? Did they succeed? How much of an impact did the Challenge have on their success (or failure)?

    The Pensacola winner was a downtown restaurant named “Carmen’s Lunch Bar”. By all accounts, the business is continuing to do well.

  6. Patriot on December 9th, 2014 1:59 pm

    I’d be interested to hear about the Pensacola Business Challenge winner. Who are they? Did they succeed? How much of an impact did the Challenge have on their success (or failure)?

  7. MD on December 9th, 2014 7:34 am

    This is a great opportunity for Century!

  8. Robert on December 9th, 2014 4:07 am

    It is nice to see a non-governmental group trying to help improve Century. I bet everyone will be pleasantly surprised to see that initiatives like this can work when people who know what they are doing are leading the charge.