"You need to have the passion. The ganas. You're going to have many obstacles as an entrepreneur, but you need to be a risk taker," said Javier Martinez, trade coordinator for the UTPA Small Business Development Center and guest judge for the First Annual Business Plan Competition.

The Business Plan Competition, sponsored by CoBA, required that students develop and present a business plan. Three finalists were selected by a panel of three judges on April 25. Zebra Finch Advertising, a company that would create a business networking website for the Valley, won the grand prize of $1500 to start their new business. Bikram Yoga, took second place and the audience choice award for a prize of $500.

The biggest factor in the judges' selection of winners was passion and experience, said Martinez. As Martinez said of the winning group presentation, "Their business plan might need some work...but I do foresee that they are going to be really successful because they have a passion. They really believe in what they are going to be doing."