I first heard about the pitches when Ruth B., a Garrett County high school entrepreneur and granddaughter of longtime local restaurateur Brenda McDonnell, pulled me aside at Ace’s Run and invited me to a final business plan presentation at the Career Technology Training Center (CTTC) in Accident, MD.
She and her peers took the stage to compete for up to $10,000 in seed funding as part of a two-week Entrepreneurship Experiences Camp hosted by Think PGC.
Think PGC developed its Youth Entrepreneurship Camps to inspire the next generation of innovators and changemakers through immersive, hands-on experiences. Participants learn business fundamentals, problem-solving, leadership, and digital skills that help turn ideas into actionable ventures.
Tremain Davis, the event co-founder and CEO/President of Think PGC, emceed the evening. A tech entrepreneur who started his first company nearly 25 years ago and has led several venture-backed firms, Davis framed the fast pace of the program as a feature, not a bug. “The quick turnaround allows exposure without feeling like more school,” he said. “Much more than a mission, this thinking can take these kids all over the world like it did for me.”
Dr. Toi Hershman, a Strategic Growth Consultant with Think PGC who has worked with students in entrepreneurship for more than a decade, explained that over the two weeks, “we help students build a whole business pitch” to present to a panel of judges. For this event, the judges included two representatives from First United Bank and philanthropist Don Baker, who is helping fund the program in Garrett County.
Presentations kicked off with a wide range of concepts: an auto kill-switch for tractors in case a farmer becomes separated from their equipment, an educational app for kids, and a personal telescope business selling deep-space photographs through a website portal.
One of my favorites among the early pitches came from Levi Roderick, who showcased sculptures crafted with his budding welding skills and shared projections on the strong job outlook for trained welders over the next two decades. When we spoke, he told me he’s driven to be creative but also
practical about earning here in Garrett County and welding offers a way to do both.
Ruth presented her bakery concept and noted she already has a client willing to pay $3,000 for a vegan cake. The judges pressed on food safety, allergies, and what it means to serve a vegan market. My takeaway: if someone is ready to pay top dollar today, she may be sitting on a luxury niche with very specific needs.
After several more excellent pitches, we were invited to sample one of Ruth’s vegan cakes while the judges deliberated. Tension and excitement filled the room as she sliced and guests lined up for a taste. Moments later, the judges returned.
Winner: Ben Lohr! His compelling plan for a custom clothing line that included manufacturing locally in Garrett County, won over the judges and much of the audience, me included.
After the event, I asked what comes next for these young entrepreneurs. “They’re going to get a lot of great information like financial literacy—it’s really about that entrepreneurial mindset,” Dr. Hershman said. “They’ll learn those entrepreneurial skills so that later, if they want to start their
own business, they’ll have those nuggets of information.”
We also talked about momentum. “Moving forward we want to capitalize on this by building relationships with the public schools and the community college,” Hershman said. Davis added, “We’d like to see the County as a stakeholder in the youth—perhaps in a venture-capital-like capacity—investing in ways that help them become contributing members of the local tax
base and build a more thriving small town community.”
Congratulations to all the participants! Garrett County can’t wait to see what you build next. For young entrepreneurs interested in a future Entrepreneurship Experiences Camp, plans are underway for another event in Fall 2025.
Written by Collen DuBose.