Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition

Among romantic images surrounding small-business ownership -- independence, knowing customers by name -- perhaps none is more potent than striking it rich based on an idea originally sketched on a cocktail napkin.

But like many fantasies, the primitive business plan rarely survives the onset of reality.

"I doubt that too many venture capitalists or angels have invested in a napkin plan unless it was drawn up by someone like Bill Gates," said Greg Twedt, chairman of the Las Vegas chapter of SCORE. "A business plan is your map. It makes you think about what it's going to take to pull off your idea and helps potential investors understand it. That's why you need a business plan."

With that in mind, the outreach center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Business decided last year to launch its Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition, co-sponsored by the Las Vegas Business Press. Many schools stage such contests for students, but UNLV opened its version to anyone with a nascent idea.

After three rounds of judging, John Lynn emerged as the winner on Friday with his concept of Sportsriffic, a Web-based fundraising system for amateur sports. For having polled the highest score from five judges, John Lynn won a package of startup assistance including $5,000 cash, six months of office space, advertising, technology, leadership, strategic and marketing consulting, and advertising valued at nearly $65,000 combined.

"It's amazing, I can't believe it, this is very exciting, this is going to make my business a reality," Lynn said late Friday.

Each of the four other finalists won $1,000 in cash, plus office use and advice on their plans. Five others who made it to the semifinals will receive lunch with local investors, advice on their plans and help in writing their plans from the UNLV School of Business.

In a state with low high school and college graduation rates, not many budding entrepreneurs have any background in writing business plans.

"Angel investors say they aren't seeing good ideas in the pipeline and are not seeing polished business plans," said Steve Phelan, director of partnerships, alliances, seminars and custom programs at the outreach center.

Launched Sept. 28, the Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition drew 42 entrants by the Oct. 26 deadline. A panel of 17 members of the UNLV business faculty then winnowed that down to 10 semifinalists by Nov. 23.

The survivors then refined their plans for a panel of five outside judges, who scored them on a scale of 1 to 10. Reflecting the judges' varied backgrounds, their scores for each plan often varied by at least six points.

The top five made final oral presentations to five judges on Friday. Afterward came the formal announcement of Sportsriffic as the winner.

The following were the five finalists in alphabetical order.