The hunt of future CEOs: building marketing and branding skills in over 150 students from 80 Missouri High Schools

Sophomores or juniors, the students got a big chance from MBW to prepare for a future in business, experimenting its world trough realistic management and marketing simulations.

Under the supervision of professional advisors – volunteers from REALTORS, major corporations, foundations, various service clubs etc – the students attended creative workshops about team building, goal setting and leadership skills.

To create an environment as realistic as possible, students were divided into “companies” their task being the marketing of an actual product.

Each company had a CEO, created a corporate identity and a web site. As for the branding part, they hat to build up a marketing plan for their product and a projection sheet.

The creative side was represented by the production of a TV commercial for the product.
To add even more realism to the situation, students faced also leadership and ethical challenges, the result being a solid foundation for each student regarding the business community and its mechanisms.

The event was sponsored by the CENTER for Education & Private Enterprise®, the not-for-profit foundation of the Missouri Association of REALTORS and also by major corporations, foundations, various service clubs and small businesses, who also granted a 500$ scholarship for the students.

The hands on experience gained at MBW will probably have a lasting effect on the student’s future. Also the MBW workshops were trying also to surface tomorrow’s business leaders.