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Crank-It Up

Participant: Ben Agbonkhese and Sophie Decker, Acadia University
Business name: Rhythm Clothing and Music
Concept: a vertically integrated corporation that revolves around and celebrates the hip hop industry. Rhythm will meet the needs of an unsatisfied market by promoting the hip hop community in Halifax and eventually across Canada. The end goal and vision is to offer a sensational variety of creative hip hop products and services including clothing, a music store, a production company, a clothing label, a dance studio and a magazine. More Finalists >

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National Nicol Entrepreneurial Awards Winner

Acadia University – Rhythm Clothing

Sophie Decker: In June 2005, Sophie completed a four-year BBA degree from Acadia University in three years. Afterwards, she travelled the south of France for three months, learning the language and culture. She returned to Canada in October and currently works with a management consulting and software development firm in Victoria, BC.

Sophie plans to study hip-hop history and music recording and production, while working full-time. She believes that by combining her BBA degree, work experience, and the knowledge she hopes to acquire, she will be better positioned to fully launch Rhythm Clothing in 2006. She has also invested time networking with people in France, England and Canada who will contribute positively to Rhythm’s survival and success.

According to Sophie, winning the Nicol Entrepreneurial Awards validated her purpose to promote positive hip-hop and to explore her passion for the music and culture. Sophie and Ben are currently developing an online Rhythm store to introduce the company’s products to hip-hop lovers across Canada. This store will help set the stage for Rhythm’s full operation next year.

Ben Agbonkhese: Ben has received several other awards since he initially participated in the Acadia University level of the Nicol Entrepreneurial Awards competition. Not only did he and Sophie move on to win the National level of the competition, he also received the International Student of the Year Award, a Bronze Award in the 2005 Entrepreneurial Challenge, and won first place in the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) speech competition at Acadia University.

This September Ben created and organized “Celebrity Night” - a Hollywood theme party he initiated to raise funds for local charities. He has also been a guest speaker on youth entrepreneurship at the Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurship and Business Skills Development Practitioners Forum and at high schools in Nova Scotia.

Ben is currently a co-op student with the Acadia Centre for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ACSBE), where he is broadening his knowledge of entrepreneurship. He fills the rest of his time with participating in the Manitoba International Marketing Competition (MIMC), acting as a marketing consultant for a local retail store, and serving as the President of the Acadia African Club. Ben believes that receiving the national Nicol Entrepreneurial Awards has given him the confidence to take on bigger challenges. He hopes to apply his experiences to ensuring Rhythm’s success.

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