UVic Student Wins National Entrepreneurship Award

Jill Doucette, a fourth-year University of Victoria biology student, has won top honours at the national Nicol Entrepreneurship competition for her green business consulting practice known as Synergy.

“Winning this award is such an honour and I’ve gained confidence in myself and my business idea,” says Doucette. “Through the mentorship and contacts I made at the Nicol competition, I feel that I've learned what it takes to be an entrepreneur and I’m excited for the next step in the process.”

Doucette’s business focuses on implementing sustainable business practices within the coffee, restaurant and retail industries. She offers a range of services such as greenhouse gas inventories and energy audits, and providing green energy products and waste management systems. She also advises clients on how to integrate green ideas into their business strategy, access appropriate environmental funding programs and grants, and promote their resulting sustainability initiatives.

According to Doucette, one of her clients, Oughtred Coffee and Teas, has “diverted literally tons of soft plastics” from the landfill every year through its recycling program. Oughtred has also introduced waste management practices and installed motion sensors to reduce energy consumption.

This year’s competition, which ran on March 23 to 24 in Ottawa, saw teams participating from 13 universities across the country. UVic was the only entry from Western Canada. The annual Nicol Entrepreneurial Award recognizes the value of the entrepreneurial spirit and the important role it plays in the success of a business.

Doucette was invited to participate in the Nicol competition based on her first-place finish in the UVic Business Plan contest, which wrapped up on March 6, 2009. The “pitch-it and plan-it” elements of the competition were organized by the Faculty of Business entrepreneurship program to expose all UVic students to the benefits of entrepreneurship and innovation concepts. Information about other winning business plans is online at: www.business.uvic.ca/media/news/view/155.
 

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