This summer, 12 Ensign College students stepped into the Lion’s Den—not to survive, but to win $7,500 by pitching business ideas that might become tomorrow’s success stories.
Lion’s Den was created in 2014 by the Ensign College Business Club as a forum to pitch and refine their business ideas. Brent Andrus, Business Management Program Chair and Business Club advisor, says, “It’s about building character and empowering students to work on something meaningful. It encourages them to take ownership, develop ideas, and start something, even if it’s just a side hustle at first.”
This year’s competition started with 20 students, who pitched their business plans to judges. The 12 students with the highest scores passed to the finals. On July 18, after three hours of final presentations and feedback, the winners were announced.
First Place: BASE Hem
First place went to Chloe Cheney for her business BASE Hem, an online platform for designers of ethically-made clothes. Chloe has been sewing for years, repurposing clothes from thrift shops into new designs, a process called "thrift flipping." Chloe fell in love with this process, and she saw that selling these types of clothes takes a lot of time away from the sewing and creative process.
She got the idea of starting BASE Hem from an entrepreneurship class. “My teacher said platform businesses are where it’s at because they scale well. I realized I could only sew so much myself, especially with my busy schedule. So, when Lion’s Den came around, I was fully committed to the idea of building a platform for other designers. BASE Hem helps by highlighting the sustainability values the designers and the platform share, and by handling the backend so they can just focus on creating.”
Her next steps are to start with the website development. “One judge advised me to experiment with AI website builders and offered to review it and connect me with support if needed. I learned that taking your idea to people early, even when it’s not perfect, can make a huge difference,” she says.
Second Place: Sliced
Second place was awarded to Abbi Marshall with Sliced, a service that combines multiple wedding food vendors to make the catering planning process easier. She came up with the idea after helping her brother and sister-in-law plan their wedding. “I was only in one meeting and got so stressed I had to leave, and it wasn’t even my wedding! The experience got me thinking: what if there was a way to make the whole thing simpler by bundling vendors together?” and that’s when the idea was born.
Abbi is now prepping for a bridal expo in October to book clients for next year, and she’s also preparing to compete in another entrepreneurship competition organized by the Entrepeneurs' Organization. “I was ready to drop out the weekend before because I was so overwhelmed. But I reminded myself: I can do hard things. And I’m so glad I didn’t quit.”
Third Place: International Jumuiya
Third place was awarded to Emmanuel Kombi and Chance Kibubuta from International Jumuiya, a non-profit organization that offers a mentorship program to underserved students —especially those in inner-city areas or from low-income families. Emmanuel got the inspiration from his own life story: "Being a refugee really shaped who I am... I was able to graduate high school and serve a mission thanks to mentors who supported me. I came to the U.S. speaking only French and had to adjust to a new culture, education system, and language. So now, I want to provide that same mentorship to others and help them find academic and career paths.”
This organization started in 2022 in Buffalo, New York, and they are looking forward to growth. Emmanuel explained, “One judge said that this is scalable. That really hit me. They saw our potential in every major city... we’re hoping to partner with the Salt Lake School District for the 2026-2027 school year.”
The Lion’s Den competition has opened doors for students to keep working on their business ideas. Ensign College offers these and more meaningful opportunities for students to put what they learn in the classroom into practice, gain confidence and prepare them for the real world. If you are ready to step out of your comfort zone and launch your business, join the Business Club to participate in competitions like the Lion's Den!