Bizstartup.ie - NewsCredit Crunch Coupons wins student enterprise award

Dylan Bryans' (13) business Credit Crunch Coupons involves selling a book of 16 coupons for €3 to teenagers as an alternative to expensive presents for parents. He is from Coolmine Community School, which entered the awards for the first time this year.

A creative alternative to expensive Mother's and Father's Day presents

“The premise of Dylan’s idea is that kids have less disposable income and the part-time jobs they used to get are being done by adults now. The coupons are an inexpensive alternative to presents – they entitle the bearer to things such as a cup of tea made for them each day for a week, breakfast in bed, dinner cooked or the car cleaned,” explains Sarah Bohan, co-ordinator of the Fingal Student Enterprise Awards.

Mother’s Day was the main focus for Dylan selling the books of coupons in the run up to the awards and he’s now gearing up for Father’s Day. He made the books himself, designing them on his computer, printing them and using a laminator and binding machine at home.

A business idea that shows maturity

“Dylan's come across something that makes him money and costs very little to produce, so he’s getting the coupons translated into Polish, French, Spanish and Irish and continuing to sell them to classmates and other teenagers he’s in contact with through the Order of Malta. The judges felt that Dylan’s idea was very mature for his age.”

A real go-getter, even in 4th class!

This isn’t Dylan’s first enterprise, having run a stationary shop in 4^th class as an alternative to the school shop.

“He bulk-bought pens, pencils, erasers and so on; made up a laminated price list and ran the shop for a few weeks until the assistant principal realised and shut him down, saying the school shop had a monopoly. Not to be outdone, Dylan persuaded him to buy back his stock!” says Bohan.

Wide student involvement

In all, 43 student enterprises from 15 secondary schools and 11 primary schools took centre stage at the County Final on 19 March, which was organised by the Fingal County Enterprise Board.

Over 800 local students have been researching and running their own businesses in the Student Enterprise Programme since last September, which is supported by GameStop, Fingal County Council, County Dublin VEC and the Blanchardstown Centre.

The Intermediate category was won by Planet Dood from Colaiste Choilm in Swords. In the Senior category, Trinket Charms from Loreto Secondary School in Swords claimed first prize.

The three main category winners in the secondary schools competition have been chosen to represent Fingal at the National Student Enterprise Awards in Croke Park in April.

Further information on the Student Enterprise Awards can be found here.

Photo: Tanya McDonald, GameStop, Dylan Bryans and teacher Barry Delaney.