Future Customers, Future Ideas

During the Entrepreneurship Studies Pitch Fair, six groups of Upper School students presented business expansion ideas to representatives from CarMax, the locally-based auto reseller giant. The ideas were intended to answer the simple but big question: “What new business venture should CarMax explore?”

The students presented four CarMax corporate finance employees with pitch decks that included full rationales, including market analyses, business cases, competitive information, and details of their expansion ideas. The audience included the students’ parents. 

The winning idea, to utilize CarMax’s existing fleet as rental and lease vehicles, was presented by Lila Katz ’26, Gabby Garner ’26, Stella Cole ’27, Reid Lower ’27, Ishan Shah ’27, Matthew Spitzer ’29, and Colman Lord ’29. “Best presentation content” was awarded to a group that suggested an app for selling car parts directly to consumers and small businesses. A group that suggested creating social media content for younger consumers, including a mulleted mascot, was honored with “Most creative presentation.” 

After the presentations, the parents in the audience were encouraged to reflect on what they’d heard. Amber Manry, mother of Logan ’29, said to the students, “I love how all your ideas considered the needs of your generation. You are future drivers and the future customers for CarMax. They need your ideas to appeal to a new generation.” Ms. Manry went on to explain that she had previously worked inside local business incubator StartUp Virginia, and thought the Steward pitches were more impressive than many adult presentations she had seen.

Head of School Dan Frank echoed Ms. Manry’s compliments to the students, sharing his genuine enthusiasm for the students’ work: their research and preparation, their well-designed presentations, and, most importantly, sound proposals.

This project began in early October, when alumni parent Rusty Jordan (Jessica ’18 and Jack ’23) and alumnus Parker Wright ’18, who are both part of CarMax’s Financial Services and Products division, presented information at Steward and then led students on a tour of CarMax’s Midtown Design & Innovation Center. During the following six weeks, the students worked in groups of five to seven to research and develop their ideas and presentations, with guidance from faculty advisers Angela Coppola and Jen Maitland, who are both Upper School teachers. 

This project exemplifies how Steward’s Entrepreneurship Studies program offers opportunities for hands-on learning and skill building, as well as the possibility of earning a diploma endorsement that will benefit students as they apply for college and pursue careers. 

View the Steward Snaps from the Pitch Fair.