Aug. 23—New this summer, the Next camp dug "a little deeper into what it takes to run a business," said Lauren Holverson, executive director of the Dalton Innovation Accelerator (DIA) at the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce.

At Next, which is a more advanced version of the PitchDIA summer camp, campers completed modules and heard from guests regarding operating a business, said Holverson.

"We take them through different activities and then a competition where they open a storefront, and the winner is the one who gets the most sales."

At one point on the camp's opening day, campers ("employees") could switch teams ("businesses") if they wished.

"You're going to have to make that difficult decision as an adult," Holverson said. "You may like your (coworkers), but another employer may offer more money."

Students also experienced both sides of the interview process.

"You want to get good employees and keep them, because it costs money to do interviews with people," Holverson said. Also, "you need to consider how you can make money while also treating your employees the way you'd want to be treated."

Campers had to be nominated for Next, which was held at the Junior Achievement Discovery Center of Greater Dalton, and they had to have completed either PitchDIA camp or the PitchDIA competition, she said.

PitchDIA is modeled on the popular television show "Shark Tank." Entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to business leaders who select the winner.

Holverson plans to launch two more camps during the next two years to advance the study of entrepreneurship among local students.

Sophia Ridley attended Next for a "new experience that would benefit me in the future with new knowledge, and I've enjoyed it," said the ninth-grader at Dalton Junior High School. She learned that "research is very key to success," from "knowing the terms to asking people" what they want.

In addition, "you have to be vocal" to be an entrepreneur, she said. "If you're not forward, you won't prosper, so be direct."

Ridley aims for an "innovative restaurant" that would prize sustainability and community over maximum profits, and she saw the importance of simplifying her overall idea at Next, she said.

"I'm also very excited to try new approaches to business ideas and see" the pros and cons of working independently versus as a group.

Branton Bray and Davis Witt know the value of partnership, as they teamed up to claim first place in the student competition in the 2022 PitchDIA contest with Bowbed, a hunting bow accessory that improves grip and comfort. They, along with fellow Hammond Creek Middle School sixth-grader Smith Browning, refined their business idea at Next.

"Pay your employees (well), and pay your taxes," Bray learned at Next. "All we knew is how to make it, sell it, and pitch it, but you also need customer service."

Bray and Browning recently experienced substandard customer service, which — along with Next lessons — underscored what they want from their employees.

"We're looking for (workers) with mud under their nails, like us, (who) want to be here," but they also realized they can accept employees from other backgrounds for certain jobs, like cashier, Witt said.

"We need to hire a lot of workers, because it can't be just us three."

They also discovered the balance between paying themselves, paying their employees and reinvesting in the business, Browning said.

"You have to keep money in the business to build the company."

They have a sales strategy for the Bowbed, Witt said.

"We'd start it cheaper so people buy it, and when they know about it, make it more expensive."

Next will "definitely help us," Witt said. "We need more information to start a business from the ground up."

Many students refined business proposals at Next from PitchDIA, Holverson said. They learned about taxes and revenues, as well as "value proposition — what makes a business unique."

Students also learned the finer points of marketing, sales and customer relationships, she said. They took a field trip downtown for a scavenger hunt that exposed them to small businesses.

"We want you to be exposed to this, because it's part of you growing up and becoming an entrepreneur," Holverson told the campers. "Our constant focus is on soft skills to be employable in the future so that even if you're not an entrepreneur you can work for others."