University of British Columbia Student Entrepreneur Named Provincial Champion

Erik MacKinnon, owner of Gravytrain Marketing Ltd. and full-time student at the University of British Columbia, has been named British Columbia’s 2013 Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champion. Provincial Champions were named by national charitable organization, Enactus Canada and proud program supporter, the John Dobson Foundation as part of the Student Entrepreneur National Competition.

MacKinnon received the title of Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champion because he balances the demands of a full time university course load with the trials and tribulations of running a company. His business, Gravytrain, is a Vancouver-based content and copywriting provider that works with small-to-medium sized businesses, search engine optimization (SEO) providers, internet marketers and others who are in need of well-written content for their websites, blogs and for online promotion purposes.

“I’m both flattered and honoured to be representing British Columbia at the Western regional championships as part of the Enactus Canada Student Entrepreneur National Competition,” said MacKinnon. “I’m very excited to compete as hard as I can to earn my way to the national championship and hear what the panel of judges has to say about Gravytrain and our business model.”

“Erik MacKinnon is the epitome of a young entrepreneur because he is able to find opportunity within challenge and never lets adversity deter him from his goals,” explains Enactus Canada president Nicole Almond. “The entrepreneurial spirit is what built this country and we want to encourage and celebrate it in other student entrepreneurs across Canada.”

MacKinnon showcases his business and his accomplishments as an entrepreneur at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Western Canada in Calgary on March 8, where he will compete against three other Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champions for the regional title and the chance to move on to the 2013 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Toronto, Ontario taking place on May 8. The National Champion will receive a $10,000 cash prize and represent Canada at the international level of competition, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.