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Student innovators, mentors and community members gathered recently at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking for a showcase event celebrating ventures developed during the winter cohort.

The showcase highlighted a diverse range of student-led ventures, from sustainable cleaning products to sportswear and service-based startups. Of five presenting teams, ExTel Solutions, a window-washing company run by a student, won first place at the event.

Business Playbook is an eight-week co-curricular program for graduate students, postdocs, staff, faculty and alumni who want to launch a traditional business. The program, launched by the Hunter Hub last year, is a hands-on entrepreneurial experience for those who want to move ideas from conception to execution. The showcase was held on April 9.

Bringing ideas to life with Business Playbook

For many participants, the most valuable aspect of the program was the shift from planning to action.

“Programs like Business Playbook force you to put time and effort into your startup idea. Acting on that passion can be really rewarding,” says ExTel Solutions owner Aidan Bangs. 

ExTel Solutions is an exterior window-washing company that serves Calgary and the surrounding area, offering services that help homeowners and low-rise commercial properties keep their spaces clean and well cared for.

Hector Bonilla, a ԰������ PhD candidate, founded The Nature, a venture that specializes in eco-friendly cleaning products and the showcase's People’s Choice Award winner. “This program forces you to talk to customers and engage,” he says. “It pushes you forward to execution.”

Customer discovery and real-world validation are key to the program. Students were challenged to test assumptions, refine their ideas and adapt based on feedback — often uncovering insights they hadn’t initially considered.

Bonilla notes that stepping outside of his own perspective was critical. “You can be very biased toward your own ideas. But, when you talk to other people, you get a completely different perspective. That’s where the value is,” he says.

Community, connection and collaboration

A defining feature of Business Playbook is its collaborative environment; participants emphasize that entrepreneurship is not a solo journey.

“This type of program made me realize that you’re never actually alone,” says Shaheer Wasif, an student behind ProTek Sportswear. His venture, operated alongside his teammate, Shahryar Wasif, won second place at the showcase.

“There are so many people moving along a similar path," says Shaheer. "The journey itself is the same, even if the businesses are different.” 

Mentorship is a cornerstone to the Business Playbook experience. Through access to coaches and industry connections, students are able to expand their networks and gain direction.

“There’s always someone who can connect you to the right people,” Shaheer says. “That was essential for us throughout this journey.” 

Sanjeevani Uppal, BComm'25, venture programs specialist at the Hunter Hub and lead of Business Playbook, says that community is the secret sauce that defines the entrepreneurial experience. 

“The collaborative structure of the program encourages open dialogue and shared learning among participants, helping students refine their ideas through collective insight,” she says. 

Gaining confidence and taking the big leap

Beyond business development, Uppal is most proud to see the way participants grow as individuals. 

“The most rewarding part is seeing their confidence grow,” Uppal says. “They come in with a spark, and we help give them the structure to turn that into something bigger.” 

For Bangs, the program reinforced the importance of resilience and persistence.

“Every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes’,” he says, reflecting on his experience with door-to-door sales. 

As the program concludes, many participants are already planning their next moves, from scaling their businesses to expanding into new markets.

For many, the biggest takeaway is gaining the courage to ask questions and take the leap.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Bonilla says. “Programs like Business Playbook help you figure that out.”