Here?s how it went down in Little Rock?

Group 1 (1 male, 2 female). Bubble wrap. We need to bubble wrap everything. Don?t know how much we?ll need or how much it will cost, but it will solve the problem. Also, let?s disasemble the furniture and outsource assembly to the expectant parents. Nothing bonds a young couple like assembling the puzzle that is the baby crib. Robert. Robert, you need to hire another manager for one store. Demote the existing two assistant managers and put them back on the floor. You?ll save money. (If you ever wondered were Wall Street gets ideas for downsizing and outsourcing, they probably were judging this event and liked the ideas.)

Group 2 (3 male) The boyz from the city say expand! Robert, you need a store in the capitol city. You ain?t nothing unless you got a store in Austin. Then you?re gonna advertise! Newspapers, magazines, radio, television. As to that problem with damaged goods, ship by air. (Ah, yes. The Silicon Valley dot-bomb model. Why didn?t I think of that?) By the by, male #2, named for a mid-east religion, is a real salesman and can talk himself out of any situation. Business schools should attempt to track him down. He?s going places, seriously.

Group 3 (1 male, 2 female) Corporate pink. Years from now we will always associate FBLA with black clothes and pink accessories. Team Pink says close Houston, circle the wagons in Dallas and advertise. Word-of-mouth, branding, that?s were salvation is to be found. Forget the web. Forget going international. Go back to your roots. And, you need to read your original business plan. (Hmmm.)

Its going to be hard picking a winner from this bunch. So many good ideas. Clearly our consultants have gleened much knowledge from television and its 30-minute and 30-second solutions. But, its not entirely for the judges to decide?

Remember the tests? The judges scores are aded to the test scores from the morning and a winner is determined. So, the winner may not have had the best solution.

Jack! Tell our winners about their fabulous prizes for winning the regional business case competition?

Timothy, we?ll transport our winners in a fabulous yellow bus to return to the capitol city. While in the capitol city, they will enjoy tests! Lots of tests. But, we?re not done. No! What could top this fabulous day but competitions! Our winners will enjoy meeting dozens of local celebrity judges and answering questions.

So, the next time you meet a young person in FBLA, give them a thumbs up, a few words of encouragement, and perhaps, buy them lunch. They?ve had a rough day.

To get involved in FBLA, contact your local high school and talk to the business department. They?d love to have you.