Pitch Perfect: Liberty Hill Students Learn to Turn Dreams into Business Schemes

With a vision of delivering positive, healthy and self-sustaining growth, the Liberty Hill (TX) Economic Development Corporation (LHEDC) knows its greatest resource may be its resident youth. For most students, however, the concept of entrepreneurship is abstract and challenging to grasp. Liberty Hill High School is attempting to enlighten young minds by offering innovative Entrepreneur classes to help students understand the business world and, more importantly, the opportunity to create their businesses from the ground up.

“At first, the class sounded like a fun, easy blowoff,” admitted Nathan Keen, one of the students from Liberty Hill’s Entrepreneur class. “But what we learned is so important to our future and changed the trajectory of high school for us.” 

Entrepreneurism 101

The Liberty Hill High School classes are Entrepreneur I and II, available to students in their sophomore through senior years. In the 2024-25 school year, 52 students are enrolled, all learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship under the guidance of Steven Schiff, the course’s instructor. “The classes can profoundly impact students, shifting their mindset from mere consumers to creators and thinkers in the business world,” he said. 

Schiff is not just an educator—he’s a mentor and entrepreneur. Before teaching, Schiff worked for Proctor & Gamble and has started businesses, providing him with firsthand experience that he passes on to his students. His approach is deeply rooted in real-world business practices, making the classroom experience more authentic. “I love the essence of the program,” Schiff said. “I wish I had this when I was in high school.”

The program begins with a brainstorming session known as a "Bug List," where students identify everyday problems or annoyances in their lives—things that "bug" people—and then work to develop solutions for those issues.

From there, students dive into market research, identifying competitors and defining their team roles. Each student takes on a specific responsibility, such as CEO, CFO, Customer Relations, Marketing, etc. The class teaches them to understand their customer, design effective marketing strategies, source manufacturers, and develop financial plans, all while emphasizing the importance of collaboration and leadership.

Pitch Night: The Ultimate Test

One of the standout features of the Entrepreneur class is Pitch Night, an event where students present their business ideas to the community in a Shark Tank-style format. The event is open to the public, and last year, over 170 community members attended, including local business owners and investors serving as judges offering feedback.

Liberty Hill Education Foundation can even provide a $4,000 grant to help the top three winning teams invest in the further development of their respective programs, including setting up LLCs or securing other essentials for business development. “The presenters blew our minds. It wasn’t a surprise investors were eager to engage and excited about what they saw,” said Rachel Acosta, Director of Communications for Liberty Hill ISD.

Real-World Results: Lonestar Supplements

One of the most notable success stories of the Entrepreneur class is Lonestar Supplements, a company founded by Keen, Bradley Fuller and other students. Focused on healthy living and athletic performance, Lonestar Supplements includes pre-workout products featuring caffeinated water in three unique flavors: Sour Green Apple, Pina Colada, and Sweet Tea, which, according to the founders, “was pretty awful at first but now has a special twist with a hint of lemon.”

Despite a rocky start, where their first Pitch Night presentation was “a real struggle,” the students did not give up. When enrolling in the classes for a second year, the students reviewed their presentation with Schiff and made significant improvements. A financial advisor brought in by Schiff with a background in both business and fitness proved to be an invaluable resource. By the second Pitch Night, they were ready, delivering a much more polished presentation, complete with a hype video and samples. They won $1,200, which they used for their LLC, domain name, and more product samples.

A Bright Future for Students and Liberty Hill ISD

The student’s - and the company’s - journey has just begun. The students plan to apply their skills to college and ongoing entrepreneurial efforts. Lonestar Supplements has now moved from concept to reality, all thanks to the lessons learned in the Entrepreneur class. 

“When we learned recently a gym owner in town wants the product, we realized this is real, not just an idea,” said Fuller. “I encourage any student with an idea to take the class because, with Mr. Schiff’s guidance, they can unlock a world of possibilities.” 

With a new high school under construction, Schiff hopes to expand the program and even foster some friendly competition between campuses, ensuring that Liberty Hill ISD’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to grow.

To support Lonestar Supplements and other student projects in the Liberty Hill High School Entrepreneur class, contact Steven Schiff. To learn more about the area’s unique and dynamic workforce development efforts, contact the Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation, eager to foster local business development.