IWU Student’s Detailing Business wins big in 2025 ‘Launch It’ Pitch Competition

Jackson Bontrager, a standout student and track athlete at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), captivated judges and wowed the audience with his innovative business pitch at this year’s Launch It competition on April 8. He walked away with both the judges’ choice and audience choice awards, earning $2,000 to invest in his growing business, JB Detailing.

As a business owner, athlete, and finance and marketing double major, Bontrager is no stranger to hard work or time management. Despite an already full schedule, he added one more thing to his plate this spring: Launch It, the university’s annual student pitch competition designed to help young entrepreneurs grow their ventures.

During the competition, Bontrager gave a three-minute pitch followed by a Q-and-A session with a panel of judges. With several IWU students presenting strong, creative ideas, winning both awards was no small feat. Bontrager stood out early, opening his pitch with a short, high-energy video showcasing his mobile detailing business in action.

“That opening video was everything,” Bontrager said. “Once I played it, the room was locked in, and they were actually listening to what I had to say.”

His preparation paid off. Bontrager spent more than seven hours practicing the pitch to ensure every second counted.

“I practiced over seven hours for a three-minute speech,” Bontrager said. “I had to dumb down three years of experience into what really mattered.”

Bontrager’s journey into entrepreneurship started in high school. His first job was working for his brother’s Christian-based company, which provided a positive and supportive environment. But after transitioning into a new role during his junior year, he quickly realized not all workplaces operated the same way.

While helping a coworker from his new job with his car detailing side business, Bontrager began to enjoy the work but realized he wasn’t being fairly compensated.

“I made a comment about starting my own business, and then my coworker told me, ‘You wouldn’t be able to get enough clients — you’re just a high schooler,’” Bontrager said. “So I was like, okay, watch me.”

Determined to prove him wrong, Bontrager quit both jobs and launched JB Detailing on his own.

“I just had to quit my job and force myself into a situation where I had no other choice but to try and make it work,” Bontrager said.

With the help of YouTube tutorials, online research, and a Google Business profile, Bontrager began building his brand. He knocked on doors and relied on word-of-mouth to grow his clientele.

“If you do a good enough job, word-of-mouth will be all the marketing you really need,” Bontrager said.

Since then, JB Detailing has grown steadily. Bontrager operates the business primarily during the summer due to academic and athletic commitments, working long days to meet his high seasonal demand. His services range from everyday vehicles to high-end luxury cars.

As his business expanded, Bontrager saw Launch It as an opportunity to sharpen his presentation skills and possibly gain new funding. His efforts paid off — winning both awards gave him not just validation, but also valuable resources to help his business grow.

“Winning that money meant equipment I don’t have to work another 100 hours for,” Bontrager said. “That’s huge when you only have three months at a time to run your business.”

Bontrager plans to use the prize money for upgraded detailing tools and a professional camera to boost marketing efforts. He’s currently funding his education through his business and hopes to graduate debt-free.

Looking ahead, he wants to continue building the business after graduation, using what he’s learned in his finance and marketing courses at IWU to guide his long-term growth. But profit isn’t his only priority.

“Being a good steward of my money and honoring God through my work is really important to me,” Bontrager said.

As a young entrepreneur, Bontrager says his biggest takeaway so far—solidified by his competition win — is the importance of setting himself apart.

“Whether it’s a pitch competition or running my business, the key is figuring out how to stand out — and that’s what I’ll keep doing,” Bontrager said.

By combining hustle, humility, and faith, Bontrager is building a business with the potential to go far.