You've Got Options

Competitive events in Delta Epsilon Chi are designed to allow individuals, teams and groups to further their professional skills.

There are challenges and opportunities to competing individually or within teams. You will need to decide where your strengths are and make the decision how you would like to compete.

If you work alone you can find yourself doing well in


- Business Simulations


- Prepared Presentation





If you work in a team/group try these categories


- Case Study


- Prepared Presentation

The PreGame for Competition

Competition is alot of things but mainly it should be fun. It is an adrenaline frenzy and if you dont have butterflies or some kind of nauseating feeling. You're not getting the full experience.


Alittle pre-game warm up will help.

1. Focus on the end product (yes, it helps). Without looking like you're taking a nap in the prep room, sit with your feet flat and arms relaxed and picture yourself leaving your presentation with a confident smile and a feeling of accomplishment. At this point ( awaiting for your competition time), its too late to be worried if you did all you should have to be the number one competitor. Either you did.... or you didn't.

1.5. Before you head to your event, check yourself out. Literally. Find a mirror and be sure that you're in tip-top shape. These are the details that some forget. You don't want to be taking that piece of breakfast, lunch or dinner to the judges table do you?

2. I religiously ate a banana before competition. I suppose there is some kind of scientific research that I should quote here, but the fact is it has the vitamins to calm the nerves that end up sending mixed messages to your brain.

3. Take a stroll through the convention or conference center the day before to find out exactly where you need to be. Don't waste your energy on getting lost in those big buildings or tricky hotel conference centers instead save it for your victory lap. It is always good form to check-in atleast 15 minutes early for your competition.

Pre-Pre Game.

We all like to have fun while at Delta conferences - but keep in mind that your judges are professional people of your communities that took time out to help you improve your skills. Do me a favor and appreciate their time by being coherant and fully competant when competing!


Just a few things to get started on the winning foot.
More later

Hey What Gets You All In Knots?

While we're here we might as well get some comments rolling and throw out your biggest competition questions.

About the rules?

About the judges?

About the room monitors?

About ... Anything related to Delta Epsilon Chi Competition!

Throw out your comments, concerns and questions that relate to any of the competition topics and we'll get you you're own blog post with answers. So, what gets you all in Knots?

I want to compete but I dont know what to do First. . . .

If you're absolutely new to competition and you want to get a taste of it here is just the tip of the iceberg on how to start off on the right foot.

1. set a few goals - what do you want to learn about?

a. Align your competition goals with your professional career goals. Have a business idea in mind? Learn about the entreprenuership category. Interested in becoming a sales manager? No better place to learn the skills than in Sales Representative or Sales Manager Meeting. You can check out http://www.deltaepsilonchi.org/compevents.html for a great tool to help you match your career to a competitive event.

2. research the categories within Delta Epsilon Chi competitive events.

a. which one matches with your style? Do you work well under pressure or need to be completely prepared and ready for the presentation. Look forward to another post to help you figure these out.

--Comp. Coach

A Product of an Association

Long about 2002 I started my trek into what I know now as the reason why I am where I am. I have told my DECA/Delta Epsilon Chi story a million times in places like state capitol buildings, school board meeting rooms, advisor luncheon meetings and across the lower 48 states in conference halls to my peers, potential members, prospective advisors, school admistrators and political representatives.

It is a story of aligning goals and achieving more than I'd ever dreamt possible. It is a story that gives clear advice about becoming active in DECA/Delta Epsilon Chi and challenging yourself with tough personal and professional goals. It is the story that is me, Stephanie Sandstrom.

I am a product of Delta Epsilon Chi at the college level and DECA at the high school level. I am a product of the offices I held within my chapter, state and national association. I am a product of the competitive events that I entered and failed. I am a product of the networking I was able to do through this international association of marketing and management students. I am a product of the career-oriented learning that I got to experience in the classroom for the first time instead of in the boardroom for the last time.

I am a product of the opportunities that I have made for myself through my active membership in DECA/Delta Epsilon Chi. Your story starts now: How are you a product of DECA/Delta Epsilon Chi?

:: Welcome to Competition 101 ::

In my efforts to help those who are interested in competing and winning I have developed this blog.

Here you'll find me doing my best to answer questions, give scenerios and serve as a virtual judge. I'll interview judges from around the country to see what they were looking for.

Please use this blog within your chapter, in your classrooms or just for yourself! I'm happy to let a few secrets of competition out to those who are willing to learn. I'll be mostly focusing on the business simulation and case study events but remember that you can incorporate the tips and hints into all categories of competition; Looking further down the road, you'll be able to use these in future interviews and career-world experiences!

Best of Luck,

Your Competition Coach