Dance tour concept steps up to mark

Competition chairman Mike Handcock said judges were impressed by Kim Davey.

Napier and Los Angeles-based dance tour organiser Kim Davey has won the world Entrepreneur X Factor competition with her business New Zealand Dance Network, beating out entrants from throughout the world and bringing the competition to Hawke's Bay.

Competition participants had to pitch their business to a room of their peers, judges and experts, with country winners going through to the final.

Ms Davey successfully pitched her business - NZ Dance Network - which takes dance students on dance education and career tours overseas.

Next year she is taking three separate tours to Los Angeles, a total of 200 students who will take part in dance workshops in major studios and career presentation from industry insiders.

Competition chairman Mike Handcock said judges were impressed by Ms Davey "from the moment she stepped on the stage".

"She is vivacious, passionate, well-rehearsed, articulate and in the end she has a damn good concept that she has proven works," he said.

"I wasn't surprised she won her heat, but going up in the final against Niiraj Shah, a simply incredible entrepreneur from Mumbai who founded BNI (Business Networks International) India, Preetesh Morar a sports marketing whizz from Brisbane and Richard Hardiman, a visionary who is an environmentalist from Cape Town with a superb network, was never going to be easy.

"I am thrilled she won. She worked really, really hard and proved she's got it. It's a great lesson for her students."

Ms Davey won business coaching packages and will help host the 2014 New Zealand competition in Napier next year.