ATLANTA — Surrounded by thousands of competitors and the energy of a global stage, Angel Bhandari and Josephine Anderson have earned a place in the Top 20 in the nation for the International Business Plan event at the DECA International Career Development Conference.

This year’s conference brought together over 10,000 students from around the world, all competing for a chance to be recognized at the highest level of DECA. The event was held in downtown Atlanta, with the final awards ceremony taking place at the massive Mercedes-Benz Stadium—a setting that made the moment feel less like a school competition and more like a professional championship.

Within their specific event alone, over 200 teams competed, each submitting a detailed business proposal. From that group, only 20 teams advanced to finals, placing Bhandari and Anderson in the top tier of competitors, not just in their event, but across the entire conference.

Their project was a 20-page international business plan, built to the level of a real-world proposal. They focused on expanding Bolthouse Farms’ plant-based protein milk into Nepal, carefully breaking down market demand, pricing, distribution, and cultural integration. Every section required research, data, and clear reasoning—because at this level, judges are not just looking for creativity, they are looking for feasibility.

After submitting the written plan, they had to step into a judged session and present everything live. In a limited amount of time, they pitched their idea, walked through their strategy, and then answered rapid-fire questions from judges who challenged their financials, logistics, and assumptions. There was no script to rely on, but just their understanding of the business they built.

What made their performance stand out was how real it felt. Their plan did not just exist on paper. It showed how the product could actually fit into everyday life in Nepal, from being used in chai to reaching consumers through both supermarkets and online delivery platforms. At the same time, they addressed real challenges like maintaining a cold supply chain and meeting food safety regulations.

Making the Top 20 at ICDC means competing in a space where everyone is already strong. For Bhandari and Anderson, this result reflects months of preparation, long nights, and balancing one of DECA’s most competitive events with everything else in Angel’s senior year and Jojo’s incoming years in DECA.

Alongside Bhandari and Anderson’s performance in the International Business Plan event, several other students also contributed strong efforts across different DECA competitions. Perry, Ahkil, Lucas, and Jack each developed their own business-focused projects that they worked on throughout the year. In addition, Gavin, Angela, Kavya, and Anaya competed in role-play events, where they were tested on their ability to think quickly and respond to real-world business scenarios under pressure. Finally, Charlie and Ivan also contributed through a team decision-making event, where they were required to collaborate under time pressure to analyze business scenarios and choose the most effective solutions. Together, all of these students’ efforts reflected strong dedication, teamwork, and perseverance, and their contributions across different events deserve recognition for the hard work and commitment they put into representing their group at DECA.