Apply Here for the 2013 Hayes Barnard Paramount Equity Young Entrepreneur Scholarship




Hayes Barnard, CEO of Paramount Equity, built the company in order to help families save money on the biggest expenses in their lives.  Along with his two closest childhood friends and a small army of passionate team members, Hayes has since created three successful corporations focused on reducing mortgage, energy, and insurance bills.  The Hayes Barnard-Paramount Equity Young Entrepreneur Scholarship, or The Y.E.S. Scholarship, gives future entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop their ideas through higher education.

 

In 2003, Hayes started Paramount Equity Mortgage in a small office in Roseville, California. There he and his friends eagerly waited for the phone to ring for the opportunity to help customers

 

 

“I remember sitting there surrounded by a group of guys, some of who moved their whole family here from another state, questioning everything I’d done. Each one of them had put their trust in my crazy idea to start a mortgage company in Roseville, CA. We just sat staring at each other and waited for the phone to ring.”
- Hayes Barnard


As the story goes, the phone did ring that day and hasn’t stopped ringing since. With the success of Paramount Equity Mortgage, Hayes and his crew thought, “How else can we make an impact in people’s lives?” So, in 2006, Paramount Equity Insurance Services opened its doors to help families save money on the high cost of insurance.

 

In the fall of 2007 after four great years of growth, Hayes and his team experienced what would be the start of the global financial meltdown. It was a stressful time and thousands of mortgage companies were wiped out overnight. Many financial institutions stopped lending money. The next two years would test Hayes’ resilience, leadership and character in the face of adversity.

“It seemed like everyone was against us. The body snatchers were everywhere, waiting for us to fail.  Many of my counterparts in the industry were closing their doors, sometimes without notice to their employees, and sending hundreds of honest, hardworking people to the unemployment line.”
- Hayes Barnard


After a lot of hard work, dedication and difficult management decisions, Hayes and his loyal team prevailed. In 2009, Paramount Equity emerged stronger and smarter and in a position to grow once again. Continuing his mission to save people money, Hayes began exploring cost-saving solutions for energy bills. 

 

After many months of research and brainstorming, Hayes opened Paramount Energy Solutions. This solar division was created to save homeowners money on their electric bill, protect them from rising energy costs and preserve the environment.  Hayes selected the largest residential solar provider in the United States, SolarCity, as his partner. By 2010, Paramount Energy Solutions was one of the top 10 residential solar companies in California and has continued to produce record sales ever since.

In 2011, Hayes helped fuse an amazing partnership with direct-marketing juggernaut, Guthy-Renker, to help expand his nationwide platform. The Guthy-Renker partnership provided Paramount Equity additional financial and intellectual resources to expand its mortgage, insurance and solar businesses.  

“Guthy-Renker provides rocket fuel when it comes to building [our] brand nationwide. They’ve done such a good job with consumer branding and advertising. And from a direct response standpoint, their operational excellence is second to none.” 
– Hayes Barnard


Hayes continues to fulfill his original mission for creating a company that saves families money. Today that vision is echoed throughout all of the Paramount Equity companies in its moniker, “Savings Made Simple.”

“Owning a home is the true American Dream. I was raised by an unbelievable woman - a single mother who never owned her own home. We grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in St. Louis, Missouri. I look back and think, wow, what if someone had pulled my Mom aside and taught her how to save money in order to own a home; it would have made a big difference in our lives.  I want to make that difference.  I want to make that kind of an impact. That’s our heartbeat. That’s our common cause. That’s what we’re passionate about.”
- Hayes Barnard


The Award

The Hayes Barnard-Paramount Equity Young Entrepreneur Scholarship will award three (3) students with a $4000 scholarship who best embody the entrepreneurial spirit.

To apply, submit a 500–1000 word essay and an accompanying video, along with your contact information to scholarship (at) paramountequity.com. Eligible applicants must be currently enrolled in a Northern California high school, junior college, or university. This includes the city of Fresno and all parallel and northern areas of the state.  Click here for Official Rules and Terms.


Apply to the HBPE Scholarship Button


 “A true entrepreneur is able to ignite their and others spirit and passion to fuel something great.”
-Hayes Barnard


The essay should cover things like (stay on topic!):


  1. Why do you want to be an entrepreneur?
  2. What is your specific business idea and what problem would you solve through your entrepreneurial efforts?
  3. What is your personal entrepreneurial success story?
  4. How do you inspire others to share your vision and get behind your cause?
  5. As an entrepreneur you will constantly face adversity and negativity (or as Hayes would say, "the body snatchers"). What will you do when faced with this enemy?

Video (mandatory for submission):


Showcase your infectious enthusiasm for entrepreneurship by creating and submitting a video along with your essay. Be creative and keep your video under 5 minutes. Include as a digital file our Youtube (or similar) link with your submission. (do we need to have a disclaimer about our rights to post on social media or link to it on the website?)


Timeline:

Submissions open October 1st, 2012
Submissions close June 30th, 2013

 

If your essay is selected as the winner, we will contact you to provide us with:

  1. One copy of Official High School or College Transcripts
  2. Publicity/Liability Release
  3. Copyright Assignment
  4. IRS Form W-9
  5. Copy of United States Driver’s License
  6. Headshot photograph in high-resolution, digitally as a JPEG or TIFF file

 

FAQ:


What are the timelines for submissions?

Submissions will be accepted beginning 12:00am PST on October 1, 2012. Submissions will be accepted until 11:59pm PST on June 30, 2013.  The winner of the 2013 scholarship will be notified by email on or near September 1, 2013.

Who is eligible to apply?

Current high school and college students who are U.S. Citizens who will be attending a college or university for the 2013-14 academic year in a U.S. based school. 

 

How are essays judged?

We are looking for future entrepreneurs who want to make an impact in the communities they serve and who can develop those ideas into actionable business plans.  Entrepreneurs can come from anywhere and this contest is open to ANY college-bound entrepreneur.


Essays are judged by creativity, communication of your thoughts and ideas, basic grammar, and the passion you convey for your cause.

 

How is my personal information used?

Paramount Equity will use your personal information to verify your submission and to contact you should you be the recipient of the scholarship.  Your personal information will not be shared or sold to any third-parties without your authorization.


What scholarship awards are available? How do I redeem a scholarship?

Each winning student will receive a $4,000 college scholarship that will be paid directly to the scholarship recipient’s college or university. A total of three (3) scholarships will be awarded in 2013 for a total of $12,000.