Special to the Ledger

Annie Nirschel

STAMFORD – Annie Nirschel, a 2009 graduate of Bi-Cultural Day School and 2013 graduate of the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, both in Stamford, will be honored as one of the Young Entrepreneurs of the Year at The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Annual Global Gala and Awards Dinner on April 24 in Washington, D.C.

Nirschel, an alum of the entrepreneurship course offered by Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Fairchester, is among the top three winners in the 2013 NFTE Fairfield County Business Plan Competition. An accomplished musician, she is being recognized for creating the business Superb Tune. As founder and owner, Nirschel composes original jingles for medium- and small-sized businesses, allowing them the opportunity to compete in a larger market space while keeping their advertising costs low.

Nirschel developed Superb Tune as a student in the entrepreneurship course taught by Larry Keller, a longtime teacher in the Stamford School District and a veteran NFTE instructor.

“Inspiration for my business came from the fact that I have been writing music since I was eight years old, and had just recently won an award for my original song ‘I am Me,’ which was voted the best song created by a high school student by the organization Constituting American We the People 917. Mr. Keller is the best teacher I had in high school. He encouraged me to turn my talents into a business,” says Nirschel.

At the NFTE Global Gala, Nirschel will showcase her original music compositions and jingles, as well as pitch her business to corporate executives and community leaders who will be attending from around the globe. She has successfully sold one of her jingles to Zamzee, a company that produces devices that measure physical activity in children. She continues to promote Superb Tune, considering small businesses as her niche.

“In the NFTE class I learned valuable, real-life lessons that I could translate into a business plan which I am still using after high school. Entrepreneurship is for everybody. It sparks innovation, imagination and creativity. It’s phenomenal,” she says.

As a freshman at SUNY Purchase, where she is pursuing a degree in music education, Nirschel studies singing and songwriting, as well as several musical instruments, including banjo, autoharp, harmonica, guitar, ukulele, and piano. This summer, she hopes to share the joy of music with children as a song leader at a community center in Stamford.