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Pitch Decks: Your Questions Answered
New for the 2025-26 school year, six competitive events will replace the previously required 10-page written paper with a 20-slide pitch deck. Check out this article for answers to questions about the change to Pitch Decks.
2025 Advisor Professional Learning Virtual Conference Keynote Speaker & Sessions
DECA is excited to share a look at the 2025 Advisor Professional Learning Virtual Conference keynote speaker and sessions. Join us on July 23-24 for two days filled with content focusing on instructional content that connects DECA to the classroom.
Download the 2025-2026 DECA Guide
The DECA Guide provides all the information you need to have a successful year. Explore our learning programs, check out this year’s calendar, access competitive event guidelines and so much more!
DECA Hosts Luminary Program Powered by Adobe in San Francisco
This elite professional development experience brings together distinguished DECA chapter advisors from across the DECA network to deepen their leadership, instructional, and digital skills in a unique “train-the-trainer” format.
How your DECA Judge Thinks like a Shark Tank Investor
DECA judges use mental shortcuts just like investors. Learn how to craft your pitch to match their mindset and make your project more memorable.
From FOMO to Finalist: How to Bounce Back After ICDC
Competing in DECA is an opportunity that shapes young business leaders in a multitude of ways. So whether you placed this year or not, your DECA journey is far from over. Set the precedent for a new year, one filled with growth, confidence and achievement.
Recharge, Reassess and Restore: Your Chapter’s Guide to a Successful Summer
DECA doesn’t have to stop just because school is out. As a leader, take advantage of the summer months to prepare your chapter best to Go The Extra in the fall with three key tips: recharge, reassess and restore.
Navigating the Summer Before College
The summer before college is a unique and often overlooked chapter in the story of your academic journey. It’s a season that offers more than rest – it’s an opportunity to intentionally prepare, reflect and reset.
The Best Leaders Go The Extra—Starting In The Summer
The summer months offer the perfect opportunity to get a head start on your goals before the school year kicks into high gear. Here are some tips to help you start your officer term off strong!
Level Up This Summer: The Strength of Volunteering
Leadership doesn't end when the school year does, and neither should your impact. Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling ways to level up as a student, leader and citizen.
Finish Strong, Start Stronger: Carrying This Year’s DECA Lessons into the Future
It’s time to reflect on all you’ve accomplished—and more importantly, what you’ve learned. As summer begins, you’re presented with an opportunity: to take those lessons and use them to fuel what’s next.
Case Study of the Week: Redesigning All-Star Weekend
Step into the role of the director of public relations for the NBA. The senior vice president wants you to redesign the NBA All-Star weekend to create fan interest and increase return-on-investment for sponsors.
10 Tips for Back to School
As the new school year begins, we must all learn to adapt to a new world. We'll encounter many online classes, virtual events and new guidelines for campus... To help you navigate it all, here is a list of ten tips for starting this school year strong.
Quick Guide to Virtual Chapter Meetings
Virtual meeting platforms have become a prominent form of communication between family, friends and businesses and many of these tools are here to stay. Being prepared to host or participate in a virtual meeting will allow you to stand out and make a great impression.
3 Fundraising Ideas for Fall
It seems that in every facet of DECA, fundraising is a necessity. During these unique times, it's important to innovate to ensure your chapter can participate in events and remain secure for the future. Here are three virtual fundraisers to try this fall.
5 Ways Collegiate DECA Will Take You to the Next Level
It's official, the school year is underway. While things will look different, there are still many ways to take yourself and your Collegiate DECA chapter to the next level!
Video Call Tips and Tricks
Practically overnight, video calls have become a new societal norm. This guide will provide you with a few tips and useful tricks to help improve your online learning or telecommuting experience.
A Quick Guide to Understanding Servant Leadership
The concept of leadership has been around since the days of Aristotle and Plato and has evolved countless times throughout the centuries. But in 1970, a new theory emerged. Developed by Robert Greenleaf, servant leadership is the idea that empowered leaders serve their followers and to enable them to live and work to their full potential.
The Ethics of Leadership
Ethical leaders exist in all walks of life. They are the individuals who step forward when crises occur, come to the rescue of others and generally do what's right—no matter what. Anyone can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? In today's high-visibility, social world, more people are taking note of leaders’ behavior and holding them accountable.
DECA Direct Magazine: Next Level Leadership
A new school year brings new chances to elevate your leadership to the next level. Discover fresh ideas to enhance your chapter and become a leader worth following in your school, community and beyond.
The Next Level is Inclusion
It has never been more important for emerging leaders to be characterized by teamwork, innovation, competency and integrity. Fortunately, those are the valued characteristics of DECA’s student leaders. What if this moment needs you and the unique values that drive your leadership?
Top Tips for Socially-distant Membership Recruitment
Building your chapter’s membership is one of the most important ways to set it up for success in the new school year. But what are the best ways to recruit within the “new normal” of more virtual interactions and less in-person activities? Learn how to recruit new members the socially-distant way with these top tips.
The Power of the Diamond
Throughout your DECA career, you’ll wear the blazer, throw up a DECA diamond symbol and add lots of blue to your wardrobe. You will also undoubtedly hear DECA’s core values and mission statement more times than you can count. But have you ever stopped to think about what they really mean?
Cultivate Your Chapter’s Culture
2020 is a year that has changed all of our lives. If your DECA chapter has experienced a decline in recent months, struggling to cope with virtual meetings and maintain engagement, your chapter culture may need a boost.
