10 Semi-Finalists Advance Closer To $25,000 Grand Prize In Small Biz Salute Pitch Off Contest
June 18 2018 - 11:00AM
The UPS Store, Inc. and Inc. Magazine announced the 10
entrepreneurs and small business owners selected as semi-finalists
for the Small Biz Salute Pitch Off, a competition that will reward
one small business owner with $25,000 and an editorial feature in
Inc. Magazine. To learn more about the individual finalists and
vote, visit theupsstore.com/smallbizsalute.
After more than 2,000 individuals responded to a nationwide call
for online pitch submissions, a panel of judges chose ten
semi-finalists representing a wide range of small businesses
offering unique products and services. These entrepreneurs are up
for an online public vote underway now through June 29, 2018.
According to the recent Inside Small Business Survey conducted by
The UPS Store, Inc., a survey that evaluated the state of small
business in the U.S., 52 percent of respondents said they believed
it would take $25,000 or less to help start or grow a small
business. With the online vote, these ten semi-finalists will be
one step closer to obtaining that important financial support.
Survey respondents also said the main motivators behind opening a
small business in 2018 are being their own boss (38 percent),
having a strong belief in the power of their own idea (17 percent)
and creating their next career path (15 percent).
“We are thrilled to see such a passionate, driven and unique
group of entrepreneurs advance in the Small Biz Salute Pitch Off,”
said Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of sales and
marketing for The UPS Store, Inc. “Small business owners are the
backbone of our communities. Support the small business movement by
voting and showing your encouragement for their journey to
success.”
The 10 semi-finalists are:
- Jentri Chancey, Jentri Quinn Makeup + Skin – Austin,
Texas: Born out of a need to help people with skin conditions
and diseases, Jentri Quinn Makeup + Skin offers a hypoallergenic,
paraben-free and fragrance-free makeup line. If selected as the
winner, Chancey would use the money to launch and expand a line of
skin care products.
- Dawn Culley, Rhyolite Engineering – Jefferson County,
Colo.: Rhyolite Engineering, a certified woman-owned business,
supports contractors in the federal market with documentation and
engineering services. In the spirit of Rhyolite’s guiding principle
of lifting people up, Culley would create internships for future
engineers or construction managers if her business wins.
- Keitha Dendy, Home Made Luxe – League City, Texas:
Founded by a busy mother of twins, Home Made Luxe is a subscription
box service that delivers craft kits for home décor projects.
Through craft kits and craft nights, Dendy strives to provide women
opportunities for self-care. The prize earnings would fund Home
Made Luxe’s marketing and communications efforts.
- David De Palo, JumpDrum – Ridgefield, Conn.: Aimed at
people who like fun workouts, JumpDrum provides a low-impact,
high-intensity cardio exercise using an inventive percussion
instrument. If chosen, De Paulo would use the prize earnings for
JumpDrum’s first fitness studio in Connecticut.
- Megan Eddings, Accel Lifestyle – Houston: Designed by a
creative chemist, Accel Lifestyle makes ethical active wear
designed with patent-pending antimicrobial fabric, which is sourced
and made in the United States. Eddings would use the awarded cash
for marketing and product development.
- Bryanne Leeming, Unruly Splats – Boston: Unruly Splats
blends physical exercise and STEM education with its programmable
light-up buttons. Leeming, a college athlete and STEM enthusiast,
wants to inspire children to be creative and healthy. The prize
money would help the business ship units to customers and develop
hands-on curriculum for use with the product.
- Matthew Miller, Omaha Virtual Reality – Omaha, Neb.:
Striving to educate and amaze people through technology, Omaha
Virtual Reality brings the inspiring power of virtual reality to
the Omaha community. The business proudly supports local community
organizations and events. If awarded, Miller would use the money to
expand this startup company.
- Adam Morrison, DroneRafts – Johnson County, Ind.:
DroneRafts offers the only commercially available, fully engineered
all-terrain landing gear system for drones. This technology allows
drones to land on any surface, including water and uneven terrain.
Morrison would like to invest the prize earnings for product
modularization.
- Marie Sckocheva, Yez! Foods – Carlsbad, Calif.: Yez!
Foods provides tasty and satisfying snacks especially crafted for
people on ketogenic, paleo and gluten-free diets. The startup
business is launching a store with diet-friendly bread, cookies and
crackers. Sckocheva says winning the contest would help Yez! become
a leader in the specialty diet market.
- Steve Waddell, NASONI – Suffolk, Va.: Reinventing a
decades-old household item, NASONI makes an innovative,
one-of-a-kind faucet featuring an extra spout, which helps people
do more with their bathroom sinks, from removing makeup to rinsing
after brushing. Waddell would use the awarded cash to help with
pre-production costs.
The top three finalists, based in part on vote totals, will
attend and compete in the Small Biz Salute Pitch Off event on
August 8th in Detroit. They will present in front of a live
audience and a panel of judges including author, entrepreneur and
TV host Tabatha Coffey. The grand prize winner will be announced at
the live Small Biz Salute Pitch Off event on August 8, 2018.
“The stakes are high and the competition is impressive,” said
Coffey. “Small business success comes from having a passion and
conviction for your business, service or product – I look forward
to seeing that energy and creativity come through during the live
pitch off.”
To learn more about the Small Biz Salute pitch-off contest, and
vote and discover more about each semi-finalist, visit
www.theupsstore.com/smallbizsalute.
RULES & REGULATIONS: The Small Biz Salute pitch-off
contest is open to owners of small business owners only. No
purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Grand prize of $25,000
and editorial feature in Inc. Magazine. Must be 18 or older as of
3/21/18 to enter. Contest entry ended 5/4/18.
Visit inc.com/theupsstore/rules for complete and official
rules. Sponsored by The UPS Store, Inc., 5050 Cornerstone
Court West San Diego, CA 92120 and Mansueto Ventures LLC, d.b.a
Inc. Magazine, 250 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007.
About The UPS Store
With approximately 5,000 locations across North America, The UPS
Store® network comprises the nation’s largest franchise system of
retail shipping, postal, print and business service centers. The
UPS Store locations in the U.S. are independently owned and
operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc., a
subsidiary of UPS (NYSE: UPS). Services, products, pricing and
hours of operation may vary by location. For additional information
on The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com. For information on
franchise opportunities for opening a The UPS Store location, visit
www.theupsstorefranchise.com. Follow The UPS Store on Twitter at
@TheUPSStore and like The UPS Store on Facebook at
facebook.com/theupsstore.
About Inc.
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc.
is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and
managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real
solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of
Advertising Age’s “The A-List” in January 2015, and the National
Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total
monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from
2,000,000 in 2010 to over 40,000,000 today. For more
information, visit https://www.inc.com/.
Staci Reidinger, The UPS Store
619-402-6216
sreidinger@upsstore.com
Media are invited to attend the Small Biz Salute Pitch Off event on August 8. Please contact publicrelations@upsstore.com if interested.
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