Nick LaGorga/Courtesy Photo
The Hayden Business Pitch Competition returns for its second year in 2022, giving local entrepreneurs the opportunity to start money while bringing new ideas and businesses to the community.
“It’s a great opportunity for someone who’s thinking about it to get into that entrepreneurial field,” said Tegan Ebert, the city’s director of community development. “We really want to support our small businesses in Hayden, support entrepreneurship…we really want this to be an opportunity for people in this community who want to be entrepreneurs and start a business that serves the community. “
The deadline to apply for the Business Pitch competition is Sunday 23 October at 11.59pm. Those who want to enter the competition will need to fill out some basic information, submit a general business concept and answer two questions about why, he said. What market solutions are you trying to solve or what gaps in the economy are you trying to fill?
“That Sunday midnight deadline is not for a fully established business,” Ebert said. “It’s a letter of interest that suggests you’re participating in a business pitch competition.”
Ebert said that after the applications are collected, Ashley Pines with the Small Business Development Center and Randy Rudasiks with the Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center will hold office hours in Hayden and meet applicants in a mentoring role to help improve the competition before it begins.
“We want every applicant to participate in that small business consultation or mentorship – at least one appointment before November 12,” Ebert said. “We’re going to help them shape their pitch or their business idea because that’s what we’re looking for is the right businesses coming to Hayden.”
She added that one of the cool things about last year’s business pitch competition, won by Nick LaGorga of Yampa Valley Entertainment, was that many of the applicants — including those who won money and those who didn’t — opened businesses in the area.
This year, the top prize is $10,000, second place is $5,000 and third place is $3,000. If the winner represents a woman-owned or minority-owned business, they will receive an additional $5,000.
The competition is open to businesses still in the planning stage or established in 2022. The business must be located in the Hayden School District, but the applicant or business owner can live anywhere. There will be a trade show competition open to the public on November 12th from 1-5pm. That event will be followed by an awards ceremony and mingling from 5-7 p.m
“Our hope is that maybe some of our small business owners in the community or other community members will come and hear about the businesses closing, so maybe there will be some partnership opportunities or support opportunities that people can do,” Ebert said. “We want to create some excitement around these future businesses.”
Ebbert said anyone interested in participating in the business pitch competition can contact her at 970-457-7216 or by email at tegan.ebbert@haydencolorado.org. with questions.
“Our goal is to connect them with resources because both the Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center and SBDC Hayden provide a lot of resources that they might not otherwise have access to, so they can connect with long-term small business mentors or insight into business ownership entities that they might not have thought about,” Ebert said. We need it.”
To contact John F. Russell, call 970-871-4209, email jrussell@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966.
