The valley of entrepreneurship at WCC

by Charlotte Young Bowens
Staff Writer

Pitch@WCC presented by the Entrepreneur Center will feature area entrepreneurs in three different categories, Start, Build and Grow. These are areas of business development and will ensure that participants compete against other companies at a similar stage.

Much like the television show Shark Tank, the selected small business owners or startup entrepreneurs will attempt to persuade a public audience with their company pitch. A panel of judges consisting of a mix of local business professionals and WCC faculty will select the winners.

A first place winner is selected for each category and is awarded $1,000 and the corresponding runner up will take home $500. After all the pitches have been heard, judges will deliberate and a vote is taken to determine the audience favorite who will receive a small monetary award.

Becoming a pitch participant is no small feat, in preparation for the event, participants are required to attend workshops held between February and April. These sessions help entrepreneurs solidify their business concept, develop their business brand and pitch training is provided.

“Many new entrepreneurs have great ideas that will take the world by storm. But 99 percent of them do not get the proper business funding in the long run,” wrote Digital Marketing Manager Sarath Cp in The Startup.

Pitch@WCC is important to the community because it’s only one of a few opportunities for local entrepreneurs seeking investment funds. Business Daily News reported that a mere 20 percent of money received by entrepreneurs comes from family, banks or investors. While 80 percent of startups are forced to use their own funds to get their ventures started.

The range of entrepreneurial ideas vary from year to year. Among the lineup this year is Mary Lou Stropoli, creator of NicheBoardz.

Stropoli recognized that one of the biggest challenges facing artist is fear of the ‘blank canvas.’ NicheBoardz removes the anxiety of knowing where to start and allows artist to get right down to making art.

“Since I’m an artist, I have an independent spirit and have always sought to be my own boss.” shared Mary Lou Stropoli, pitch participant. As a ‘build’ participant, winning the event would allow her to further develop her product line with the ability to launch more raw materials for NicheBoardz.

Founders Kiara Patterson and Tiffany Avery have come up with a concept where people can destroy room with a twist. There startup is called CatasRelief, LLC. and is a safe and welcoming environment designed to release of energy, artistic expression and stress relief.

“After destroying various items, we allow the individual to repurpose fragmented pieces into a work of art in the available studio area.” said Patterson and Avery, who are seeking initial start up capital to pay for marketing, more research and to help develop the company website.

“Seeing people break into tears when they see how far they’ve come in just a few short months of training, and feeling the new-found confidence in themselves that they can indeed see the possibility of becoming a business owner,” said Kristin Gapke, director of the Entrepreneur Center.

Tears are long dried up for 2016 pitch winner Karen Driggs, one of the many success stories. Her business Sleepy Cricket Vending places vending machines in traditional spaces but with healthier options. Her brand is dedicated to only using machines that meet ADA and energy efficiency requirements and are manufactured in the US.

“Vending is a multimillion dollar industry and I knew there was a need for healthier options,” stated Driggs who used her winning to expand her business.

Local entrepreneurs are gearing up to pitch their business idea for Pitch@WCC is hopes of winning some cash. This is the Entrepreneurship Center’s third annual event and they expects to host 18 teams (9 Start, 6 Build and 3 Grow) on Tuesday, May 15 at 6 p.m. in the Morris Lawrence Building. The public is welcome.

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