Eight local businesses and entrepreneurs came together inside the EAC Black Box Theatre for a night of pitches, prizes and networking thanks to the innovation of Emporia Main Street.
Main Street held its inaugural “Show of Hands” pitch competition where all eight participants were given time to share their business visions and expansions with a jam-packed room of local residents and potential investors. Following the evening’s pitches, those in attendance had the opportunity to support each presenter with a special voting ticket worth $10 in grant support funding.
Also, five businesses — Playhouse, Main Street Ax Company, Breadman’s Bakery, Imaginarium and the Center for Health Integration — took home $700 each in advertisement donated by KVOE and each presenter received $60 in vinyl lettering thanks to Coffelt Sign Company Inc.
The list of presenters and their donation totals are as follows:
*Imaginarium – $4,310
*Radius Production and Taproom – $2,990
*Main Street Ax Company – $2,110
*The Center for Health Innovation – $1,400
*Breadman’s Bakery – $1,400
*The Play House $1,330
*Sunflower Aquaponics – $1,130
*Chef Mikey – $590
Main Street Director Casey Woods says the event maximizes the two most crucial aspects of entrepreneurship, funding and community support.
As if that wasn’t enough, Woods also made the exciting announcement that each participant was given a 60-day membership to Hereford Co-Working where a group of local investors will have the opportunity to meet with a group of local investors who want to put more cash into their ventures.
Small Business Development Center at Emporia State University Regional Director Lisa Brumbaugh, one of the panelists for Thursday’s event, was extremely pleased with the event. She says over the past several years entrepreneurship has become another major piece of Emporia’s ever-expanding identity.
Show of Hands is just the latest in a long line of events and programs put on by Emporia Main Street to support local small business ventures. If you would like more information on resources for starting your own business, visit Emporiamainstreet.com.
