[Liftoff Houston: Pitch Day 2022 - Startup Business Plan Competition]
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MY NAME IS KEVIN QUINN FROM 1 0 4 0.1 KRBE.
I LITERALLY JUST GOT DONE SPENDING THE LAST 12 HOURS SLEEPING IN A DOG KENNEL OUT IN MAGNOLIA TO RAISE MONEY FOR AN ANIMAL RESCUE.
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT, YES, YES, WE CAN MAKE A NOISE FOR THAT.
SO I'M ON COFFEE AND IBUPROFEN RIGHT NOW, BUT I AM SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY BECAUSE THIS EVENT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.
UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL PITCH DAY FOR THE 2022 LIFTOFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
THIS EVENT COULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR GENEROUS SPONSOR, CAPITAL ONE BANK, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO PROVIDE STARTUP CAPITAL TO ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS.
I SEE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF 'EM HERE TODAY, GETTING READY TO MAKE THEIR PITCHES.
THIS IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING DEAL.
THIS OFFERS BUSINESS EDUCATION THROUGH WORKSHOPS FREE RESOURCES FROM BOTH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY WHO ARE COAD ADMINISTRATORS OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND PARTICIPANTS ALSO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS MENTORSHIP, UH, FROM QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
THIS IS REALLY GROWING THE FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF TOMORROW IN OUR AREA.
HOW ABOUT THAT? HOUSTON WRIGHTS, YOU KNOW, STUDIES ARE REPORTING THAT SMALL BUSINESSES NEED CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES TO GET STARTED AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
IT IS SO TRUE, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND WHEN SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE, SO DOES OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
WITH THIS PROGRAM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONTINUES ITS DEDICATION TO EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS RESIDENTS.
AND THIS YEAR'S EXTRA SPECIAL BECAUSE THIS YEAR WE'RE CELEBRATING LIFTOFF HOUSTON'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY FOR THE PAST DECADE, THIS PROGRAM HAS CHANGED THE LIVES OF SO MANY.
WE HAVE IMPACTED THE DREAMS OF LOTS OF, LOTS OF ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE STARTED THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
AND I AM SUPER EXCITED TO PERSONALLY CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT'S ALIVE WITH US HERE TODAY IN THIS ROOM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE TODAY, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, YOU'RE ASKING YOURSELF HOW DOES THIS COMPETITION WORK? IN A FEW MINUTES, YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING CATEGORY PITCHES FROM THREE DIFFERENT AREAS.
NINE, ASPIRING BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WILL COMPETE FOR MORE THAN $30,000 IN STARTUP FUNDING.
WE'VE GOT CATEGORIES RANGING FOR PRODUCT, SERVICE, AND INNOVATION.
THE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS ARE GONNA TAKE HOME $10,000 EACH.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING FROM HOME RIGHT NOW ARE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP US CHOOSE THREE FAN FAVORITES WHO WILL ALSO WIN $500.
THIS IS AN AWESOME, AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.
FAN FAVORITES, NEED YOUR VOTE TO WIN.
AND YOU'RE ASKING ME, HOW DOES THE FAN FAVORITE VOTING WORK? WELL, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE IN YOUR PROGRAMS AND LATER ON THE SCREENS THROUGHOUT THIS ROOM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE QR CODES, OKAY? IT'S VERY, VERY SIMPLE.
THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE SHOWN VIA THE LIVE STREAM.
SIMPLY SCAN THAT QR CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE AND SELECT YOUR FAVORITE PITCH FAN.
FAVORITE VOTING IS GONNA BE OPEN FOR 30 MINUTES IMMEDIATELY AFTER EACH PITCH CATEGORY.
SO REMEMBER, VOTE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
THIS IS LIKE THE AMERICAN IDOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, RIGHT? LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THAT MAKES ME RYAN SEACREST ONLY, NOT AS NOT QUITE AS HANDSOME.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S WISHFUL THINKING.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH OUR PITCHES, THOUGH, I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT LIFT OFF HOUSTON HAS MADE.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF AMAZING, AMAZING WORK.
MORE THAN 15,000 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING ITS WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS.
BY THE TIME WE ANNOUNCE OUR WINNERS TODAY, CAPITAL ONE BANK WILL HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN $30,000 IN STARTUP FUNDING TO ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS.
30 SMALL BUSINESSES WILL HAVE WON THE GRAND PRIZE, AND EVEN LARGER NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES WILL HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED BECAUSE OF THIS COMPETITION, INCLUDING THOSE IN RETAIL MERCHANDISE AND LABOR, IN CONSULTING, IN SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE, IN HOSPITALITY, HEALTH AND FITNESS, EDUCATION IN FINANCE, TECHNOLOGY AND LOGISTICS.
THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE LIST OF BUSINESSES.
LET'S ALSO HEAR ABOUT THE IMPACT OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON FROM TWO
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OF OUR PAST WINNERS.WITH THIS VIDEO, A YEAR AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, UM, BOTH MY WIFE AND I TOGETHER HAD OVER 140 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS OF CONSUMER DEBT.
UM, IT TOOK SOME TIME, BUT WE BECAME DEBT FREE AND BECOMING DEBT FREE.
WE TOLD OUR STORIES TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND, UH, PEOPLE IN OUR SPIRIT OF INFLUENCE, UM, BUT WE REALIZED IT WAS OTHERS THAT WAS SUFFERING FROM CONSUMER DEBT.
AND SO GOD PLACED THIS IDEA IN MY HEAD TO HELP PEOPLE SPEND MONEY AND PAY OFF DEBT AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, THAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND STARTING TO SPEND DEBT OR DOWNLOADING THE SPEND DEBT APP.
SO I AM A SINGLE BUSY MOM AND I HAVE A LOT ON MY PLATE.
HAVING TO WORK FULL TIME, TAKE CARE OF MY SON, I'M JUGGLING A LOT OF THINGS.
SO OFTENTIMES TAKING CARE OF MY PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WORKING OUT FALLS OFF MY PLATE.
SO I WAS DETERMINED TO CREATE A PRODUCT THAT I COULD EASILY INCORPORATE INTO MY BUSY LIFE, AND THAT'S WHAT INSPIRED THE TONER BUMP BECAUSE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SITTING.
I SIT AT MY DESK, I SIT IN MY CAR, AND I COME HOME.
AND THE PROBLEM WITH SITTING IS IT CAUSES YOUR GLUTES TO WEAKEN AND IT CAUSE MY LOWER BACK TO PA TO HURT.
SO I RESEARCHED THE MOST EFFECTIVE WORKOUT WAS LIKE THE DONKEY KICKS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T PUT ANY PRESSURE ON YOUR KNEES.
AND SO YOU NORMALLY PUT LIKE HANDHELD DUMBBELLS BEHIND YOUR LEG.
BUT I WAS LIKE, THIS IS SO HARD TO KEEP IN PLACE.
WHAT IF IT WAS ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED? AND SO THAT'S WHAT INSPIRED ME TO CRAVE THE TONER.
BUM, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET THE TONER BUM NOW AND GIVE YOUR BUM SOME LOVE.
THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON IS, IS PREPARATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY LEADING UP TO THE PITCH COMPETITION, YOU DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF TAKING YOU THROUGH ALL THE WORKSHOPS, UM, FROM MARKETING TO FINANCIALS, TO, UM, PRODUCT SERVICE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UH, AS IT'S BEING PREPARED AND THEN GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO PITCH.
UM, PITCHING IS, YOU'LL ALWAYS DO THAT.
UM, IN THIS CURRENT STATE, I STILL DO THAT.
UM, BUT BEING PREPARED WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TAKE AWAY OR TOOK AWAY FROM LIFTOFF.
EVERYTHING FROM HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN TO LEARNING MARKETING STRATEGIES TO HOW TO PRESENT.
THERE WERE JUST SO MANY GAPS THAT I HAD, FINANCIALS THAT WERE ALL FILLED THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE THROUGH LIFTOFF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO, TO TALK ABOUT SUPPORT.
IT'S ONE THING TO, TO SAY WHAT YOU WILL DO, BUT TO ACTUALLY DO IT, UM, IS A WHOLE NOTHER THING.
AND CAPITAL ONE PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH WAS SUPPORTED.
UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL OF THE FOUNDERS, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD GIVE THE CEO OF CAPITAL ONE, JUST LIKE A BIG OLD WARM, LOVING HUG AND JUST TELL HIM, YOU'RE JUST SUCH A GR AMAZING PERSON TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO STARTING BUSINESSES.
BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH BEAUTY IN BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE HOUSTON.
AND WHEN THOSE BUSINESSES GROW AND THRIVE, THEY THEN GET TO HELP CAPITAL ONE.
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXCHANGE OF A GIVE AND TAKE RE RELATIONSHIP.
SO I'M TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE GIVING AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I WILL BE THE GIVER.
AND WHEN IN THE INNOVATION CATEGORY, IT, IT'S ABOUT SHOWING UP FOR, FOR YOURSELF EVERY DAY, UH, AND SHOWING UP FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY BE WORKING FOR, SUCH AS YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, UH, YOUR, YOUR PARTNERS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, LIVE OFF HOUSTON MEANS THAT I CAN, I CAN DO IT, UH, REGARDLESS OF, UH, WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE, BUT SHOWING UP, I CAN GET IT DONE.
AND THE INNOVATION CATEGORY IS BETTER WAVE BODY HEALTHY BLITZING OFF LIKE A JET.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'RE ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU'RE FIRST STARTING, RIGHT? AND SO THE CONCEPT OF LIFTING OFF IS JUST SO POWERFUL TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ALL THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS AND
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JUST LIKE BUILDING A SPACECRAFT, RIGHT? YOU REALLY, YOU NEED A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY PREPARE YOURSELF TO LIFT OFF.SO THE HOUSTON LIFTOFF COMPETITION PREPARES YOU FOR THAT LIFTOFF.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S THE END OF THE VIDEO.
ALRIGHT,
ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT AN INSPIRING STORY FROM BOTH KYLIE SUMMERS AND ALINA CHENKO.
WOW, TWO OF OUR BIG PAST WINNERS.
AND I GOTTA SAY THAT THE IMPACT THAT THIS ORGANIZATION AND THIS PROGRAM HAS IS FAR REACHING.
IN FACT, WE DO HAVE ONE OF OUR PAST WINNERS IN HERE TODAY.
I WANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE, UH, KYLIE, WHO'S, UH, SITTING RIGHT HERE.
EVERYBODY GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
COME ON UP ON STAGE WITH ME REAL QUICK.
I, I WANNA I WANNA, UH, UH, JUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ONE MORE TIME AND, AND, UH, AND WELCOME YOU UP ON STAGE AND WE HAVE A, A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU UP AND, AND PRESENT YOU WITH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT, IN THIS VIDEO, OBVIOUSLY YOU SHARED A LOT OF YOUR THOUGHTS THAT, UH, LIFT OFF HAD ON YOUR LIFE.
UM, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, KYLIE, THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US THAT, THAT YOU DIDN'T SAY IN THAT VIDEO THAT MAYBE THAT THAT, THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH US HERE TODAY?
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND, UM, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO, TO COME BACK, UH, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, LIFT OUR BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION,
UH, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO, TO, TO BE BACK, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK HOME, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD FEELING TO BE AT HOME, RIGHT? IT'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
UH, ACTUALLY IN 2016, THIS WAS THE FIRST PITCH COMPETITION THAT I'VE EVER WON.
UH, AND IT WAS TRULY THAT LIFTOFF CAPITAL I NEEDED, UM, FOR EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE.
WHETHER YOU, A, YOU ARE A ENTREPRENEUR, A A PARTNER TO AN ENTREPRENEUR, A KID, A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, UH, REMEMBER ONE THING, UH, FOR THE FOUNDERS OR SOMEBODY WHO'S STARTING A BUSINESS, EVERY THING THAT YOU, OR EVERY INTERACTION YOU HAVE WITH THEM IS SUPPORT.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
IT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.
UM, AND, AND, AND, AND I WOULD TELL YOU IT GETS LONELY.
AND SO, SO JUST REMEMBER, IT'S, IT, IT IS ABOUT CAPITAL, BUT CAPITAL COMES IN A, IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS.
IT'S HUMAN CAPITAL, IT'S FINANCIAL CAPITAL, IT'S NETWORK, IT'S, IT, IT'S CAPITAL COMES IN, IN, IN A, A FORM A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO IT IS THE, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON STANDING UP THERE GIVING THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT TAKES THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT FOUNDER, TO MAKE THAT BUSINESS, TO MAKE IT GROW.
SO WE ALL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE, AND I WOULD JUST TELL YOU, JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU'RE CONNECTED WITH A FOUNDER, JUST CALL 'EM.
JUST ASK 'EM HOW THEY'RE DOING, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT THEM? AND I TELL YOU, IT WOULD GO A LONG, LONG WAY FOR THEM.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE A FEW WORDS THIS MORNING.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SHAKE YOUR HAND WIDE WORDS, WISE WORDS, MAN, I LOVE SEEING THAT.
I LOVE SEEING A SUCCESSFUL PERSON BASED ON THE IMPACT THAT THIS, THAT THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD.
I JUST, UH, IT JUST MAKES ME, FILLS ME UP, FILLS MY CUP, AND I KNOW THAT IT DOES FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
BECAUSE OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON, THESE WINNERS, MORE PEOPLE LIKE KYLIE, HAVE BECOME CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND SUCCESS OF OUR CITY.
THE GROWTH OF HOUSTON'S LOCAL ECONOMY, THEIR SUCCESS AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IS OUR SUCCESS.
THEY'VE GROWN THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEY'VE GROWN THEM PAST THE STARTUP PHASE INTO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES.
AND AS WE RETURN LIFT OFF HOUSTON, YEAR AFTER YEAR WORK, SHOPPING SPEAKERS, PITCH COACHES, THANK YOU FOR GIVING BACK AND INSPIRING OTHERS LIKE HIM.
AND OF COURSE, LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER PAST SUCCESSFUL WINNERS, EVERY PROGRAM DEPENDS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY COMMITTED TO ITS SUCCESS.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL TODAY, WE'RE JOINED BY VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE VERY FIRST LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
AND WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE PEOPLE WHO
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HAVE WORN MULTIPLE HATS, WHO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, WHO PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.NOT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE COULD BE WITH US THIS MORNING, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SHARON FLETCHER, WHO I HOPE IS IN THE ROOM WITH US THIS MORNING.
SHARON, COME JOIN ME ON STAGE.
I'M GONNA GIVE THIS TO YOU, SHARON.
YOU STAND RIGHT OVER HERE WITH ME.
THIS IS AN AMAZING WOMAN RIGHT HERE, FOLKS.
SHARON, ALONG WITH NICOLE ROBINSON WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
WE DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE GONNA MAKE IT.
NICOLE ALSO COME UP AND JOIN ME ON STAGE AND SHE DESERVES ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
STAND RIGHT UP HERE AND LET ME EXTOL BOTH OF YOUR VIRTUES.
AND DURING THEIR TENURE AT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, SHARON AND NICOLE HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO THE GROWTH OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON.
IN 2015, THEY HELPED LAUNCH THE PROGRAM WITH JUST 504 ATTENDEES IN 2021 WITH MORE THAN 3,300 ATTENDED THE PROGRAM VIRTUALLY.
IN 2020, THESE WOMEN MADE SURE LIFT OFF HOUSTON WOULD GO ON DESPITE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
AND THAT SAME YEAR, THEY INTRODUCED THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY TO EXTEND ITS REACH TO OTHERS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF HOUSTON.
SHARON AND NICOLE, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE PAST DECADE HAS HELPED LIFT OFF HOUSTON AND ITS IMPACT GROW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON LEGACY.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INVITE EACH ONE OF YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU'D LIKE.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE PODIUM.
UM, I AM SUPER DUPER EXCITED AND ELATED AND HONORED TO BE, UM, BEFORE YOU ALL JUST RECEIVING, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY, RECOGNIZING AND ACKNOWLEDGING CONTRIBUTIONS TO LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
UM, AS I STAND HERE, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS YEAR 10, AS IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY, UH, WE WERE EMBARKING UPON THE YEAR OF INCEPTION WHEN I BECAME A PART OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, FAMILY LIFT OFF HOUSTON INSTANTLY BECAME MY BABY.
AS I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS AND STILL IS, THE KEY TO ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS, AS IT LITERALLY IS THE CATALYST TO TURNING ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMS TO INTO REALITY.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. LAWSON, DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ALSO NICOLE ROBINSON, WHO IS JOINING ME HERE TODAY.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY SHE'S HERE.
DIDN'T KNOW SHE WOULD BE HERE, BUT SHE'S THE FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
UM, AND JUST THANKING THEM FOR TRUSTING ME TO LEAD THIS EFFORT EACH YEAR.
LAWSON'S VISION AND COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY AND NICOLE'S LEADERSHIP THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO CAPITAL ONE, MARETTE HOWARD.
UM, AS THEY HAVE GRACIOUSLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, PROPELLING INSPIRING ENTREPRENEURS TO BECOME TRUE BUSINESS OWNERS AND TRUSTING US TO GET THE JOB DONE, UM, WITH SUPPORT OF GREAT RESOURCE PARTNERS LIKE SCORE, HCC, LIFT FUND, PEOPLE FUND AND THE RA COMPANY.
AND OF COURSE, I CANNOT FORGET, UM, MY BELOVED TEAM OVER AT HTV, WHO HAS DONE SOME INVALUABLE WORK TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
EACH OF YOU MADE IT EASY TO LEAD THIS EFFORT AS YOU ALL COMMITTED YOUR TIME AND RESOURCES CONSISTENTLY EACH YEAR.
UM, STEVE JOBS SAID THAT GREAT THINGS AND BUSINESS ARE NEVER DONE BY ONE PERSON.
THEY'RE DONE BY A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
ACHIEVING A 10 YEAR MILESTONE COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, WHO IS CURRENTLY UNDER THE, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR OF MARSHA MURRAY, WITH FOLKS LIKE PEARL COHOS, WHO WORKS TIRELESS, WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY ALONGSIDE OF ME.
THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON SMALL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION REMAINED VIABLE AND IMPACTFUL.
EVEN WE HAD TO PIVOT DURING COVID BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM WORK AND THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER.
I FEEL I HAVE GAINED A FRIEND THAT WILL LAST BEYOND THE SERVICE TO LEAD AND
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SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA PAUSE AND I'M GONNA FINISH.
BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PEARL AND JUST THANK HER FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT SHE GAVE ME DURING THE TIME THAT I WAS HERE.
SO I WANTED TO PRESENT THESE TO YOU AND JUST TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF A GREAT JOURNEY WE, I HAD TO DO THAT, Y'ALL.
I, I AM NOT A BIG PERSON OF SELF, AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE PEARL FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK.
UM, BECAUSE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF ONE ANOTHER.
UM, THIS WORK IS BIGGER THAN ME AND THE OTHERS WHO CONTINUE TO INVEST AND SUPPORT IT.
FOR SOME, IT IS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAM COME TRUE.
FOR SOME, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE THEIR OWN STORY.
AND FOR SOME, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
HOWEVER, THIS OPPORTUNITY IS IDENTIFIED FOR EACH OF, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WILL FOREVER BE EMBEDDED INTO THE FABRIC OF THIS PROGRAM IN THIS CITY.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, THE PARTICIPANTS, THE WINNERS AND THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS WILL CONTINUE TO TELL THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON STORY.
BEFORE I GO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE MY HUSBAND WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY 'CAUSE HE HAD TO WORK.
UM, BUT I HAVE MY BEST FRIEND WHO IS HERE, DR.
NAIROBI MARTINDALE, WHO'S HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT ME FOR OVER 30 YEARS OR SO.
WE ARE NOT GONNA TELL OUR AGE.
OKAY? UH, AND SO FINALLY TO THE FINALIST TODAY, JUST REMEMBER, NOTHING GREAT IS EVER ACHIEVED WITHOUT ENTHUSIASM AND SACRIFICE.
THE TIME YOU HAVE INVESTED IN YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM WILL BENEFIT YOU BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE COMPETITION.
GOOD LUCK TODAY, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU, MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT, UH,
SO, UH, REALLY AM, UH, I TRY TO HOLD MYSELF TOGETHER AS AS MUCH AS I CAN.
UM, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS YOUNG LADY RIGHT HERE, UM, I'M SO PROUD.
AND, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE PROUD MAMA, PROUD SISTER, PROUD, PROUD OF EVERYTHING.
UM, CONGRAT, THANKS FOR SHARING.
THERE'S SO MANY, UH, PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE INSPIRATIONAL IN SO MANY WAYS.
UM, BUT I LOVE TO SAY GIRL POWER, YOU KNOW, AND ACKNOWLEDGING SHARING, AND DR. LAWSON AND PEARL AND MARSHA AND OUR FORMER WINNERS AND, AND OUR LEADERS, OPHELIA, SHE'S SOMEWHERE IN THE ROOM AND MEMBERS OF OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM, YOU KNOW, JUST AMAZING, AMAZING WOMEN AND LEADERS.
AND, UH, I'M JUST SO PROUD TO BE AMONG YOU ALL.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME WORDS, AND, AND I, IN THE SPIRIT OF TIME, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO REDUNDANT, BUT I, I DO WANT TO SHARE, UM, THERE IS SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS AND REMINDS US ALL.
IT'S PETER ONE, PETER FOUR THROUGH 10.
IT SAYS, EACH OF YOU SHOULD USE WHATEVER GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED TO SERVE OTHERS.
AND I HAVE USED THIS SCRIPTURE AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF HOW I'VE CHOSEN TO LIVE MY LIFE AND IS WHY I AM SO OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW WITH GRATITUDE.
UM, JUST TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO HAVE MY, UH, SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO LIFT OFF, UH, RECOGNIZED, UH, IN THIS WAY, UM, THIS MOMENT IS MADE EVEN MORE PRECIOUS.
AND THAT I'M, I'M NOT ONLY ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH MY SON COLE, WHO'S IN THE BACK.
UM, AND MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS JUST A BABY, BUT HE'S 16 NOW.
SO HE REALLY GREW UP WITH WEST OFF AS WELL,
BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IN THIS MOMENT OF HISTORY, REALLY FOR THIS PROGRAM A LITTLE MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO, UM, THE SEED OF THIS PROGRAM WAS REALLY SEWN AND IT WAS PLANTED THROUGH THE VISION, IF YOU'VE HEARD OF OUR VERY DYNAMIC LEADER AND THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, DR.
R BROWN LAWSON, AND AT THAT TIME THE FORMER OBO DIRECTOR, CARIA WRIGHT.
AND THEN THE TORCH
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SO EXPERTLY BY THE CURRENT, UM, OBO DIRECTOR MARSHA MURRAY.AND THEY HAD AN ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S BEEN TWO ADMINISTRATIONS.
WE HAD MARY AND DENISE PARKER, AND WE ALSO HAVE, OF COURSE, OUR HONORABLE SYLVESTER TURNER RIGHT NOW WHO VORACIOUSLY SUPPORTED THIS VISION, UM, THIS PROGRAM AND THIS GOAL.
AND THEN CAPITAL ONE BEING A FOUNDING CONTRIBUTOR.
AND SO HERE WE ARE, AND WE FAST FORWARD AND IT'S 10 YEARS LATER, AND THAT SEED HAS BEEN CULTIVATED, AND IT'S BEEN NURTURED TO REALLY ALLOW LIFT OFF HOUSTON TO BE A GAME CHANGER WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD OF STARTUPS AND INVESTMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND ALSO, AND THIS IS WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SO PROUD OF, IT'S BECOME A LIFE CHANGER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DARED TO DREAM, TO STEP OUT ON FAITH AND TO BE A PART OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW YOUR DREAMS TO BECOME REALITY.
AND SO MANY COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO WOULDN'T OTHERWISE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF IT WERE NOT FOR LIFTOFF HOUSTON.
AND SO TO STATE THAT I AM HONORED, UH, WOULD JUST REALLY, TRULY BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
THE SUCCESS OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON IS TRULY, TRULY THE RESULT OF COLLECTIVE WORK, COLLECTIVE IMPACT OF COLLABORATION OF SO MANY PEOPLE, THE TIME, THE EFFORT, THE ENERGY, THE PASSION, THE COMMITMENT, THE HARD WORK THAT IT TOOK OF SO, SO MANY.
AND IF I LISTED EVERYBODY TODAY,
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AS SHARON SAID, BECAUSE NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ALONE.
AND IN THIS SPIRIT AND IN THIS SPACE, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE A COLLABORATION, A DREAM TEAM, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, HTV, OUR INTERNAL CITY OF HOUSTON PARTNERS, AS WELL AS OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING, WHO STEPPED UP LIKE CAPITAL ONE, LIKE SCORE LIKE HCC, SO MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SAID, WE EMBRACE AND WE SHARE IN THIS VISION WITH YOU ALL.
UM, BUT I'M GRATEFUL BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE JUST SOME SPECIAL, SPECIAL PEOPLE LIKE SHARON BEING ONE OF THOSE, PEARL BEING IN THE ROOM.
UM, THERE IS ALLEN AND KENNETH, AND, AND I COULD GO ON, BUT DR. LAWSON, I, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND TRUSTING WITH ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP, TO CARRY AND SEE THIS VISION OUT.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR TEAM AND FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, AND JUST SO THANKFUL, AGAIN, ARE PROUD, SO PROUD OF THE PARTICIPANTS TODAY FOR DARING TO DREAM, KEEP DREAMING, KEEP PURSUING YOUR GOALS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, TO THIS ENTIRE TEAM.
I'M HUMBLED AND I'M, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND BLESSED, UM, TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK A LOT ALONGSIDE YOU AND TO PLAY A, A SMALL PART IN THIS SUCCESS.
SHARON AND NICOLE, APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THIS MORNING LARRY PAGE.
HE COULD NOT JOIN US IN PERSON TODAY, BUT LARRY IS A LIFTOFF.
HOUSTON PIONEER VOLUNTEERED HIS TIME YEAR AFTER YEAR TO BRING STORIES OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON WINNERS AND FINALISTS TO LIFE.
HIS PRESENCE AT WINNERS PANELS HAVE ENCOURAGED CONTESTANTS TO CONQUER THEIR FEARS AND HIS ENGAGING RED CARPET INTERVIEWS HAVE INSPIRED COUNTLESS LIFT OFF HOUSTON AUDIENCES.
LARRY EXPRESSES HER REGRETS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE WITH US TODAY, BUT HE IS WITH US IN SPIRIT, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
ALSO, OF COURSE, FINALLY, NONE OF US WOULD BE CELEBRATING A DECADE OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON, IF NOT FOR OUR PRIMARY SPONSOR.
ON BEHALF OF MARIAL STER TURNER, DR.
RIA LAWSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND MARSHA MURRAY, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
[00:30:01]
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, A WORLD OF THANKS AND SEC AND SINCERE GRATITUDE TO CAPITAL ONE FOR THEIR INVESTMENT TO THE SUCCESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.WE'RE GONNA HEAR A FEW WORDS FROM MARVETTE HOWARD, RELATIONSHIP MANAGER FOR CAPITAL ONE'S TEXAS COMMUNITY IMPACT AND INVESTMENT TEAM LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS WE ANNOUNCE OUR WINNERS.
AND THAT SHOULD MAKE THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF YOUR NEXT STANDOUT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE TO HEAR.
THE WINNERS WHO'S TAKEN HOME THE MONEY.
ALL I'M UNBUTTONING MY SUIT JACKET BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR THE PITCH BATTLES TO BEGIN.
EACH FINALIST IS GONNA PITCH THEIR BUSINESS PLANS.
Y'ALL GET FOUR MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY A SIX MINUTE Q AND A FROM EACH OF OUR JUDGES.
EACH JUDGE IS GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GRILL YOU, OKAY? THEY GET TO ASK A MINIMUM OF ONE QUESTION.
FINALISTS, YOU GET TO USE PROPS DURING YOUR PITCHES, BUT YOU KNEW THIS.
THEY MUST BE SHARED WITH THE IN, IN THE ALLOTTED TIME, PROVIDED THE SERVICE CATEGORY IS UP.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SERVICE CATEGORY JUDGES, MERRIAM KAHAN, CAPITAL ONE BANK, KIRA HARDWICK FROM THE KIRA COMPANY, AND KEN UNDERHILL FROM CYBER LIFE.
COME ON UP, JUDGES GET READY TO DO WHAT YOU DO.
THE SERVICE CATEGORY FINALISTS ARE AS FOLLOWS AND WILL PITCH IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
I HOPE I GET YOUR NAMES PRONOUNCED PROPERLY.
CHARICE BUCK AND FERRE F IKA, I LOVE YOU.
IKA LAC IGNITE DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS, LLC, FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY EVANS, THE COTERIE WINE BAR AND SOCIAL CLUB.
AND THEN ROUNDING OUT OUR PITCHES, WE HAVE NATASHA ROBERTS ACTIVATE DRIP SPA SERVICE CATEGORY.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, HOSPITALITY CITY AND STATE.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON NOW FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER 10 YEARS.
UM, I CAME INTO HOUSTON AS AN EDUCATOR, SO I TAUGHT HISD AS A PHYSICAL EDUCATOR, UM, FOR MANY YEARS.
AND NOW I'M CURRENTLY WORKING COLLEGE ATHLETICS.
MY FAMILY IS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA.
WE MIGRATED TO HOUSTON WHEN I WAS ABOUT THREE MONTHS OLD WITH THE REST OF MY SIBLINGS.
I JUST MOVED HERE IN MAY, UM, TO ENJOY THIS JOURNEY OF THE OPENING A BUSINESS WITH MY LOVELY PARTNER.
WELL, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.
I MOVED TO HOUSTON AFTER, UM, GRADUATING FROM XAVIER UNIVERSITY IN LOUISIANA WITH MY BACHELOR'S, BACHELOR'S IN CHEMISTRY.
UM, I HAVE AN MBA WITH A FOCUS IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SALES MANAGEMENT.
I HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH MY SCORE MENTORS, MY MULTIPLE SCORE MENTORS.
I HARASSED PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU NEED TO JOIN THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON COMPETITION.
THROUGH SCORE, WE RECEIVED THE EMAIL AND WE BOTH DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
I ACTUALLY HAD GOOD CREDIT TO A PAST PARTICIPANT.
UM, SHE WAS A PARTICIPANT BACK IN THE EARLY, UM, LIFTOFF.
UM, SHE'S CURRENTLY MY FRIEND, BUT WITHOUT TOLA, I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN.
SHE'S TALK HIGHLY OF LIFTOFF AND SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT START FOR ME TO GET GOING.
I'LL USE THE CASH PRIZE TO HELP WITH MARKETING TO INCREASE CLIENTS INTO MY, INTO THE SPA INVENTORY AS WELL AS PURCHASE EQUIPMENT.
IT WILL HELP US WITH OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS SUCH AS LEGAL FEES, LEASING AND UTILITIES.
UM, THE $10,000 CASH PRIZE WILL HELP ME WITH ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, UM, PERMITS THAT I'LL NEED TO GET STARTED, AS WELL AS THE MARKETING, UM, DIRECT MARKETING TO MY CUSTOMERS.
[00:35:01]
WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS, WE ARE INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND IN THE COMMUNITY.BRUCE STEM CHANGE MAKERS, UM, THIS ISN'T YOUR GRANDFATHER'S COUNTRY CLUB.
MEET THE WOMAN WHO'S REDEFINING, WHO'S REIMAGINING OF THE INDUSTRY.
TASHA ROBERT'S, JOURNEY TO SUCCESS, TEEN MOM TO ENTREPRENEUR, TO PHILANTHROPIST.
ALRIGHT, READY? HI, I'M CHARICE BUCK, CEO AND I'M FARKA, AK, COO.
AND WE ARE IGNITE DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS.
STATISTICS SHOW THAT 37.4% OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN RECALLED THUS FAR IN 2022 DUE TO SALMONELLA AND STERIA PRODUCTS SUCH AS STRAWBERRIES AND BABIES.
BABY FORMULA AND STERIA CAUSES STILLBORNS IN PREGNANT WOMEN.
SO HOW OUR SERVICE CAN HELP, IDS IS AN ANALYTICAL TESTING SERVICE.
WE SUPPORT A LOT OF YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS.
JUST THINK OF GENERAL MEALS AND PEPSICO, HOW OUR SERVICE WORKS IS THAT THEY WILL SEND US SAMPLES.
WE WILL, WE WILL TEST THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
TO CONSUME OUR NICHE IS OUR PROFOUND EXPERTISE IN ANALYTICAL TESTING METHODS IN HEMP AND CBD, AS WELL AS OUR CONSULTATIVE SALES APPROACH.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S A LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL CONTAMINATION AND OVERSIGHT BECAUSE THEY ALLOW OUR COMPETITORS TO TEST THEIR OWN PRODUCT.
THIS IS WHY OUR SERVICES ARE NEEDED.
SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE WILL OFFER WILL BE A CANNABINOID PROFILE IN WHICH TEST THE POTENCY OF THE DRUG.
SO IT CAN HELP YOU WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE WILL ALSO DO A MICROBIAL SCREENING, WHICH WE WILL TEST FOR SALMONELLA AND STERIA, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND WE WILL DO A TERPENE ANALYSIS.
IF YOU'RE A BEER DRINKER, THINK OF YOUR IPA, YOUR HOPS, THAT THE GRAPEFRUIT FLAVOR, THAT IS THE TERPENE AND TERPENES ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS AS WELL.
OUR TARGET MARKET CONSISTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THE FDA, ALSO STATE LABORATORIES AND HEMP GROWERS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, IT'S PROJECTED THAT THE TESTING MARKET WILL GENERATE MORE THAN $18 BILLION BY THE YEAR 2024 AND $2.5 BILLION IN TEXAS ALONE.
ALTHOUGH WE WILL HAVE A ROBUST ONLINE PRESENCE, WE WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS AND USING OUR CONNECTIONS AND OUR NETWORK TO FIND LUCRATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE WILL BREAK EVEN IN YEAR TWO.
AND IN YEAR THREE, WE WILL HAVE A 15% NET PROFIT MARGIN.
SEEING POSITIVE CASH FLOW, WE WILL UTILIZE COST PLUS PRICING MODEL.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL GIVE US HEALTHY PROFIT MARGINS.
WE WILL ALSO ALSO REEVALUATE OUR OPERATIONS AND FINDING WAYS TO SAVE, UM, BY IMPROVING OUR PROCESSES AND ALSO HAVING, UH, STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR SUPPLIERS.
IF AWARDED THE $10,000, IT WILL GO TOWARDS OUR STARTUP AND OPERATIONAL COSTS, SUCH AS LEASING LEGAL FEES ALONG WITH THE 150,000 THAT WE WILL RAISE AND CONTRIBUTE.
WE'RE ASKING 1.8 MILLION FROM THE BANK FOR A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF 1.95 MILLION.
IN YEAR THREE, WE'LL SEE GROSS REVENUE REACH $3.7 MILLION.
THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT WILL SET US UP FOR SUCCESS AS WE PLAN ON PURCHASING OUR OWN BUILDING BY YEAR FOUR, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT SO WE CAN MEET FUTURE DEMAND.
SO WE WILL ENRICH THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY BY BEING LEADERS IN SCIENCE THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INSTILLING GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES IN OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE DRIVEN BY OUR PURPOSE, NOT ONLY TO CREATE VALUE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED IN THEIR VITAL RESOURCES.
WE'LL ENGAGE IN ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BY GOING INTO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING TRAININGS AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE LEVEL STUDENTS THROUGH INTERN INTERNSHIPS AND MENTORSHIPS AS WELL.
WE ARE IGNITE DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS.
BEHIND EVERY SAMPLE IS A CONSUMER WHOSE HEALTH AND SAFETY WE CARE ABOUT.
UM, SO THE, I BELIEVE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE A, A WOMEN MINORITY CERTIFIED, UH, BUSINESS.
DO YOU ALREADY HAVE PUBLIC SECTOR CONTACTS OR IS THAT STILL YES.
[00:40:01]
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC SECTOR CONTACTS AND WE ARE ALSO REACHING OUT AND MAKING MORE CONNECTIONS AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW.AND THROUGH OUR COACH, WE ARE ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING, WHICH IS WE ARE CURRENTLY, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF DOING NOW, ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY OF THE NO BID CONTRACTS OR ARE YOU GOING THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS? FOR THE PUBLIC SIDE? RFPS AND WE'RE LOOKING TO BE SUBCONTRACTORS FOR AN ARC.
WE'RE LIKE, WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT FOR THE MONEY.
SO FIRST OF ALL, FANTASTIC JOB.
UM, I LOVE THE STAR QUALITY OF BEING, UM, MINORITY BEING BLACK WOMEN IN STEM.
THAT'S STAR QUALITY IN AND OF ITSELF THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO GET REALLY CONNECTED TO YOUR BUSINESS.
MY QUESTION IS, AND IT'S REALLY IN LINE WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUE HERE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO ENTERING THE MARKET, EDUCATION IS A BIG PART OF IT.
WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY FOR MAKING SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SERVICE YOU'RE PROVIDING SO THAT THOSE PRIMES AND OR THOSE NO BID OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE BE MADE MORE AVAILABLE TO YOU? WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY THERE? DO YOU WANNA START AND I TAKE IT? SURE.
SO OUR, WE WANT TO DEFINITELY BECOME A SUBCONTRACTOR FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE ALL ALSO DOING THE SAME BUSINESS LINE OF BUSINESS THAT WE'RE DOING, THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THEM, UM, BECAUSE THEY DO UNDERSTAND OUR SERVICES AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE WILL ALSO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN TO DO MORE EDUCATION TO THE COMMUNITY, DO MORE EDUCATION TO, UM, FUTURE SERVICE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
SO CAN I ADD ONTO TO THAT, UM, AS WELL? WE'LL, WE WILL ALSO DO A PODCAST AND WE WILL PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE AND KEEP EVERYONE ABREAST WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD.
WE WILL GO INTO SPECIFICALLY RIGHT NOW HBCUS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SAME RESOURCES THAT YOU WOULD GET AT A PWI AND WE WANT TO SEE THOSE STEM MAJORS WELL EQUIPPED FOR THE WORKFORCE AND THEN HELP THEM ALONG THE, THEIR COLLEGIATE CAREER AS WELL.
FOR THOSE THAT MAY JUST WANNA GO INTO THE DOCTORAL FIELD AND DO RESEARCH AND NOT PARTICULARLY COME INTO A CAREER PATH LABORATORY.
JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME ON THAT JOURNEY BECAUSE THAT OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PIPELINE YES.
FOR, UM, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT AND GENERATE MORE, MORE REVENUE.
AND MAYBE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS MIRIAM, BUT JUST WANTED TO, UM, KIND OF BE A LITTLE MORE CURIOUS ABOUT, DO YOU UNDERSTAND MAYBE YOUR POSITION IN THE MARKET, UM, AS MINORITIES IN THE STEM SPACE? YES.
AND SO I WANNA JUST UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU'RE PLANNING TO TRULY LEVERAGE THAT UNDERSTANDING THE HBCU TRACK.
BUT THEN WHAT ELSE WILL YOU KIND OF CAPITALIZE AS A PART OF THAT, THAT JOURNEY? YEAH.
SO GOING BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE LIKE US, UM, TO JOIN IN AND BE SUBCONTRACTORS.
IT LOOKS GOOD FOR THEM TO SEE THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING, UM, BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, BLACK WOMEN AT THAT.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY CAPITALIZING ON THAT.
NOW, TO BE ABLE TO BE A SUBCONTRACTOR IS ONE OF THE WAYS, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND THEY HAVE ALLOCATED, UM, LAST YEAR THEY ALLOCATED $5.5 BILLION FOR BLACK-OWNED MINORITY BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY WOMEN IN COLOR.
SO THE MONEY IS OUT THERE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR IT CURRENTLY, AND WE ARE UTILIZING THAT LEVERAGE AND THE CONNECTIONS THROUGH OUR BUSINESS COACH.
AND THEN SOME OF MY PROFESSORS THAT ARE ACTUALLY AT TSU CONNECTING WITH THEM, UM, MY PROFESSORS FROM HAMPTON NOW HAVE JOBS AT TSU.
UM, SO THAT IS HOW WE ARE LEVERAGING.
LOVE THE ENERGY, LOVE THE POSITIVITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, ESTABLISHING YOUR BUSINESS, UH, WE LOOK AT THE LOCATION.
WE LOOK AT SAFETY PROTOCOLS, ESPECIALLY IN, IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THE CUSTOMERS OVER.
I READ IN YOUR PLAN THAT IT SAYS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, UM, LOCATION WHERE IS IS UNDERSERVED.
UM, SO WHAT IS THE REASONING BEHIND THAT? YOU'RE, YOU SPECIFICALLY SET THAT IN, IN THAT BUSINESS PLAN? WELL, FOR ONE, THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ARE ALWAYS LEFT OUT.
IT'S LIKE A THOUGHT IN YOUR MIND AND YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY OR YOUR CITY THE BEST.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES, NOT BE AFRAID.
WE HAVE TO SERVE, WE HAVE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, SEE WHAT IS MISSING, AND BE THAT PUZZLE PIECE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO SAY, HEY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM OR WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT ARE IN THIS FIELD.
IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT TOO.
[00:45:01]
WE GOT RESOURCES OUT THERE.SO DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT YOUR ENVIRONMENT, JUST LOOK TOWARDS THE HEELS THAT COME IF YOUR HELP.
THEY HAVE MORE, THEY HAVE MORE.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS HAVE FOR US IN 30 SECONDS? JUST THANK YOU.
THIS WAS A BLESSING AND A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE CONTESTANTS.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, KEEP THE FAITH AND KEEP YOUR HEAD UP.
GOD HAS YOU AND HE IS THE LEADER OF YOUR LIFE.
I'M JUST GONNA DO A QUICK TRANSITION AND BRING UP OUR NEXT, UH, A SERVICE CATEGORY, UH, PITCH.
UH, KIMBERLY EVANS, WELCOME HER TO THE STAGE, THE COTERIE WINE BAR AND SOCIAL CLUB.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU FELT A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE? I HAVE.
IT'S USUALLY WHEN I VISIT PLACES LIKE COUNTRY CLUBS OR PRIVATE SOCIAL CLUBS.
I'M USUALLY ONE OF THE FEW WOMEN WHO ARE IN THE ROOM.
AND I'M ALMOST ALWAYS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE OF COLOR.
I LIKE THIS INCLUS OF PRIVATE CLUBS, BUT THEY DO LACK OF REPRESENTATION UNTIL NOW.
MY BACKGROUND IS PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SPORT, RECREATION, AND LEISURE.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE COTERIE, A SOCIAL CLUB TAILORED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR.
THIS WILL NOT BE YOUR GRANDFATHER'S COUNTRY CLUB.
THE PRIVATE SOCIAL CLUB INDUSTRY IS A $59.9 BILLION INDUSTRY.
WITH THE 5% GROWTH, TEXAS CAPTURES $1.5 BILLION OF THIS MARKET, ALSO AT THE 5% GROWTH OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THE GROWTH RATE IS DRIVEN BY STRONG CONSUMER DEMAND ON PERSONAL WELLNESS, SOCIAL JUSTICE, ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY, AND AN INCREASE IN MILLENNIALS AND MINORITIES.
THERE'S UNTAPPED MARKET WITH HIGH POTENTIAL.
OUR TARGET MARKET ARE PERSONS OF COLOR, MEN AND WOMEN AGES 25 TO 64, WORKING, WORKING INDIVIDUALS AGES 25 TO 64 WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME ABOVE THE HOUSTON AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 89 7.
OUR MEMBERS ARE INDUSTRY LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE PARTICIPANTS IN LIFE, WHO ARE ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITY AND EMPOWERMENT.
MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SAID, YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW A PERSON MAKES YOU FEEL, AND THAT WILL BE THE COTERIE.
THE COTERIE WINE AND SOCIAL CLUB WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING EXPERIENCES AS OPPOSED TO SELLING A PRODUCT.
OUR CUSTOMERS WILL ENJOY A MORE DIVERSIFIED EXPERIENCE THAN THE TRADITIONAL SOCIAL CLUBS.
REMOTE WORKPLACE VALUE, PRICING, HEALTH AND FITNESS AND MULTI-GENERATIONAL SOCIAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE OUR FOCUSES, OUR FOCUS, HOW WE MAKE MONEY.
72% OF OUR YEAR, ONE REVENUE WILL COME FROM, WILL COME FROM, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE AS THE OTHER 28% WILL COME FROM OUR MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP SALES.
THE TRADITIONAL AND LONGSTANDING SOCIAL CLUBS AND PRIVATE CLUBS LIKE THE PPCH AND THE HOUSTON CLUBS HAVE SIMILAR BUT NOT IDENTICAL, UM, FUNCTIONS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CORY WILL BE CONVENIENT AS WELL IN CONVENIENT PRICING AND, AND SERVICES AND AFFORDABLE.
OUR NEXT STEPS, THE MAJORITY OF THE $10,000 WILL CO, WILL GO TOWARDS STARTING OUR BUSINESS PERMITS AND FEES AND LEGAL.
THE REMAINING CONTRIBUTION WILL GO TOWARDS MARKETING.
WE'LL BE CREATING MANY EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT
[00:50:01]
THE CITY TO CREATE BUZZ.YEAR TWO AND THREE WILL BE FOCUSED ON ADDITIONAL GAINING ADDITIONAL CAPITAL AS WELL, SECURING LEASING AND LOAN A LEASE PROPERTY FOR THE ACTUAL HOUSTON CLUB, UH, CLUB PROPERTIES.
I THANK YOU FOR MY, YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY EVANS, AND WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN REIMAGINE COUNTRY CLUBS AND PRIVATE SOCIAL CLUBS HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
GREAT JOB ON THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, QUESTION JUST MORE AROUND THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TARGETING.
WE'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF COUNTRY CLUBS AND DEALT WITH A LOT OF ISSUES MM-HMM
UH, OBVIOUSLY AS AN INTERRACIAL COUPLE.
SO LIKE HOW ARE YOU ACTUALLY DIFFERENT, ASIDE FROM JUST SAYING WE'RE CATERING TO THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT TRADITIONALLY ARE NOT REPRESENTED AT COUNTRY CLUBS.
LIKE HOW, HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT? LIKE WHAT IS IT GONNA BE THE DECOR? IS IT THE, THE, LIKE, HOW ARE YOU KIND OF MAINTAINING THAT TO KEEP OUT ESSENTIALLY THOSE PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT BELIEF SYSTEM THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY FOUND IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES? CORRECT.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S KIND OF THE PROCESS CORRECT IN YOUR MIND OF HOW TO DO THAT? THE IDEA IS ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO OF FIRST THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, BUT IT'LL BE ALL OF THAT FROM THE DECOR.
YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE MINORITY EXPERIENCES, BLACK EXPERIENCES, AND THEY'RE FROM THE PHOTOS ON THE WALL, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURES OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE CLUBS LOOK ONE TYPE OF WAY.
SO IT'LL DEFINITELY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THE MUSIC WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, THE, WE ALSO HAVE THE PUBLIC WINE BAR AS CONNECTED, SO WE'LL STILL CATER TO THE COMMUNITY AS AS WELL, BUT ALSO OUR PROGRAMMING.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMMING, BUSINESS MARKETING, PROGRAMMING, UM, THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY ARE ASKING FOR, HOW TO HELP WITH YOUR FAMILY.
SO WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT NETWORKING WHERE IT'S JUST NOT, UM, POKER NIGHT.
WE'LL HAVE POKER NIGHT, BUT IT'LL BE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSIFIED.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE BETTER MUSIC THAT THAT'S REALLY NEEDED.
UM, LAST, UM, LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT PARTNERING WITH, UH, NOT REALLY LOCAL GYMS, BUT PLACES LIKE LIFETIME FITNESS FOR EXAMPLE, IS, IS KIND OF A HIGHER END.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS GOING THERE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT AS PART OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
SO DO YOU HAVE A STRATEGY OF REACHING OUT TO SOME OF THOSE HIGHER END TYPES OF GYMS LOCALLY TO, TO GET THE WORD OUT AND MAYBE PARTNER WITH THEM IN SOME CAPACITY? NO.
I, AND THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHT.
I HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THE, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE LEISURE AND FITNESS CLUBS, BUT I DIDN'T THINK OF IT IN THAT ASPECT.
UM, I DEFINITELY WAS LOOKING AT PARTYING WITH, UM, MINORITY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, AS WELL AS SOME DIFFERENT, UM, INDUSTRIES THAT HIRE MINORITIES.
BUT I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT PARTYING WITH THE LOCAL HEALTH CLUBS, UM, AT THAT PRICE POINT FOR MEMBERSHIP.
LAST, I GUESS LAST IDEA IN MY HEAD IS AMAZON AWS HAS A PRETTY BIG FACILITY AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCALING UP THEIR CLOUD, SO YOU MAY TRY TO REACH OUT TO THEM ALSO AND SAY, HEY, WE CAN OFFER THIS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF MONEY SET ASIDE FOR DIVERSITY INITIATIVES.
SO JUST MAYBE ANOTHER IDEA TO, TO TAKE AWAY IT.
AND YOU, YOU SAID AMAZON, CORRECT? YEAH, AMAZON AWS FOR CLOUD DIVISION.
SO I'M GONNA TRY TO MAKE FIVE QUESTIONS ONE.
SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
SO GENERATIONALLY THE SPAN IS ABOUT 40, 40 PLUS YEARS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO CROSS IN TERMS OF YOUR SECTOR, YOUR TARGET MARKET, WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT.
AND THEN SECONDARILY, UM, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE SOCIAL PROGRAMMING THAT YOU'LL HAVE, UH, HOSTED, UM, AT THE VENUE.
AND REALLY, IF YOU COULD TIE THAT IN FOR ME, HELP ME UNDERSTAND KIND OF THAT, THAT PROPOSITION.
UM, BUT WHAT I HAVE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, IS ME MEETING OF THE MINDS WHERE WE HAVE, WE COME TOGETHER AS BUSINESS PEOPLE TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN GET FINANCES FOR OUR BUSINESS, LIKE LIFT OFF HOUSTON, UM, AND CAPITAL ONE.
UM, HAVE, UM, UH, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, LIKE I SAID, COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
IF THERE'S STUFF GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S, LIKE I SAID, WHAT THE SOCIAL JUSTICE STUFF.
UM, IF THERE ARE VOTING RIGHTS THAT WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WHAT THE VOTE LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT, WHAT'S HOUSTON GOING THROUGH.
SO THOSE LITTLE SOCIAL PROGRAMS AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE THE RECREATION LEISURE PART AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW JUST UNWINDING AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
'CAUSE OUR JOBS ARE VERY STRESSFUL RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING AND CONVERSATIONS AT THE, UM, AT THE CLUB.
AND IS IT YOUR THOUGHT THAT BY BRIDGING GENERATIONALLY THAT SPAN OF, UH, THAT'S ALMOST GEN ZS AND BOOMER WELL, XERS? CORRECT.
IS THAT YOUR THOUGHT THAT THAT'LL BRING THEM TOGETHER? THE, THE MILLENNIALS ARE MAKING THAT CHANGE.
SO IT'S HELPING BRIDGE THE GAP.
SO I DO KNOW IT'S 40 YEARS, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, BUT ONE BRICK AT A TIME, WE COULD DO IT.
[00:55:01]
HI KIMBERLY.SO GREAT IDEA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE OTHER DAY MY FRIEND AND I, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE, THERE'S SUCH A NEED FOR THESE NICE FANCY GO, YOU KNOW, SO SPORTS BARS, SOCIAL CLUB SETTING WHERE PEOPLE LIKE US CAN GO AND MINGLE AND MEET OTHER PROFESSIONALS, UM, OUT THERE.
SO, SO I LIKE I LOVE THAT IDEA.
UM, YOUR EXPERIENCES, AND I'M LOOKING FROM A BANKER POINT OF VIEW, YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOU HAVE 10 YEARS OF, UH, INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE.
UM, WHAT KIND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE? YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING, STAFFING, PLANNING, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO IMPACT YOUR SERVICE, CORRECT? RIGHT.
SO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, KIND OF, UH, INSIGHT ON THAT.
SO I CURRENTLY WORK IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS NOW.
UM, SO I OVERSEE A LOT OF STAFF
BUT ON THE HOSPITALITY SIDE, I HAVE WORKED IN THE MANAGEMENT.
UM, I WORKED FOR HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
I WAS THE BAR MANAGER FOR, FOR YEARS, UM, UNTIL I MOVED, UM, FROM TEXAS AND CAME BACK, UM, AS SOME MANAGING STAFF.
LIKE I SAID, MY STUDENT ATHLETES, I MANAGE ALL THOSE 500 STUDENT ATHLETES.
I'VE HIRED ALL THE PEOPLE, UM, IN MY OFFICE.
SO I DO HAVE THE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, UM, AS WELL FROM TEACHING.
UM, I HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE AS WELL FROM THAT BEING AN DIRECTOR IN THE TEACHING AS WELL, UM, DEPARTMENT CHAIR.
UM, SO I DO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
I HOPE I ANSWERED, I KIND OF SAID A LOT OF WORDS.
WE HAVE SIX SECONDS, FIVE SECONDS.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? WELL, NO.
I HOPE THAT ONCE WE'RE UP, I HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS AT MY NEW CLUB AND I WILL HAVE A DISCOUNTED MEMBERSHIP FOR YOU GUYS.
THAT FELT A LITTLE BRIBIE TO ME.
CAN WE STRIKE THAT LAST COMMENT FROM THE RECORD?
ALRIGHT, NEXT UP WE'RE GONNA WELCOME NATASHA ROBERTS FROM ACTIVATE DRIP SPA.
ARE THERE ANY PARENTS IN THE ROOM? ALL RIGHT.
SO I BECAME A PARENT AT THE AGE OF 14.
IT WAS HARD AS A IMMIGRANT PARENT GROWING UP IN A LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD.
20 YEARS LATER, I DECIDED TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, UH, WE DECIDED, UM, LET'S ADVANCE AND HAVE A FAMILY.
SO, UM, I WASN'T ABLE TO HAVE A BABY NORMALLY, LIKE BEFORE WE HAD TO USE FERTILITY.
SO I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A SECOND DAUGHTER.
AND SO HE FOUGHT AND HE MADE IT THROUGH.
SASHA ROBERTS JOHNSON, AND I AM THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF ACTIVATE DRIP SPA.
OUR GOAL IS TO REHYDRATE, REFUEL, AND RECOVER YOUR BODY'S NEEDS BY STRIVING TO BE A HAVEN FOR HEALTH, WELLNESS AND AESTHETICS.
HE'S MY BABY, MY STRUGGLING BABY.
HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A RARE GENETIC DISORDER CALLED GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE TYPE 10.
HE'S THE YOUNGEST OUT OF 50 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO BE DIAGNOSED.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF HE PLAYS TOO HARD? IT'S ANYTHING TOO INTENSE.
UM, MUSCLES BREAK DOWN AND HE NEEDS IV HYDRATION AS HIS MAIN TREATMENT OF CHOICE.
I DIDN'T WANT MY SON TO BE HOSPITAL BOUND.
I WANTED TO HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY LIFE.
AND, UM, SO ACTIVATE DRIP SPA WAS FOUNDED.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH COVID-19 AND HAVING LONG-TERM SYMPTOMS, ILLNESS.
EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR SOME ILLNESS PREVENTIONS AND ORAL MEDICATIONS.
VITAMINS CAN HELP, BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO ABSORB IN YOUR STOMACH.
ONLY 30% IS ABSORBED IN YOUR GUT.
THE AGING POPULATION IS ALSO LOOKING FOR SOMETHING YOUNGER, UM, TO FEEL BETTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE DESIRE WE ALWAYS WANNA FILL AND LOOK YOUNG.
SO GUESS WHAT? ACTIVATE DRIP SPA HAS A SOLUTION.
WE HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS. WE HAVE A FASTER RECOVERY TIME.
IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT ABSORBED IN YOUR BLOODSTREAM.
UM, WE PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES IN A UNCONVENTIONAL WAY.
ANTI-AGING SERVICES HELP YOU LOOK AND FEEL GREAT AND BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE.
WE FOCUS ON THREE DIFFERENT MARKETS, THE
[01:00:01]
IV HYDRATION MARKET, TELEHEALTH MARKET, AND THE MED SPA MARKET.THERE'S A $11 BILLION MARKET FOR IV HYDRATION WITH A 8.2 PER PROJECTED GROWTH RATE.
WITH THE TELEHEALTH MARKET, IT'S $62.4 BILLION MARKET WITH A 37% GROWTH RATE.
AND THE SPA MARKET IS A $14.4 BILLION MARKET WITH A 13.6 GROWTH RATE.
GUESS WHAT? SO WE WERE GOING TO DO A 1500 SQUARE FOOT LOCATION, BUT THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION DELAYS.
SO WE OPENED IN MIDTOWN, WE GOT A SMALL LOCATION FOUR MINUTES AWAY FROM HERE.
UM, SO, UM, WITH OUR OCTOBER SALES, WE HAD SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS OF BEING OPEN.
OUR AVERAGE SALES JUMPED FROM THE AVERAGE THAT WE DID IN OUR FINANCIALS, WHICH WAS $150 TO $255 PER CUSTOMER.
OUR PROFIT MARGINS INCREASED AS WELL FROM $70, WHICH WAS IN OUR ORIGINAL PROJECTIONS TO 80 TO 85%.
SO THIS SHOWS THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE SUSTAINABILITY AND VIABILITY.
WHAT SETS US APART IS WE CARE ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS.
IT'S A LIVELIHOOD FOR MANY OTHERS.
WE HAVE AN ULTRA SEEK SHE SERVICE WITH LOWER COST.
OUR MAIN SERVICES ARE IV DRIPS, BOOSTER SHOTS, AESTHETICS AND WEIGHT LOSS.
HERE'S OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR, OUR NURSE INJECTOR, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AND OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR.
THIS IS OUR OFFICE IN MIDTOWN.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL CHIC AND WE HAVE SOME CLIENTS HERE.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE NETWORK WITH OTHER COMPANIES SUCH AS RIDE INDOOR CYCLING.
OUR NEEDS ARE $5,000 FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT.
$3,000 FOR EQUIPMENT AND INVENTORY.
TAKE OFF YOUR PHONE, SCAN THE QR CODE AND GET A DISCOUNT.
WE HAVE A VERY COMPELLING STORY AND THANK YOU HAD TALK TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, COMING THIS FAR.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, UM, MY FRIEND ACTUALLY, SHE CAME OVER TO ME TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE DRIP SPINE SHE'S DOING.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT, OH MY GOSH, IT'S LIKE YOU GO IN MM-HMM
AND YOU GET THE DRIP AND YOU COME OUT AND, AND IT'S LIKE, WOW.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, I SEE A LOT OF THESE, UH, POPPING UP.
ALSO, MY QUESTION IS, UM, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR TARGETED MARKET.
SO OUR TARGET MARKET, UM, SO WE'VE BEEN, UM, THE MAIN, OUR MAIN, UM, CLIENTS ARE FROM THE MID THIRTIES TO LATE SIXTIES.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW IN MIDTOWN, OUR LOCATION WAS PRIME BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A FOCUS DRIP SPA.
SO WE'RE, UM, FOCUSING ON HEALTH AND FITNESS FANATICS.
UM, STAY, STAY-AT-HOME MOMS. ANYONE THAT WANTS TO FEEL AND DO SELF-CARE IMPROVEMENTS, THAT'S OUR GOAL BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF.
SO HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE AREA AROUND WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW IN MIDTOWN? BECAUSE THIS IS VERY PERSONAL, IT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE MARKET BEFORE MM-HMM
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
UM, OR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL, THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCT, BUT THE SERVICE THAT, THAT YOU ARE OFFERING, HOW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENT THAN ALL THESE OTHER SPAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME IN THROUGH THAT DOOR TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT KIND OF SERVICE? SO WHEN YOU COME INTO OUR DOOR, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY WELCOMED INTO OUR WARM, WE HAVE JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE WE HAVE JAZZ, SMOOTH JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING WHEN YOU COME IN.
OUR FRAGRANCE IN THE OFFICE HAS A WONDERFUL CLEAN LINEN SMELL, THAT'S MY FAVORITE.
UM, WE PROVIDE HIGH END SERVICE, WE HAVE SNAGS, DRINKS, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING YOUR NEEDS ARE MET AND WITH THE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.
SO WITH THAT FANTASTIC PRESENTATION, THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WHAT'S THE, UM, AVERAGE RATE OF RETURN FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? UH, OR WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTED AVERAGE RATE OF RETURN FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? AND YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT IN TERMS OF SERVICE, A, THEY COME IN FOR SERVICE, A HOW QUICKLY ARE THEY COMING BACK FOR THE NEXT SERVICE OR TREATMENT? HOW DOES THAT WORK? OKAY, SO IF YOU'RE COMING FOR A BOTOX OR DERMAL FILLER TREATMENTS, YOU HAVE A TWO WEEK FOLLOW UP.
AND WITH THAT TWO WEEK FOLLOW UP, IF YOU NEED INITIAL CARE, UM, TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS, YOU CAN COME.
SO SAY YOU COME FOR AN IV DRIP, YOU CAN COME TWICE A WEEK, YOU CAN COME, IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU FEEL AND WHAT GOALS YOU WANT ON YOUR, UM, TREATMENT.
SO AS A PART OF YOUR PROCESS, I'M GONNA GO INTO MY PROCESS MODE.
PART OF YOUR PROCESS TO CREATE TREATMENT PLANS? CORRECT.
EVERYBODY HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN.
WHAT I PROVIDE FOR HIM WILL NOT BE THE SAME FOR YOU.
[01:05:01]
ACTUALLY MORE AROUND THE, THE BAG IN PARTICULAR, THE VITAMIN MIX.ARE YOU PRE, ARE YOU MIXING THAT OR IS THAT COMING PRE-MIXED TO THE OFFICE OR? NO, SO I HAVE OUR OWN, WE HAVE OUR OWN CONCOCTIONS THAT WE, UM, WITH OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR, OUR WHOLE TEAM, WE PUT TOGETHER AND WE, WE MADE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR OUR CLIENTS.
WE JUST GET THE SUPPLIES AND MAKE THE CONCOCTIONS FRESH FOR YOU RIGHT.
AND, UH, I GUESS LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS, IS THERE ANY BENEFIT TO YOU PARTNERING UP WITH LIKE PHYSICIAN PRACTICES OR, OR SAY, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A PLACE IN SUGARLAND CALLED HELIX INFUSION THERAPY.
THAT HAS A LOT OF DOCTOR'S OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IS THERE ANY BENEFIT IN YOUR MIND OR HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT PARTNERING WITH A PLACE LIKE THAT TO PATIENT COMES IN FOR WHATEVER MEDICATION, THEN THEY ALSO GET A BOOST WITH SOME VITAMINS OR BOTOX OR WHATEVER? I LOVE THAT QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS ALREADY WITH, UM, PHYSICIANS, PLASTIC SURGEONS, WHERE WE WILL DO THEIR PRE AND POST-OP, UM, UM, PREPARATIONS.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM GET THEIR HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS UP.
WE'RE WORKING ON ACTUALLY GETTING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THAT AREA OF MIDTOWN SO WE CAN HAVE LIKE, POP-UP SHOPS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO SEND THE TEAM AND SAY, HEY, ON THIS DAY WE HAVE SPECIALS JUST FOR YOU GUYS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH UM, RIDE INDOOR CYCLING CLUB.
I'M TRYING TO ALSO GET INTO A HIGH END GYM THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE WORKS OF NETWORKING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE 'CAUSE WE PLAN TO EXPAND AND IN MAYBE FALL OF 2023, WE SHOULD HAVE OUR SECOND LOCATION, THE 1500 SQUARE FOOT LOCATION AND I NEED EVERYBODY TO COME AND VISIT US.
UM, ACTIVATE DRIP SPA.COM, GO TO THE WEBSITE.
THE QR CODE WAS ON TOP, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, THEY HAD TO TAKE IT DOWN.
BUT ACTIVATE DRIP SPA.COM 8 3 2 8 1 0 DRIP.
SO I AM ALL ABOUT BRANDING AND I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO COME AND SUPPORT 10% OFF WITH PROMO CODE LIFTOFF.
I'M GONNA USE THESE 49 SECONDS.
SO YOU'RE PLANNING GROWTH IN THE NEXT 24 MONTHS, LET'S JUST SAY, UM, WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTED, I KNOW YOU GAVE IT TO US HERE, BUT WITH THAT NEW FACILITY, WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTION IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MORE YOU'LL GROW, UM, OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 48 MONTHS? SO, UM, WITH THAT NEW FACILITY, WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE THAT, UM, AS A, IT WILL GROW LIKE IN CUSTOMERS OR WHAT DO YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU'VE THOUGHT THROUGH THE FINANCES ALREADY, GREAT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T, I'M ADDING THIS ON.
YOU KNOW, JUST KINDA GIVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, UH, FOR GROWTH AT THE NEW LOCATION.
SO YEAH, WE'RE, WELL, WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE LIKE, ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE SERVICES.
'CAUSE AT THIS SMALLER LOCATION WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRARED DRY SAUNA THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AND SOME OTHER MACHINES BECAUSE IT'S A SMALLER OFFICE AND THIS WAS JUST A TEST RUN AND WE DID AMAZING.
SO WE'RE PLANNING TO GROW AND EXPAND.
UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE HAVE SOME INVESTORS ALREADY INTERESTED AND UM, SO THEY'RE INTEREST AND SOME ARE HERE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA UM, ACTUALLY, OH, SORRY.
'CAUSE I DID ADD ON A PRETTY COMPLEX QUESTION AT THE END, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PLAN FOR GROWTH.
I CAN SEE YOUR HORIZON, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.
HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICE CATEGORY JUDGES AND COMPETITORS.
CHAR, SPOCK, FARKA, LAC, KIMBERLY S NATASHA ROBERTS, OUR JUDGES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM CONFER CONFAB AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM GET OUR WINNERS VERY MOMENTOUSLY.
THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO THE DELIBERATION ROOM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BUT AUDIENCE, IT IS YOUR TIME.
IT'S YOUR TIME TO CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE PITCH.
OUR FAN FAVORITE VOTING FOR THE SERVICE CATEGORY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.
THIS WAS NOT GONNA GET YOU 10% OFF, BUT IT WILL HELP YOU
IT WILL HELP YOU PICK THE FAN FAVORITE.
SO SCAN THAT QR CODE THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREENS OR IN YOUR PROGRAMS PROVIDED.
REMEMBER THAT VOTING CLOSES FOR THIS CATEGORY, 30 MINUTES FROM NOW.
FAN FAVORITE CATEGORY IN EACH ONE IS GOING TO WIN THAT $500 PRIZE.
AND THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND WE WILL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT WITH MORE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PITCH DAY 2022.
WE'LL BE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS PART-TIME JOB.
FULL-TIME HUSTLE, ALL TIME SHERO TO ALL OF US.
[01:10:01]
YOU NURTURE, WE LISTEN, YOU TEACH, WE THRIVE, YOU LIFT OUR SPIRITS, BUT WE'VE GOTTA LAY DOWN THE TRUTH.IT'S TIME FOR YOU, OUR SHERO TO STRETCH FOR THE STARS.
A FREE ONLINE CHAT CAN GIVE YOU THE PERSONALIZED TIPS YOU NEED TO START BOOSTING YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS TODAY.
START SAVING MORE FOR RETIREMENT SO YOU CAN FEEL PREPARED AND LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST.
VISIT ACE YOUR RETIREMENT.ORG.
HEY WORLD, I HAVE A QUICK MESSAGE.
ANYTIME YOU'RE DRIVING, HAVE THE SEATBELT BUCKLE TIGHT, BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND YOUR PHONE OUT OF SIGHT.
WHEN NOT IN YOUR HANDS, TRYING TO TEXT SOMEBODY BACK BECAUSE IF C DO YOUR CAR MIGHT GET SMACKED THE MORE OF THE STORY.
THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD WILL STAY SAFE AND SOUND.
PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN, PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN.
PEOPLE ON THE ROAD WILL STAY SAFE AND SOUND.
GIRLS EVERYWHERE ARE FINDING THEIR PASSION FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH THROUGH POSITIVE ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS.
SO DARE TO DIVE IN, GET CONNECTED AND EXPLORE.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOUR FUTURE MAY HOLD.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE AND EVEN MORE COOL JOBS AT SHE CAN.
STEM.COM TREES MAKE YOU FEEL, I'M SORRY I MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY.
I TOLD HIM TO GET THE VACCINE ON TIME ORDER.
I SENTENCED YOU TO HELP ME PUT ALL THESE PICTURES INTO MY COMPUTER.
THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME.
DOWNTOWN HOUSTON HAS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE CRAVING.
SWAP YOUR WEEKDAY DINNER FOR AWARD-WINNING TAKEOUT.
TREAT YOURSELF TO BOLD, UNIQUE FLAVORS OR FRESH FROM THE OVEN CLASSICS.
DRINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FROM BREWERIES TO COCKTAIL BARS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO TASTE WHEN YOU JOIN US DOWNTOWN.
VISIT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON DOT LADIES, GENTLEMEN, RESTAURANTS AND BARS FOR YOUR NEXT DELICIOUS ADVENTURE.
ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE BACK.
I TOLD YOU IT WAS A BRIEF BREAK.
OUR PRODUCT CATEGORY IS UP NEXT AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR PRODUCT CATEGORY JUDGES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME RA HEARD OUR FROM CAPITAL ONE BANK, ADRIANA E GONZALEZ, KAMARA DE IMPRESARIOS, LATINOS HOUSTON, AND SHE LYNN FROM DUMPLINGS.
DUDES, THIS IS OUR PRODUCT CATEGORY AND THIS IS GONNA BE A FUN ONE.
OUR PRODUCT CATEGORY FINALISTS ARE AS FOLLOWS AND WILL PITCH IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
STEPHANIE JONES FROM YVONNE BEAUTY, LLC, SUZANNE NOBLE FROM BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP.
AND FINALLY, HANNAH LEE FROM RESTATEMENT ALL RISE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR FINALIST INTRODUCTION VIDEO.
I'M THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE NASAL FASHION CATCHUP.
MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IS ACTUALLY IN FINANCE AND I GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WITH A DBA IN FINANCE AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT.
I'M HANNAH LEE AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF RESTATEMENT.
RESTATEMENT IS THE ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE TAKING USED UNWANTED CLOTHING AND TRANSFORMING THEM, UPCYCLING THEM INTO WEARABLE PIECES OF ART.
UM, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE VAUGHN JONES.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS.
[01:15:01]
I WENT TO SCHOOL AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PHYSICS.I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY ENTREPRENEURIAL.
THE IDEA OF ME OWNING A BUSINESS HAS BEEN INEVITABLE, BUT HOUSTON LIFTOFF HAS BEEN VERY GOOD AT INCREASING THE URGENCY I HAVE.
I ORIGINALLY HAD A GOAL FOR MYSELF TO COMPLETE MY BUSINESS PLAN BY OCTOBER, AND SO HERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO GET FREE CLASSES, HAVE A SCORE MENTOR THAT WILL WALK WITH ME THROUGH CREATING THE BUSINESS PLAN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH MENTORS TO HELP YOU GUIDE YOU THROUGH YOUR WAY THROUGH THAT PATH OF, YOU KNOW, STARTING UP THAT BUSINESS AND JUST SO, SO MANY RESOURCES.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE REASON WHY WORK WITH YOUR SCORE MENTOR AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.
ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AND REALLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE STRUGGLES THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN LAUNCHING YOUR BUSINESS.
THERE'S SO MANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
DON'T BE SCARED TO BE SCARED, YOU KNOW, STRETCH YOURSELF.
THAT'S LIKE WHAT LIFE'S ALL ABOUT.
ABSORB, ABSORB, ABSORB, ABSORB.
THEY OFFER SO MANY RESOURCES, SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES, AND YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE IT ALL IN, ESPECIALLY FROM THE START.
WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW THE APPLICATION PROCESS, REALLY KNOW THE RULES, FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES, FOLLOW ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEY'RE GIVING YOU, BUT THEN ALSO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
THEY HAVE AN AMAZING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS 10,000 GET DOLLAR CASH PRIZE IS BONAFIDE AT ROCKET FUEL.
SO IT IS GOING TO PAY FOR OPERATION EXPENSES FOR THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF OPERATION.
SO WE HAVE UTILITIES, LEGAL FEES, UM, INSURANCE, YOU NAME IT.
BUT WITH THE $10,000 A LOAN, WE HAVE POTENTIAL TO BRING ON OVER 2000 SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE UPCYCLING.
AND, UH, LET ME DO THE MATH HERE.
20,000 SHOPPERS WHO HAVE A NEW ECO-CONSCIOUS WAY TO BUY.
IT'LL HELP ME FULLY LAUNCH MY BUSINESS AND GROW IT.
I WILL, IT WILL GIMME AN OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET AND REACH MY TARGET AUDIENCE.
PLUS IT WILL HELP ME BUILD INVENTORY.
I WOULD WANT, UH, THE PAPER TO SAY HOW HOUSTON BECAME THE CENTER OF CONSUMER DRIVEN SUSTAINABILITY.
IT'S GONNA SAY HOW YVONNE BEAUTY IS DISRUPTING THE BEAUTY TECH INDUSTRY.
ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S GET THESE FINALISTS UP HERE.
GOOD LUCK AND STEPHANIE JONES, YOU'RE UP FIRST.
OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE YVONNE JONES AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF YVONNE BEAUTY.
YVONNE BEAUTY IS A BEAUTY RETAILER, OFTEN A PERSONAL VIRTUAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR BLACK WOMEN.
SO IMAGINE HAVING A VIRTUAL PERSONAL CONSULTANT SHOP WITH YOU ONLINE AS YOU SHOP FOR YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCTS.
AS A BLACK WOMAN, I FACED MULTIPLE CHALLENGES.
WHEN I SHOP FOR BEAUTY PRODUCTS, THERE WAS A LACK OF QUALITY SERVICE.
I COULD NEVER FIND A SALES ASSOCIATE WHO UNDERSTOOD MY TEXTURED HAIR AND MELANATED SKIN.
THERE WAS A LACK OF PRODUCT AVAILABILITY AND A LACK OF STORE CONVENIENCE.
I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT STORES JUST TO FIND PRODUCTS THAT CATER TO MY SPECIFIC NEEDS.
SO WE'RE TARGETING WOMEN WHO FACE THOSE SAME FRUSTRATIONS.
OUR CORE CUSTOMERS ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 25 TO 65 AND UNDERSERVED MARKET WITH HIGH EQUITY POTENTIAL.
IN 2021, BLACK AMERICANS SPENT $6.6 BILLION ON BEAUTY WITH BLACK WOMEN SPENDING NINE TIMES MORE THAN THEIR NON-BLACK COUNTERPARTS.
SO YVONNE BEAUTY SOLUTION IS TO BE THE ONLY RETAIL BRAND THAT OFFERS A VIRTUAL PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE WHERE BLACK WOMEN CAN RECEIVE THAT IN-STORE EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY SHOP FOR A CURATED SELECTION OF PRODUCTS.
WHEN YOU MEET WITH THE YVONNE BEAUTY CONSULTANT, THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THAT IN-STORE EXPERIENCE WHERE THE CONSULTANT WILL WALK WITH THEM THROUGH THE WEBSITE SUGGESTING PRODUCTS HELPING ACHIEVE THEIR BEAUTY GOALS.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE A TECH ENABLED COMPANY, CUSTOMERS CAN SHOP DIRECTLY FROM THE WEBSITE DURING THE CONSULTATION.
WE ARE E-COMMERCE STORE OFFERING VARIOUS BRANDS FROM MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
AND BY OFFERING THIS VIRTUAL PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, IT WILL INCREASE OUR AVERAGE ORDER OF VALUE.
WE'LL HAVE HIGHER DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT, CLIENTS WILL SPEND
[01:20:01]
MORE TIME ON THE WEBSITE AND IT WILL HELP BUILD CLIENT RELATIONS RESULTING IN RETURNING CUSTOMERS.WE PLAN OUR MARKETING AND OUR CORE AUDIENCE THROUGH ONLINE MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENTS, NETWORK AND REFERRALS.
AND OUR COMPETITORS, EVEN THOUGH WIDE REACHING, ARE UNSUCCESSFUL IN CATERING TO BLACK WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SHOPPING NEEDS.
WHEREAS YVONNE BEAUTY WILL BE A BRAND THAT IS MISSING IN THE RETAIL SPACE.
WE HAVE A VIRTUAL PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE A CURATED SELECTION OF PRODUCTS, WILL BE A ONE STOP SHOP WHERE BLACK WOMEN CAN SHOP FOR ALL OF THEIR BEAUTY PRODUCTS IN ONE PLACE AND WE'LL HAVE A VAST SELECTION OF BLACK OWNED BEAUTY BRANDS.
AS A FOUNDER, I HAVE PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE TO BRING TO MY BUSINESS.
I'VE WORKED IN RETAIL FOR 25 YEARS, BOTH IN STORE AND WITH THE BRAND FOR SUCH COMPANIES AS NORDSTROM AND SHISEIDO.
AND I'VE SOLD OVER $1 MILLION IN MERCHANDISE
IN 2023, WE HAVE A SALES PROJECTION OF $95,000.
WE WILL HAVE A HUNDRED PLUS PAYING CUSTOMERS WITH 30% OF THEM BEING RETURNING.
WE WILL INCREASE OUR AVERAGE SALES CUSTOMER ORDER TO $115 AND WE WILL HAVE A NET PROFIT MARGIN OF 23%.
I AM ASKING FOR $10,000 IN FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS OUR MARKETING AND INVENTORY EFFORTS WITH 4,500 GOING TOWARDS PAID LOAN ON ONLINE ADS AND PROMOTIONAL EVENTS.
AND 5,500 GOING TO INCREASE OUR PRODUCT SELECTION, SPECIFICALLY OFFERING PRODUCTS WITH A HIGHER PRICE POINT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANT ANY MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND LET'S CONNECT@THISISYVONNE.COM.
FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY LOVE THAT YOU FIND A PROBLEM AND THEN YOU TURN THAT INTO THE OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MINORITIES.
BEING A CM MYSELF, YOU CAN NEVER FIND SUNGLASSES THAT WILL FIT FOR LIKE ACM MALE'S HEAD.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU JUST CAN'T FIND IT.
I THOUGHT ABOUT STARTING YOUR BUSINESS BUT NOT AS BRAVE YOU TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THAT.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE LIVE IN THE SPACES, PEOPLE ALL FOLLOW INFLUENCERS MM-HMM
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE INFLUENCER YOU GUYS CAN WORK WITH.
WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY AS FAR AS FINDING THE RIGHT COACH OR FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO HELP PEOPLE FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCTS? SO WE PLAN ON DOING A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
PROBABLY GIVING ADVICE AND, AND OFFERING PRODUCT SUGGESTIONS SINCE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TROUBLE WITH, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I STARTED THIS VIRTUAL PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE COMPONENT SINCE BEAUTY IS SUCH A PERSONAL SHOPPING, UH, EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO GOING ONLINE, PROBABLY CREATING VIDEOS, TALKING ABOUT PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY.
UM, IT'S MOSTLY TO SHOW THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AS A CONSULTANT WE HAVE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TRUST US AND BE RETURNING
AND I'M ASSUMING YOU WILL BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCT.
I WILL BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE HELPING
I'VE TESTED MOST OF ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS SO I KNOW EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKS WITH WHAT, AND SO IT'S JUST ABOUT SHOWING CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE THAT FULL KNOWLEDGE SO THEY CAN TRUST US WHEN WE DO THE CONSULTATION.
OKAY, SO, UM, I HAVE A A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GONNA SEE IF I CAN JUST, UH, THE ONE THAT POPS OUT THE, THE MOST WITH ME IN REGARDS TO YOUR INVENTORY.
SO, UM, WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING IN REGARDS TO YOUR INVENTORY, LIKE MANAGING THE INVENTORY CONTROL BECAUSE LIKE EFFECTIVE INVENTORY CONTROL IS GOING TO BE PARAMOUNT FOR YOUR CASH FLOW.
SO WANNA KNOW LIKE WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING REGARDING THAT? IN MANAGING IT? YES.
LIKE, UM, WAIT, MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION.
YEAH, SO LIKE WITH THE INVENTORY THAT YOU'RE GONNA PURCHASE, WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING WITH THE TYPES OF INVENTORY? THE TYPES OF INVENTORY? YEAH.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE PRODUCTS, UM, WHAT WE CALL SORT OF WET PRODUCTS.
SO SHAMPOO, CONDITIONERS IN LIKE THE HAIR CATEGORY.
WE HAVE COSMETICS, WE HAVE BATH AND BEAUTY AND TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES.
SO WITH THE FUNDING, I PLAN ON, UM, OFFERING MORE, HOW DO YOU SAY, HAIR PRODUCTS, THOSE SORT OF EXTENSIONS UNITS.
THESE WILL BE AT A HIGHER PRICE POINT, WHICH WILL HELP INCREASE THAT AVERAGE ORDER VALUE.
UM, AND DURING THE CONSULTATION, I WANT TO CREATE, I WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH INVENTORY WHERE I, WHAT
[01:25:01]
I CALL WARDROBE IN THE OR IT'S SORT OF LIKE AN UPSALE.SO YOU'RE NOT JUST BUYING ONE PRODUCT, BUT YOU'RE BUYING A FULL COLLECTION.
SO I WANT TO HAVE PRODUCTS THAT REPRESENT THAT FULL COLLECTION.
SO IF FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A LEAVE IN CONDITIONER, WE DON'T WANT, WE WANT TO SUGGEST THAT YOU GET THE SHAMPOO AND THE DEEP TREATMENT AND AN OIL AND UM, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SLEEP, A BONNET TO SLEEP WITH YOUR HAND? JUST MAKING SURE I HAVE A, A NUMBER OF INVENTORY PRODUCTS THAT REPRESENT THAT FULL WARDROBE OF THAT FULL COLLECTION.
SO THAT WILL HELP INCREASE OUR INVENTORY.
ALSO OUR AVERAGE SALES PER CUSTOMER.
WELL MY QUESTION WAS ALSO ABOUT INVENTORY, BUT NOW I'M GONNA CHANGE IT.
SO
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS ABOUT, UH, A BUSINESS THAT OFFERS PRODUCTS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ONE-TO-ONE TO THAT PERSON THAT GOES ONLINE.
AND HOW YOU GONNA SUPPLY THAT DEMAND OF LIKE TWO OR THREE CUSTOMERS MAYBE COMING AT THE SAME TIME? UH, HOW YOU GONNA DO THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE WITHOUT PEOPLE SAYING IT TAKES TOO LONG TO BE ONLINE WITH THIS COMPANY? MM-HMM
SO CUSTOMERS WILL NEED TO SET AN APPOINTMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CALENDAR ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CONSULTANT.
AND IDEALLY EACH CONSULTATION WILL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT COULD LAST LONGER DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO I THINK IN MANAGING THEM BY HAVING A CALENDAR SET DATE AND PLUS AS WE BUILD OR AS WE INCLUDE MORE CONSULTANTS, THEY WILL HAVE LIKE A CLIENT BASE THAT THEY CAN MANAGE BECAUSE THE GOAL IS TO HELP CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE SAME PEOPLE TO HAVE THEM REPEAT.
BUT I THINK HAVING THE CALENDAR MANAGEMENT, SETTING UP APPOINTMENTS, UM, ALSO KEEPING THE CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN 30 TO 45 MINUTES, UM, DURING EACH CONSULTATION WILL HELP.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR LISTENING.
I'M TEASING STEPHANIE JONES, EVERYBODY.
I DON'T, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT ME UP HERE EITHER.
YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM SUZANNE NOBLE FROM BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF EVERYONE'S FAVORITE THINGS, KETCHUP.
I AM THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP, AN ARTISANAL SMALL BATCH KETCHUP MADE WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.
MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IS IN FINANCE AND I HAVE A BBA IN FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM MY ANALYTICAL SIDE IS MY PASSION FOR COOKING, WHICH ALL STARTED WHENEVER I WAS A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING MY MOM COOK IN THE KITCHEN.
I BECAME OBSESSED WITH THE IDEA OF HER TRANSFORMING THESE RAW INGREDIENTS INTO EDEL MASTER MASTERPIECES.
AND I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO MY PROFESSION ONE DAY.
SO IT MAY BE NO SURPRISE THAT FAMILY INTO INSPIRATION FOR BENNY OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP.
MY GRANDPA BENNY, WAS A MASTER GARDENER AND COULD GROW THE MOST AMAZING TOMATOES.
HE PASSED A SCREEN THUMB DOWN TO MY MOM AND HE GROWS SO MANY TOMATOES.
UH, HE, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HIM, SO SHE STARTED MAKING KETCHUP, WHICH INSPIRED ME TO ACTUALLY START MAKING MY VERY OWN KETCHUP, WHICH IS WHEN I REALIZED THERE IS NO VARIETY IN KETCHUP.
THE INDUSTRY IS COMPLETELY DOMINATED BY JUST A FEW MAJOR PLAYERS.
BENE OLD FASHION KECHI OFFERS CONSUMERS A DIFFERENT OPTION.
SO THEY'RE NOT FORCED TO GO WITH THESE STATUS QUO BRANDS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE.
AND CHANCES ARE MOST OF YOU ALREADY HAVE KETCHUP IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD THAT STUDIES SHOW THAT 97% OF YOU DO.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE LOVE KETCHUP AND THE MARKET OUTLOOK FOR THE KETCHUP INDUSTRY IS LOOKING FABULOUS.
EXPECTED TO REACH $24.1 BILLION
[01:30:02]
BY 2028.LET'S BRING THESE PROFITS TO HOUSTON.
OUR PROMOTIONAL PLAN WILL BE ABSOLUTELY KEY IN GETTING THE WORD OUT TO OUR CONSUMERS ABOUT OUR PRODUCT.
CONSUMERS WILL LEARN ABOUT BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP THROUGH, AS IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS WITH LOCAL MAGAZINES, DIRECT IN-HOUSE, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNING, AS WELL AS AN AUTHENTIC PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT SIMPLY SHOWING UP IS THE NUMBER ONE KEY TO SUCCESS.
OUR INITIAL CUSTOMER FOCUS IS GOING TO DIAL IN ON FAMILIES, FOODIES, CHEFS, COOKS, RESTAURANT TOURS, AND EVEN GROCERS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE BENNY OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP AT LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS THROUGH DIRECT INQUIRY AS WELL AS EVEN POP-UP SHOPS AROUND THE HOUSTON AREA.
PEOPLE LOVE BENNY OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP BECAUSE OF OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
I'VE SAID IT ONCE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
IT IS ARTISANAL SMALL BATCH KETCHUP MADE WITH FRESH TOMATOES, SIMPLE INGREDIENTS, CUSTOMERS CAN PRONOUNCE, NO WEIRD STUFF, FAMILIAR INGREDIENTS, NO TONGUE TWISTER INGREDIENTS.
OUR TEAM OF ADVISORS, MENTOR AND LEGAL COUNSEL HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HELPED US ALONG THE WAY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS WE GROW AND DO THE FUTURE.
SO JUDGES, WE ARE SEEKING $10,000, ABSOLUTELY NO FUNDING, OR EXCUSE ME, LENDING IS BEING APPLIED FOR, NO LOANS ARE BEING APPLIED FOR.
SO THIS $10,000, LIKE I MENTIONED, IS BONAFIDE ROCKET FUEL IS GOING TO HELP US PAY FOR EQUIPMENT, UTILITIES, LEGAL INSURANCE, MARKETING FEES, AND EVEN INGREDIENTS FOR THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION SETTING BENNY OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFTOFF.
SO JUDGES, I ASK YOU TO CHOOSE VARIETY.
CHOOSE BENNY OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE FEEL WELCOME TO TASTE THE PRODUCT.
THERE IS ALSO A VIEWING PROJECT FOR, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU FOR YOUR VIEWING.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DO SO.
I'LL ASK THE FIRST QUESTION SINCE I REALLY TASTE LEAVES AND I LOVE IT.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE TO BE IN THE FOOD BUSINESS BECAUSE VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.
SO I DEFINITELY LOVE YOUR STORY.
SO I WANNA TALK A BIT ABOUT YOUR MARKETING PLAN.
I READ THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS CASE AND I KNOW YOUR FIRST ACTION IS TO HAVE AD ON HOUSTON QUANTICO.
AND THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK OR ANYTHING ELSE TILL THE THIRD YEAR.
COULD YOU TELL ME THE REASON BEHIND THAT? YEAH, SO EXCUSE ME.
SO WE'LL ACTUALLY BE DOING IN-HOUSE SOCIAL MEDIA FROM THE BEGINNING OKAY.
SO IN TERMS OF INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TIKTOK, ALL OF THE POPULAR PLATFORMS THAT WE CAN GET OUR WORD OUT TO, WE WILL BE DOING THAT IN-HOUSE SOCIAL MEDIA OURSELVES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL ALSO BE DOING, UH, ADS WITH THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE COSTING $667 PER AD AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, UH, MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA SITES WITH HOUSTONIAN MAGAZINE, WHICH RUN ABOUT $2,500 THROUGH A THREE MONTH CAMPAIGN.
SO I DO HAVE ONE TIPS ADVICE FOR YOU BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD STORY ABOUT THE WHY BEHIND YOUR GRANT, YOUR BRAND.
WE HAVE NEVER PAID FOR ANY PRINT AD EVER FOR OUR BUSINESS, BUT WE'LL MENTION BY 30 DIFFERENT MEDIAS INCLUDING HOUSTON QUANTICO, THREE TIMES ON THE PAPER FOR FREE.
SO THERE IS A POTENTIAL, YOU COULD BE FEATURED BY HOUSTON QUANTICO AND ALL THE OTHER MAGAZINES FOR FREE IF YOU JUST CONTINUE TO TELL YOUR STORY AND WHY BEHIND WHY YOU DO THE THING THAT YOU DO.
SO I ALREADY DO SEE A POTENTIAL FOR YOU TO ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT EVEN SPENDING ANY MONEY.
SO JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THAT WILL COME TO YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THE KETCHUP IS DELICIOUS.
IT WAS VERY, WE LIKE A LITTLE SPICE IN TEXAS.
SO, UM, UH, MY QUESTION IS SURROUNDING LIKE, UM, OUR SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO NAVIGATE AROUND, UH, ANY POTENTIAL SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES? UM, AND UH, WHAT IMPACTS WILL THAT HAVE ON YOUR PRICING AND INVENTORY? ABSOLUTELY.
I COME FROM THE BACKGROUND OF FINANCE, SO THAT IS WELL ON MY MIND.
I ALSO COME FROM A BACKGROUND OF VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
AND THOSE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS HAVE SET ME UP WITH A MINDSET WHERE THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY.
SO IF I DON'T FIND MY TOMATOES OR MY PRODUCTS AT ONE SOURCE, I WILL GO TO A DIFFERENT SOURCE.
I WILL SOURCE MY TOMATOES UNTIL I FIND THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO MAKE THE OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP TO SERVE MY CUSTOMERS, TO MAKE SURE THOSE HAPPY CUSTOMERS
[01:35:01]
CAN ENJOY THEIR KETCHUP.UH, READING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN HERE, UM, YOUR ADMINISTRATION, YOU HAVE PRETTY MUCH THE DAY SET UP LIKE MONDAY, TUESDAYS, AND WEDNESDAYS.
I DO PRODUCTIONS AND THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS I DO ADMIN AND YES.
UM, WHAT HAPPEN IF THAT MIX UP
AS YOU CAN SEE, BE OLD FASHION.
CATCHUP WILL BE IN PRODUCTION MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY WE'RE DOING DELIVERIES, UH, WE'RE GOING TO PRESIDENT, FARMER'S MARKETS, POPUP SHOPS, WHATNOT.
SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP THAT MAY POP UP IN TERMS, UM, THAT MAY DEVIATE FROM THAT SCHEDULE, WE WILL BE FLEXIBLE WITH AND WORK THROUGH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO.
AND COMMUNICATION IS KEY THESE DAYS.
WE MUST COMMUNICATE AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED AND WE'LL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR COMMITMENTS.
AND WE'RE NOT, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET A DEADLINE, UM, WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW.
SO IF ANYTHING COMES UP IN REGARD TO THAT, WE WILL COMMUNICATE AND LET THEM KNOW.
OH, IT'S A LITTLE EARLY FOR THAT.
ALL RIGHT, FINALLY, WE HAVE HANNAH LEE FROM RESTATEMENTS.
I DO HAVE SOMETHING FOR Y'ALL FOR, UH, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR CONTEXT.
THESE ARE CUSTOM MADE ASTROS BASEBALL CAPS.
WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL? I FEEL LIKE THE JUDGES MAY HAVE ALREADY KNOWN BECAUSE THEY READ THROUGH THE 25 PAGES OF MY
BUT IF Y'ALL ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND YOU'RE INTERESTED, SEND US A MESSAGE ON INSTAGRAM, YOU HAVE A CHANCE OF GETTING ONE.
IF YOU PICKED OUT WHAT TO WEAR TODAY, THIS WILL APPLY TO YOU EACH YEAR IN THE US WE THROW OUT 17 MILLION TONS OF CLOTHING.
THAT'S ONE AND A HALF GARBAGE TRUCKS EACH MINUTE, EACH DAY EACH YEAR.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT IT.
I'M HANNAH LEE, FOUNDER OF RESTATEMENT, AND I WAS INSPIRED BY WATCHING MY MOM DO SEWING ALTERATIONS IN HOUSTON ALL MY LIFE.
AFTER MY ACL SURGERY LAST WEEK, I CALLED HER ABOUT BEING ON STAGE TODAY, AND SHE REMINDED ME THAT THE MINI FASHION DESIGNER ALWAYS CUT PLASTIC BAGS INTO DRESSES, IS NOW SCALING THE 30,000 YEAR OLD SOLUTION TO FASHION, ACTUALLY REDUCING WASTE.
IT'S CALLED UPCYCLING, WHICH IS TAKING PARTS OF USED UNWANTED CLOTHING AND TURNING THEM INTO NEW WEARABLE PIECES OF ART.
AND RESTATEMENT IS THE ONLINE MARKETPLACE WHERE BOLD CONSUMERS LIKE YOU CAN SUPPORT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE UPCYCLING SELLERS LIST ON OUR PLATFORM.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BUY FROM EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME COLLECTION DROPS, OR YOU CAN EVEN PUT IN CUSTOM ORDERS WITH OUR DESIGNERS AS WELL.
WHILE MOST OF US IGNORE CLOTHES WITH HOLES OR STAINS, OUR DESIGNERS ARE CUTTING, SEWING, PATCHING, PAINTING, TRANSFORMING THEM INTO YOU.
YOUR NEXT FAVORITE SHIRT THAT GETS ALL THE COMPLIMENTS BEFORE US.
YOUR NEXT FAVORITE SHIRT WAS STUCK ON PAGE 80 OF ETSY.
NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO NEXT TO SELL THOUSANDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES WOULD GIVE UP IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS.
BUT WITH RESTATEMENT, WE GUIDE SELLERS EACH STEP OF THE WAY WITH ONE READY BUYERS WHO ARE EXCITED EACH TIME WE LAUNCH A COLLECTION.
TWO, FEEDBACK FROM THESE BUYERS TO GUIDE SELLERS ON WHAT TO SELL NEXT.
AND FINALLY, THREE MATERIALS TO UPCYCLE.
BECAUSE NEARLY EVERY THRIFT STORE HAS TOO MUCH INVENTORY AND CAN'T SELL UP TO 80% OF THEIR ITEMS. FOR BUYERS, THERE IS A COMMUNITY OF 90 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE THRIFT SHOPPING, NOT BECAUSE OF PRICE, BUT BECAUSE IT'S UNIQUE AND SUSTAINABLE.
SO TO THEM, UPCYCLED CLOTHING IS SO DISTINCT, NEVER BEFORE SEEN, AND LETS 'EM SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES
[01:40:01]
AND THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY RATHER THAN DEPEND ON RECYCLING OR LOOK AT A THRIFT STORE.WITH OVER 1000 BUYERS AND 67 SMALL BUSINESSES READY FOR OUR PLATFORM TO LAUNCH, OUR GROWTH HAS BEEN NEARLY ZERO COST THANKS TO PUBLICATIONS LIKE HER CAMPUS AND LIFEWIRE FEATURING US OUR REVENUE.
SO BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL 10% ON TOP OF WHAT SELLERS TAKE HOME NEXT YEAR.
WE ARE ALSO LAUNCHING SECRET COLLECTION MEMBERSHIPS AND ALREADY MANY COMPANIES ARE REACHING OUT TO US ABOUT BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, MERCHANDISE, AND HOLIDAY GIFTS.
THIS BRINGS OUR REVENUE TO OVER $300,000.
NEXT YEAR, 30,000 WILL BE OUR PROFITS, BUT WE ARE REINVESTING IT ALL NEXT YEAR INTO BUILDING NEW PLATFORM FEATURES.
BUT WITH LIFTOFF AND RESTATEMENT STRONG NETWORK EFFECTS, WE WILL KICKSTART INITIATIVES THAT SCALE BOTH BUYERS AND SELLERS.
THESE CREATIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THAT GET THE MOST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK WILL BRING AN ADDITIONAL 1000 SMALL BUSINESSES AND 20,000 SHOPPERS.
MY BACKGROUND WENT FROM FASHION TO BEING IN BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL IMPACT STARTUPS.
SO LET'S BRING IMPACT TO FASHION.
WE CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT 2 MILLION HOMES USE AND THE AMOUNT OF CARBON 3 MILLION CARS PRODUCE EACH YEAR.
AND IT STARTS HERE IN HOUSTON.
COUNTING ON YOUR SUPPORT TODAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO LET'S GET TO Q AND A IF YOU HAVE ANY CLARIFICATIONS OR CONVINCING.
ARE Y'ALL CHECKING YOUR HEART RATES RIGHT NOW? UH, YEAH.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M CHECKING MY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HAT.
I WILL MAKE SURE TO WEAR IT TONIGHT AS WE WIN THE WORLD SERIES.
THAT'S RIGHT, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HAT.
UM, SO HAVE YOU REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT HOW CYCLICAL YOUR INDUSTRY IS BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH A, UM, A NICHE INDUSTRY MM-HMM
UM, AND THE CHANGES IN ECONOMY AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT YOU.
UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PIVOT IF, YOU KNOW, WE GO INTO ANOTHER, GOD FORBID, UH, PANDEMIC OR, YOU KNOW, RECESSION THAT REALLY HASN'T HIT TEXAS YET, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M SURE IT WILL IN SOME WAY, BUT HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PIVOT AND STILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN MM-HMM
YEAH, MOVING FAST IS IN RESTATEMENTS NAME.
SO WITH OUR SUPPLIES, THERE IS ALWAYS CLOTHING THAT IS THROWN OUT, DONATED.
EVERYONE'S TRYING TO GET RID OF THE CLOTHES.
THE MOST COMMON QUESTION I GET FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING IS, WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY CLOTHES? WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY CLOTHES? SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME SORT OF USE THAT WE CAN MAKE WITH THESE PRODUCTS.
AND WE'RE STARTING WITH CLOTHING, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES DOWN THE LINE THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT, SUCH AS FURNITURE, UH, HOME DECOR, CRAFTS, UM, SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT AS WELL.
SO REALLY HONING IN ON THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IS PART OF RESTATEMENTS MODEL AND IT STARTS WITH CLOTHING.
WHAT'S YOUR TARGET? WHAT'S YOUR COMMUNITY TARGET? MM-HMM
SO FOR OUR BUYERS, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE OPEN TO BUYING SECONDHAND CLOTHING.
THEY ARE GOING TO THRIFT STORES EVERY WEEKEND.
THEY'RE PROBABLY ALL AT PAVEMENT IN MONTROSE RIGHT NOW WITH THEIR SALE GOING ON.
BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING UNIQUE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM STAND OUT, STARTS CONVERSATIONS IN, YOU KNOW, BIG NETWORKING EVENTS LIKE THIS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR GO-TO MARKET BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT.
THE SUSTAINABLE ASPECT OF UPCYCLED CLOTHING IS JUST OUR GATEWAY INTO GETTING THEM INTO THE WORLD OF ECO-CONSCIOUS SHOPPING.
WE FIND THAT 60, YEAH, 60% OF OUR BUYERS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO AND SURVEYED, THEY SHOP.
UM, THEY ALSO SHOP FAST FASHION, BUT THEY WANT TO FIND MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THESE SAME NEEDS THAT FAST FASHION IS DOING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY COME JOIN RESTATEMENT.
UH, I DEFINITELY DO LOVE TO GO SHOP FOR SECONDHAND CLOSING ALL THE TIME JUST TO FIND SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.
I THINK YOU DEFINITELY HIT THE MARK ON THAT.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGE I HAVE A LITTLE STORE IS YOU CAN FIND GOOD STUFF, BUT YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE WHOLE STORE TO FIND THE RIGHT PIECES.
BEING A DIGITAL COMPANY, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE ADVANTAGE OF PREVENTING THAT.
WHAT'S YOUR TECHNOLOGY TO THE PEOPLE TO FIND THE PIECE THEY WANT QUICKLY BASED ON THEIR, I KNOW INSTAGRAM PROFILE, SOMETHING THAT YOU CATEGORIZE.
HOW'S THE, HOW DOES THE ALGORITHM WORK BEHIND IT? YEAH, SO WE HAVE KIND OF TWO AUDIENCES HERE.
WE HAVE OUR PUSH AUDIENCE AND OUR POLL AUDIENCE.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT IS THE POLL AUDIENCE WHEN THEY COME INTO RESTATEMENT, KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
[01:45:01]
A PARTY NEXT FRIDAY, LIKE FRIENDS CELEBRATION.I NEED A RED DRESS TO WEAR TO THIS EVENT.
THERE IS A FILTER ON OUR PLATFORM FOR THAT.
SO THEY CAN SELECT THE COLORS, THE SIZE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, AS WELL AS THE MEDIUM.
THEY CAN CHOOSE HOW THE ARTIST WAS DESIGNING THIS PRODUCT AS WELL.
SO THAT, I HOPE THAT HELPS ANSWER YOUR POLL QUESTION.
BUT THEN ON THE PUSH SIDE IS WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PUSHING, UM, THESE ITEMS ARE LISTED IN COLLECTION DROPS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS EVERY, UH, WELL THIS WILL INCREASE OVER TIME, BUT STARTING OUT WE'RE GONNA LIST TWICE A MONTH.
WE'RE SAY LIKE, HEY, NEW COLLECTION JUST DROPPED.
COME HANG OUT, COME LOOK AT ALL THESE ITEMS AND DISCOVER WHAT YOU MIGHT LIKE.
MY WHOLE DESIGN THEORY IS YOU'RE NOT GONNA KNOW WHAT YOU WANT UNTIL IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN THESE BUYERS ARE ONLINE, THEY'RE EXCITED.
THEY'RE LIKE, I'VE NEVER SEEN A BASEBALL HAT THAT'S MADE OF BASEBALLS BEFORE.
SO THEY'LL GO CHECK OUT THIS ITEM AND THEY'LL, IN THEIR MINDS, THEY'RE LIKE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE WITH ADDING TO CART, PEOPLE LEAVE AND COME BACK.
NO, WITH RESTATEMENT, THEY KNOW THERE ARE 20 OTHER PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS EXACT SAME ITEM RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA GET THEM TO BUY IMMEDIATELY.
AND ONCE THEY BUY, THEY'RE HOOKED, CHECKING EVERY EMAIL, EVERY TEXT, EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA POST WE HAND OUT.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE? DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME? SO YOU GOT ONE MINUTE.
SO TELL ME ABOUT, EXPLAIN YOUR OUTFIT AND WHY MY OFFER? NO, YOUR OUTFIT.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY? MY OUTFIT? OKAY, SO
CAST, UH, SPONSORED BY HOUSTON METHODIST,
BUT, UM, SO WE'LL GO FROM BOTTOM UP.
SO MY SHOES ARE TIE DYED, UM, BOUGHT FROM AN ONLINE THRIFT STORE.
UH, FIGURED EVERYONE WOULD LOOK HERE AND NOT DOWN, BUT SHOULD I
UM, AND THEN SKIRT IS MADE OF DIFFERENT PATCHES OF DENIM SEWN TOGETHER.
UM, A TURNAROUND, BUT, AND THEN THE SHIRT, UH, WAS THIS OLD BLACK T-SHIRT THAT I'VE HAD FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
I ORIGINALLY IRONED IT ON, PRINTED IT.
SOME OF MY FRIENDS IN HERE PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT PHASE.
BUT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THANKS TO HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UH, TECH LINK SERVICES, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE EMBROIDERY CLASSES AND YET THE LOGO EMBROIDERED ON THERE.
SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO HPL FOR THAT AND
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, PLEASE CHECK OUT SHOP RESTATEMENT.COM.
UM, IF YOU SEND ME A MESSAGE, I'LL DRESS YOU UP.
WHATEVER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU ALL JUDGES TOO.
LIKE I WILL, I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
ALRIGHT, ANOTHER BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EVERYBODY FROM OUR PRODUCT CATEGORY.
STEPHANIE JONES, SUZANNE NOBLE, AND HANNAH LEE.
AND THANKS TO OUR JUDGES, EVERYBODY, THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE THE STAGE RIGHT NOW, BACK TO OUR DELIBERATION ROOM AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOME DELIBERATION GOING ON.
RIGHT NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ONCE AGAIN, IT IS TIME FOR FAN VOTING, VOTING IN, UH, THE PRODUCT CATEGORY.
IT'S NOW OPEN FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.
OUR FAN FAVORITES CANNOT WIN THAT $500 WITHOUT YOU.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GONNA TAKE ANOTHER VERY BRIEF TWO MINUTE BREAK JUST FOR TV.
SO AUDIENCE THAT'S HERE WITH US, REMEMBER, STICK AROUND.
THAT QUICK BREAK IS ONLY GONNA BE FOR THE NEXT TWO MINUTES.
WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MINUTE WITH MORE LIFT OFF HOUSTON 2022.
[01:50:01]
A EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING.AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE OVERCOMING OBSTACLES, WATCHING EACH OTHER'S BACKS AND BANDING TOGETHER, WE SHOULD STILL MAKE AN EFFORT.
WE SHOULD STILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER ON A DEEPER LEVEL.
FATHER COSPLAY, MENTOR, ACER, IT'S TIME WE TAKE A STEP FORWARD.
IT'S TIME WE TAKE A STEP FORWARD, COME TOGETHER AND DISCOVER HOW ACCEPTING OUR DIFFERENCES CAN MAKE US STRONGER.
I'M A FIRST GENERATION FILIPINO AMERICAN.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS FEEL YOU'RE A PART OF THE COUNTRY YOU LIVE IN.
IT'S THIS WEIRD MIDDLE SPACE SOMETIMES THAT YOU HAVE TO, TO LIVE INSIDE OF.
BUT WHEN YOU MEET OTHERS THAT ARE ALSO LIVING IN THAT SPACE, YOU'LL LEARN TO KNOW THAT THAT IS ITS OWN UNIQUE SPACE TOO.
WOO, WHEN YOU DON'T KEEP YOUR EYES ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IT CAN BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS TO YOU AND OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND THE WHEEL.
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS AMBULANCE, POLICE, OR FIRE, THE FIRE HYDRANT IS GUSHING EVERYWHERE.
CALL 3 1 1 FOR CITY RELATED SERVICES LIKE WATER LEAKS, TRAFFIC TICKETS, AND MORE, I NEED HELP FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
CALL 2 1 1 FOR ALL SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD BANKS, HOUSING, SHELTER ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
DON'T WAIT AROUND FOR THE SUMMER OF YOUR LIFE.
WE ARE BRINGING THE EVENTS, GOOD EATS AND ENDLESS ENTERTAINMENT.
ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELL, WE'RE BACK ON LIVE TELEVISION OR SO I'M TOLD AND THANK YOU VIEWERS AT HOME.
I HOPE YOU HAD TIME TO POP SOME POPCORN WHILE WE WERE AT BREAK AND YOU ENJOYED THE PHOTO SESSION THAT WE WERE JUST DOING WHILE WE RETURN.
OUR FINAL PITCH CATEGORY TODAY IS INNOVATION.
THIS IS AN EXCITING ONE, OUR JUDGES.
I'M ABOUT TO INTRODUCE OUR JUDGES IN THE INNOVATION CATEGORY.
UH, JOHN YEZ FROM CAPITAL ONE BANK, GRACE RODRIGUEZ FROM IMPACT HUB HOUSTON AND KIM ADAMS FROM THE BUSINESS TEAM.
LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER AND WELCOME THEM UP TO THE STAGE.
YOU GUYS GET THE COMFY CHAIRS.
ENJOY, GET READY WITH THOSE HARD QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME VERY, VERY EXCELLENT PITCHING ENTREPRENEURS GETTING READY FOR OUR INNOVATION CATEGORY.
THEY'RE PITCHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THIS ONE OKAY AT AGARAL.
MARITIME XR, SEAN CARROLL FROM BUFFALO SEAWEED AND TERRY WYNN, SHI, THAT STUDENT HOMELESS IMPACT PROPERTIES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ARE FINALIST INTRODUCTION VIDEO.
[01:55:02]
I AM GERAL.I'M THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF MARITIME XR.
WE INTEND TO DISRUPT THE MARITIME TRAINING INDUSTRY BY INTRODUCING NOVEL MODALITIES LIKE ADVANCED VIA TECHNOLOGY TO INTRODUCE OPERATIONAL TRAINING FOR SEA.
I GREW UP OUTSIDE OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK IN A SMALL TOWN UP ON A WOODED HILL.
I MOVED HERE IN HOUSTON WHEN I WAS 18.
VERY INTERESTING THAT I CAME TO GO TO UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, BUT GOT SO MUCH MORE OF A EDUCATION FROM THE CITY THAN I DID ACTUALLY FROM SCHOOL.
WELL, I, UM, CAME OVER HERE DURING THE VIETNAM WAR IN A BOAT AND I STILL REMEMBER ALL THE HORRIFIC STORIES, BUT, UM, JUST WATCHING MY PARENTS WORK REALLY HARD TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY REALLY MOTIVATED ME TO DO THE SAME.
SO I FINALLY GRADUATED WITH MY DOUBLE MASTER'S AFTER TWO DECADES OF FAILING, LYING ON THE COUCH IN 2020, JUST PARANOID ABOUT THE ECONOMY, COLLAPSING, SCARED OF GETTING SICK.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT KEPT POPPING UP IN MY HEAD.
I WAS LIKE, OH YES, IT'S A COMPLETELY CHANGED EVERYTHING AND STARTED A SEAWEED FARM.
JUST HONEST, I ALWAYS KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING THAT SERVED THE COMMUNITY, THAT MADE A REALLY BIG IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND IT WAS GOING TO BE, I WAS DETERMINED TO UNFOLD WHAT THAT WOULD BE IN MY HEART AND I FOUND IT.
I WANTED TO START SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH AND BE ABLE TO BUILD IT WITH MY OWN HAND.
SO WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, MARITIME TRAINING HAS A BIG GAP.
AND THEN FINALLY, COVID-19 HAPPENED, AND THAT'S MADE US REALIZE THAT HOW CRITICAL SHIPPING INDUSTRIES IS FOR THE GLOBAL TRADE.
I FELT THAT THIS WAS DESTINED TO HAPPEN FOR ME BECAUSE THE PROJECT THAT I'M DOING ENTAILS, UM, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON INTIMATELY TO SOLVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
I KNEW THAT MY BUSINESS IDEA MADE SENSE TO ME, AWARE.
I WANTED PROFESSIONAL REVIEW OF MY BUSINESS PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT I BELIEVED IN LIFTOFF HOUSTON WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MY BUSINESS IDEAS DOWN ON PAPER.
IT WAS GREAT TO COME BACK TO IT WEEK AFTER WEEK WITH THE DIFFERENT CLASSES THAT THEY DID.
THESE FUNDS ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR OUR SOFTWARE, WHICH HAS ALREADY STARTED.
SO THE CASH PRIZE WILL HELP ME CONTINUE TO FINISH MY PLOT PLANS.
UM, I HAVE AN AMAZING ARCHITECT.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ALREADY WORKING WITH HER.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO WIN THE PRIZE.
IT WOULD MEAN ACTUALLY STARTING THIS ON THE COVER OF HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL.
NO, IT WOULD BE LIKE A COVER WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
HOW A HOUSTON STARTUP DISRUPTS THE GLOBAL MARITIME TRAINING INDUSTRY WITH INNOVATIVE APPROACH, REVOLUTIONARY SOLUTION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
I'M RUNNING, I'M RUNNING THEM.
ALL I GOTTA SAY IS, LET'S GET THE PITCHES.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF MARITIME XR AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO SHARE MY VISION WITH YOU.
A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU RECOGNIZE THIS IMAGE? I SEE A FEW HANDS.
THIS IS THE EVER GIVEN THAT GOT STUCK FOR SIX DAYS IN THE SWISS CANAL IN MARCH OF 2021, WHILE THE VESSEL WAS STUCK IN THE CANAL, $9.6 BILLION OF TRADE WAS HELD UP.
THAT'S 6.7 MILLION EVERY MINUTE.
THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY IS A BACKBONE OF THE GLOBAL TRADE AND IT FUELS MODERNIZATION, SHIPS TRANSFER GOODS CHEAPLY AND IN LARGE VOLUMES.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY IS ITS WORKFORCE, A VERY COMPETENT WORKFORCE.
THE INDUSTRY EMPLOYS 2 MILLION SEAFARERS AND MANY MORE ARE NEEDED.
AND THE INDUSTRY IS ALSO UNDERGOING A TRANSITION FROM A VERY CAPITAL INCENTIVE FUEL TO A CAPITAL, UH, CARBON NEUTRAL FUEL.
FOR EXAMPLE, AMMONIA, METHANOL, AND LNG.
AND THIS MEANS NEW LOW-EMISSION TECHNOLOGY.
THIS ALSO MEANS UPSKILLING OUR WORKFORCE.
[02:00:01]
HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS IN THE TRADITIONAL TRAINING MODALITIES DUE TO CONVENTION DELIVERY METHODS AND LACK OF HANDS-ON TRAINING.THIS VIDEO IS FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW RISKY IT IS FOR A SEAFARERS FIVE SECONDS.
12 PEOPLE DEAD MORE THAN 260 INJURED.
SAFETY IS WAY TOO CRITICAL TO LEAVE TO CHANCE.
I HAVE OVER TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY, INCLUDING TIME AT SEA.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AS A SEAFARER MYSELF.
I DON'T WANT OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE THE NEAR MISSES THAT I'VE WITNESSED DURING MY SEAGOING CAREER AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WALK AWAY FROM WE NEED NEW MODALITY, A MODALITY THAT CAN ACCELERATE COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT WITH HIGHER KNOWLEDGE RETENTION.
THIS IS HOW THINGS ARE DONE RIGHT NOW.
THIS SIMULATOR IN THE UK COSTED 7 MILLION POUNDS.
THAT'S ABOUT $8 MILLION YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE LOCATION AS AN, AS YOU CAN SEE IS A VERY SMALL CLASS SIZE.
HOWEVER, THIS IS TODAY AND WE PROPOSE TO CHANGE THIS WITH THAT.
MARITIME XR INTENDS TO DISRUPT THE TRADITIONAL TRAINING MODALITY IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY BY SUPPLEMENTING MARITIME TRAINING WITH ADVANCED VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATIONS THAT OFFER REALISTIC, IMMERSIVE AND AN INTERACTIVE OPERATIONAL SIMULATION TRAINING FOR OUR SEAFARERS.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN WIDELY ADOPTED BY A LOT OF OTHER SECTORS, INCLUDING THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR WHERE WORKFORCE LEARNING AND UPSKILLING IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL.
THE LARGER TRAINING INSTITUTES ARE JUST NOT SET UP TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE.
WHAT WE OFFER IS TECH TECHNICAL AND REGULATORY KNOW-HOW EARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.
AND WE ARE ALREADY DEVELOPING OUR PROPRIETY VIA CONTENT FOR OUR FIRM WHILE COLLABORATING WITH LEARNING INSTITUTIONS.
OF COURSE, WE CAN'T MISS THE BIG HOUSTON ADVANTAGE.
THE PORT OF HOUSTON IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A $1 BILLION HOUSTON SHIP CHARTER EXPANSION, A GENERATION DEFINING PROJECT.
THE PORT OF HOUSTON IS ALSO THE LARGEST TEXAS PORT WITH 97% OF THE MARKET SHARE.
AND THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL, IT RANKS NUMBER ONE WITH FOREIGN WATERBURN TONNAGE, THE TEAM OF FOUNDERS.
WE HAVE 70 YEARS EXPERIENCE BETWEEN US AND WE UNDERSTAND THE RISK, BUT WE WANNA DO OUR PART TO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY, REACH ITS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY GOALS WHILE ENSURING THE SAFETY OF LIFE, PROPERTY AND SEA AND ENVIRONMENT.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE TO HANDS-ON TRAINING.
HOWEVER, WE WANT TO BRING THE NEXT BEST THING TO THE INDUSTRY.
SO MY REQUEST TO YOU IS FOR THE SEED FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO CONVERT A SIMULATOR HALF THE SIZE OF THIS ROOM INTO THAT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT VIABILITY.
SO WHO WILL PAY FOR THIS SOLUTION AND ARE THERE ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS SUSTAINABLE? SO OUR CONSUMERS ARE GONNA BE BASICALLY SHIP OWNERS, SHIP MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, TRAINING INSTITUTES, MARITIME SCHOOLS IN THE US.
UH, THEY'RE NOT VERY COMMON, BUT I, I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS, UH, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
THERE ARE FOUR MANAM ACADEMIES IN THE US SO THEY'RE OUR PRIMARY CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THE US BUILT AN LNG CARRIER WAS IN THE MID SEVENTIES WAY BEFORE I WAS BORN.
BUT NOW THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMING BACK.
SO WE NEED TO UPSKILL OUR WORKFORCE AND THEIR SHIP OWNERS AROUND THE WORLD THAT NEED THEIR WORKFORCE TRAINED.
SO JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS, WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT 400 SHIPS DELIVERED EVERY YEAR.
EVERY SHIP, 30% BACKUP CREW, A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER PERSON TRAINING, INCLUDING NEW CREW OR RULES CHANGES.
THIS IS ABOUT A $13 BILLION INDUSTRY TODAY, BUT THIS IS REALLY EARLY DAYS.
AS WE START EVOLVING, THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES.
THIS IS GONNA BE A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER INDUSTRY.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF TRAINING AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TRAINING INSTITUTIONS AND NEW MODALITIES FOR THE SECTOR.
BUT YOU, YOU SHOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER COMPETITORS WHO ARE DOING SIMILAR XR TRAINING, RIGHT? UM, IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT IN THIS SPACE ALREADY? SO ARE THERE NOT NOT ENOUGH ACTUAL CUSTOMERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE PAYING FOR THOSE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS IN THIS INDUSTRY? IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY NEED THE IMMERSIVE DASHBOARDS AND ALL OF THAT? SO FIRSTLY, THE OTHER COMPETITORS, THIS IS A VERY NICHE MARKET.
SO FOR THEM IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT EASY TO JUST MOVE INTO THIS SPACE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND.
YOU NEED TO HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE.
MY CO-FOUNDER, HE'S AS OF RIGHT NOW, HE'S THE TOP MOST INSTRUCTOR IN NORTH AMERICA.
[02:05:01]
MARITIME SCHOOLS.WE HAVE, UH, HE'S WORKING WITH UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND EVEN GLOBALLY, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY HE'S ONE OF THE TOP TWO INSTRUCTORS IN THE WORLD.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW TO ABLE TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THE REGULATORY PROCESS TO GET THE TRAINING IMPROVED.
AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S OFFERING THIS IN THE MARITIME SPACE.
THANKS FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAD A, I TOOK A LOOK AT YOUR, UH, PROJECTIONS AND WITH RECESSION LOOMING, UH, IT'S TOP OF MIND FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES WE FINANCE.
UM, HAVE YOU FACTORED THAT INTO YOUR PROJECTIONS? AND IF NOT, HOW ARE YOU THINKING OR PLANNING FOR A POTENTIAL FUTURE RECESSION? RIGHT, SO THIS IS REALLY SERVING AS WE GO THROUGH A FLEET RENEWAL.
SO WHEN I SAY FLEET, BASICALLY A WHOLE TYPE OF VESSEL CLASS BECAUSE THESE VESSELS ARE CHANGING FROM THE OLD TECHNOLOGY OF BURNING, DIRTY, HEAVY FUEL OIL TO BURNING LOW SULFUR FUEL OR NOW START BURNING, FOR EXAMPLE LNG OR METHANOL.
SO THESE VESSELS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TRANSITION.
THERE IS NO WAY AROUND RECESSION OR NO RECESSION.
THESE VESSELS HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY NEW TECHNOLOGY SHIPS AND YOU NEED WORKFORCE TO MAN THOSE SHIPS.
SO OUR NUMBERS IN THE CASH PREDICTIONS ARE ACTUALLY VERY CONSERVATIVE.
SO WE ARE EXPECTING MUCH HIGHER REVENUE IN THE FIRST YEAR OR SECOND YEAR ONCE WE ARE ESTABLISHED.
AND THE SECOND PART QUESTION TO THAT, DO YOU FORESEE THE PRODUCT HERE, UM, HAVING ISSUES WITH SUPPLY CHAIN? UH, DO THEY HAVE, UH, DO, DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH INVENTORY, THE SUPPLIERS AND THE VENDOR VENDORS THAT, UH, YOU'LL BE UTILIZING AND DO YOU FORESEE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? NOT REALLY BECAUSE OUR, THE, THE KEY PRODUCT FOR OUR TRAINING IS THE VR HEADSET AND YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH GO TO THE BEST BUY AND PICK IT UP.
I MEAN THESE WERE BOUGHT FROM BEST BUY.
SO IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF GETTING THAT.
AND AFTER THAT, THE REAL CRITICAL ASPECT OF THE TRAINING IS THE PROPRIETY SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
SO WE ARE ALREADY IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VR DEVELOPER TEAM.
AND ONCE WE HAVE THIS IN MOTION, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION FOR PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL SHIP THAT YOU DELIVERED FOR SHIPS, THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO TRAIN ABOUT 150 PEOPLE, THEN WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH YOU AND DEVELOP A CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION FOR YOUR ASSET.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE GENERAL TRAINING.
AND A TYPICAL SHIP TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS TO BUILD.
SO WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A YEAR OR SO HEADS UP BEFORE WE KNOW THAT YOUR CREW NEEDS TRAINING SO WE CAN DEVELOP THE PRODUCT WHILE YOUR SHIP IS BEING FINISHED IN THE SHIPYARD.
UM, IN BRINGING THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES INTO THIS INDUSTRY, AND YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, UM, HAVE YOU STARTED BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE REGULATORY AND CERTIFICATION ENTITIES LIKE THE PORT OF HOUSTON OR SIMILAR ENTITIES? YES.
SO THE BIGGEST, UH, THE MOST CRITICAL PIECE IN THIS WHOLE EQUATION IS THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA BE BASED IN THE US WE NEED APPROVAL FROM THEM.
SO I PERSONALLY HAVE 10 YEARS BACKGROUND WORKING WITH THE US COAST GUARD.
I UNDERSTAND THE RULES WERE NOT EVEN WRITTEN WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH THEM.
SO THIS, THESE ARE, SOME OF THESE ARE NEW RULES.
SO I HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND WE ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH, UH, EVEN MARITIME SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.
SO I, I CAN'T NAME THEM, BUT SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, I AM WORKING WITH THEM AND WE ARE ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, PART TWO OF THAT QUESTION IS, ARE ANY OF YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND I THINK I HEARD YOU ANSWER THIS EARLIER, ARE ANY OF YOUR STAKEHOLDERS PART OF OR CONNECTED TO ANY OF THE REGULATORY ENTITIES THAT WILL HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE WATERS OF IMPLEMENTATION? YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PUT A PUN IN THERE.
SO I MEAN, IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE, I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS HELPING CLIENTS NAVIGATE THIS WITH THE REGULATORS.
SO NOW IT'S JUST THAT I'M MY OWN CLIENT.
SO I HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AND BOTH, UH, MY CO-FOUNDER AND I, WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, COLLECTIVELY HAVE 70 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS INDUSTRY.
SO WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE REGULATORS.
I'LL JUST KEEP PART C TO MYSELF.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP PLEASE WELCOME TO THE STAGE SEAN CARROLL FROM BUFFALO SEAWEED.
PRESENTING TO THREE PEOPLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S ALL OF Y'ALL AND EVERYBODY ELSE OUT THERE FOR SURE.
KIM, I'LL WAIT FOR THE SEAWEED PUN.
SO I HAD TO START OFF HERE WITH PICTURE OF WHEN I STARTED A STREET STAND IN MONTROSE AND BEING ON
[02:10:01]
A STREET CORNER TRYING TO SELL FOOD WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS POPULAR IN HOUSTON.WITHIN A YEAR, FOOD TRUCKS CAME AROUND, EVERYBODY WAS JUMPING INTO THE BUSINESS AND I WAS GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT FOR SURE.
I HAVE SOLD VINTAGE TO A UH, JAPANESE DEPARTMENT.
STORES LOVE THE REUSE IDEA THAT HAS COME UP.
CURATED ART SHOWS IN RANDOM WAREHOUSES IN HOUSTON AND HAD MUSEUM COM CURATORS FROM MANIL AND THE MFA COME NOW I WANNA START THE FIRST FARM IN TEXAS.
THIS IS A HUGE POSSIBILITY AND THERE IS NO UH UH, THE SEAWEED FARMS HERE IN TEXAS.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS INTO SOMETHING AND BE ABLE TO, YEAH, PUSH FORWARD ALL THE DIFFERENT OLD SCHOOL USES AS WELL AS NEW ONES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AS IT COMES, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN HOUSTON, EVERYTHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
SEAWEED FARMS ARE A GREAT WAY TO MITIGATE STORM SURGE.
IT IS AN AWESOME WAY TO CLEAN WATERS AND ESPECIALLY WHAT'S COMING OUT OF GALVESTON BAY.
IF WE DON'T CHANGE TO MOVE WITH IT, IT'S GOING TO KIND OF RUN US OVER.
BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM AT AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY HARDEN OUR SUPPLY CHAINS, DIVERSIFY OUR ENERGY SOLUTIONS AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE EXPLORED WHEN WE COME TO THIS PROBLEM.
EVERYTHING IS BEING EXPLORED TODAY AND IT'S GONNA PUSH FURTHER.
BUT YOU LOOK AT THAT 10% FOSSIL FUEL PRODUCTION, 21% INDUSTRY AND THE HUGE PART AGRICULTURE.
WE CAN CUT INTO THAT BY JUST MAKING THINGS WITH SEAWEED.
THIS IS AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND SOME STARTUPS IN HOUSTON ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT.
FERTILIZER AND ANIMAL FEED ARE ALREADY IN USE IN THE BUSINESS PLAN AS WELL.
HAD TALKED TO SOME LOCAL FARMERS ABOUT THAT BIOFUEL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
BECAUSE THIS IS HOUSTON, WE ARE BUILDING THINGS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH FOSSIL FUELS AND WHEN THE ENERGY TRANSITION HAPPENS, WE WANT TO BE ON TOP OF IT.
GLOBAL SEAWEED MARKET WAS 18 BILLION LAST YEAR.
IT'LL GROW OVER 10% WITHIN A DECADE, AND THERE ARE NO SEAWEED FARMS IN TEXAS.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE REGULATORY SITUATION.
IT'S WIDE OPEN AND WE HAVE VERY MUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT TEXAS IS ALWAYS VERY BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN.
I'VE TAKEN A COURSE WITH GREENWAVE OUT OF LONG ISLAND.
THEY ARE BASICALLY STARTING ALL OF THESE WITH VERY DIFFERENT SPECIES IN THE ATLANTIC.
THERE ARE FARMS IN THE PACIFIC AS WELL, BUT NOTHING ON THE GULF COAST.
WE CAN MOVE SOMEWHERE USING THESE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND THAT ARE OPEN SOURCE.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH EVERYTHING? THERE'S A LOT FOR EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, A BIT FOR MARKETING.
GETTING OUT TO FARMER'S MARKETS AND PUTTING THIS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT PRINCIPLE WILL ONLY BE PAID FROM FIRST HARVEST.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF TO DO, BUT ONCE WE SET IT UP, IT STAYS, IT GROWS, AND IT DOES NOT NEED A LOT BETWEEN THE BEGINNING AND THE END.
WE'RE GONNA BRING BUFFALO CCB TO CONSUMERS THE SAME WAY THAT WE DID CREPES.
SO WHEN I STARTED MILAN PAPER, WE GOT OUT ON A STREET CORNER.
WE DID FARMER'S MARKETS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND PUTTING OURSELVES IN FRONT OF CONSUMERS WHO CAN MAKE BIG DECISIONS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO BE PART OF A MORE RESILIENT FUTURE FOR HOUSTON AND GALVESTON BAY.
HERE WE HAVE THE IKE D**E FUTURE PLANS FOR GALVESTON AND MAKING IT MORE INTO A PARK.
SO YOU KNOW, THE PUN IS COMING.
AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS WHAT MAKES DOING THIS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN DOING IT IN THE ATLANTIC OR PACIFIC COASTS? THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO DOING THIS IN THE GULF VERSUS OTHER PLACES, BUT THE FACT IS THAT THE MORE GROWTH YOU HAVE, THE BETTER.
SO WE'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT SPECIES HERE.
WHILE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN RESEARCHED IN OTHER PLACES, THERE IS A LOT OF SCIENTIFIC KIND OF EXPLORATION GOING ON, JUST DOCUMENTING DIFFERENT THINGS.
NO IMPLEMENTATION OF GROWING THEM BOTH OUT OF, UH, GALVESTON AND CORPUS CHRISTI A AND M HAT TIP TO THE LIBRARY FOR HAVING SEVERAL DIFFERENT BOOKS BY AWESOME HOUSTON,
[02:15:01]
UH, TEXAS SCIENTISTS ON THAT.SO, UM, THIS IS, UH, INDUSTRY I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.
SO, UH, I IT WAS, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
SO THE QUESTION IS, UM, WHERE'S THEIR CURRENTLY SUCCESSFUL SEA, UH, SEAWEED FARM? AND ARE YOU MODELING HOW THEY'RE DOING IT OR ARE YOU TWEAKING IT DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN THEM? GREENWAVE OUT OF LONG ISLAND ABSOLUTELY IS A GREAT THING.
THE REGULATORY SITUATION IN THE NORTHEAST IS A LOT EASIER THAN ON THE PACIFIC COAST WHERE THEY'RE COST PROHIBITIVELY DOING THIS, ALMA.
BUT ON THE EAST COAST, THE REALLY ENCOURAGING THIS AND GREENWAVE HAS SET UP BOTH A SITUATION WHERE DIFFERENT FARMERS CAN SELL FUTURES.
THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN REACHING OUT TO FARMERS THAT I ALREADY KNOW FOR FERTILIZER AND ANIMAL FEED.
BECAUSE IF I AM PLANTING IN THE OCEAN, NO NEED FOR FERTILIZERS, NO NEED FOR UPKEEP, BUT BASICALLY GET IT STARTED, WAIT FOR THE END OF THE SEASON AND TAKE IT OUT, THEN I HAVE A BUYER ALREADY FOR IT.
WE CAN UNDERCUT LOCAL, NOT LOCAL.
WE CAN UNDERCUT CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS WITH THIS BY CUTTING OUT, YOU KNOW, A HUGE AMOUNT, WHICH IS THE SHIPPING COSTS COMING FROM PLACES LIKE RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AS WELL AS BASICALLY THE WHOLE SITUATION WITH NATURAL GAS, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S USUALLY MADE OUT OF.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND THE RISING PRICES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON LATELY.
AND, UH, JUST A DIFFERENT QUESTION ON THE, UH, HOW YOU'RE GONNA UTILIZE THE LIFT OFF CASH.
THERE WAS A LINE ITEM HERE THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO, UM, SEE ON HERE.
IT DIDN'T QUITE TIE OUT THE BOAT RENTAL FOR LINE SETTING AND HARVEST FOR THE LOCAL FISHERMEN.
UH, DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD AND WHAT THAT WOULD BE? I DON'T, I WOULD SAY A THOUSAND TO 2000 IS PROBABLY WHAT I PUT IN THERE.
BUT BASICALLY WE DON'T WANT TO START IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE DOING DEEP WATER.
WE WANNA STAY RIGHT OFF THE COAST.
AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED A SITE JUST OFF OF TEXAS CITY THAT IS VERY SHALLOW RIGHT THERE AT THE D**E.
THERE ARE TONS OF SPORT FISHERMEN AND PEOPLE OUT THERE, SHRIMPERS AND OYSTERMEN IN THE BAY.
I'M ASKING FOR TWO WEEKS OUT OF THEIR TIME.
PLEASE LET ME USE YOUR LINES, GET IT UP AND OFF OF THERE, AND THEN TRANSPORT IT TO BE CHANGED INTO WHATEVER I WANNA MAKE IT.
SO I HAVE A, A QUESTION ABOUT THE SIZES OF THE DIFFERENT MARKETS.
YOU IDENTIFIED THREE POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAMS THAT ARE HUGE, RIGHT? SO I WAS WONDERING, WHAT, HOW LARGE IS THE MARKET FOR SEAWEED AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR BIOPLASTICS AS, UM, FOR AGRICULTURAL USE AND ALSO FOR CARBON CREDITS? WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL SIZES OF EACH OF THOSE THREE MARKETS? THE SIZE FOR CARBON CREDITS IS HOW MUCH CAN YOU GROW? IT PAYS THE LEAST OUT OF THE THREE.
BUT CONSIDERING SOME OF THE SCANDALS THAT HAVE COME INVOLVING PLANTING TREES AND GREEN CARBON, AS THEY SAY, BLUE CARBON IS AN EMERGING MARKET.
AND AS LONG AS YOU CAN KNOCK DOWN THOSE THINGS THAT SAY YOU HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, KIND OF THE SKY'S THE LIMIT BETWEEN RETAIL AND, UH, CORPORATE INVESTMENT THAT ARE LOOKING TO OFFSET THEIR OWN CARBON USES IN TERMS OF FERTILIZER, VERY INSTRUCTIVE.
TALKING TO ATKINSON FARM OUT OF A SPRING, TEXAS, HE JUST LIKE AN OLD FARMER DOES, HAD A LOT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, HE WAS SPENDING ON FERTILIZER, HOW MUCH HE WAS SPENDING TODAY VERSUS FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND YOU KNOW, IT IS, LET'S SAY THIS, IT IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE FOR ONE FARM.
AND IF WE CAN JUST SUPPLEMENT WHAT HE'S BUYING AND ANOTHER FARM AND ANOTHER FARM FROM PEOPLE THAT I ALREADY KNOW, WORD OF MOUTH IS ALWAYS THE BEST ADVERTISING.
SO YOU GET TO ONE, GET TO ANOTHER AND KEEP MOVING ON IN TERMS OF THAT.
THERE WAS LIKE EXTRA SLIDES AND I WAS LIKE, OH NO, I'LL DO THAT.
BUT ALL MY, THE FERTILIZER MARKET, WHAT PEOPLE PAY FOR FERTILIZER IN TEXAS, I BELIEVE IS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
I HAVE NO WAY OF GROWING ENOUGH SEAWEED TO ATTACK THAT.
BUT BY UNDERCUTTING WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR IT, IT BECOMES A PRODUCT THAT FITS IN ECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS ORGANICALLY.
DO YOU ALSO HAVE A TIMELINE TO PROFITABILITY? SO YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START, WHEN CAN YOU START PLANTING AND THEN WHEN CAN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE IT ON THE MARKET AND MAKE A PROFIT TWICE A YEAR FOR EVERY SPRING? EVERY FALL THERE ARE SEASONS FOR DIFFERENT SPECIES.
I'M GONNA BE STARTING THIS KIND OF AS AN AQUARIUM SPECIES BY TAKING THINGS, FORAGING THEM, TURNING AROUND INTO, UH, UH, SEEDINGS THAT I CAN THEN PLANT TO GROW.
I CAN MODEL IT BASED ON ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC VERSIONS OF THIS EUROPEAN ASIAN AS WELL, BUT I HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE IF THAT WAS THE RIGHT SPECIES.
SO USING A LOT OF THE RESEARCH THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, UM, MY, I CAN REASONABLY SAY THAT WITHIN TWO SEASONS, AKA ONE YEAR,
[02:20:01]
I AM EITHER HAVING A PROFITABLE SEASON OR PIVOTING TO FORAGING A LOT OF THE SARGASSUM SEAWEED THAT TAKES UP ON GALVESTON BAY.BECAUSE IF I ALREADY HAD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO TURN THIS INTO FERTILIZER, I CAN DO IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THANK YOU SEAN CAROL FROM BUFFALO SEAWEED
KNOW WHY THAT SONG CAME TO MIND.
ALRIGHT, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, PLEASE WELCOME TERRY WIND FROM SHI STUDENT HOMELESS IMPACT PROPERTIES.
HI EVERYONE, I'M TERRY, THE FOUNDER OF SHI PROPERTIES AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU HOW WE'RE GONNA SOLVE HOUSTON SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE SHORT-TERM HOUSING USING MODULAR HOMES WITH A NICHE.
SO THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST MEDICAL CITY AND THOUSANDS OF MEDICAL RESIDENTS TRAVELING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, AND 10 MILLION PATIENTS VISIT TMC ANNUALLY.
AND THEY ALL HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON.
THEY NEED AFFORDABLE SHORT-TERM PLACES TO STAY THAT'S NEAR TMC AND THE DEMAND FOR ONE MONTH TO SIX MONTH SHORT-TERM STAY LODGING IS HUGE IN HOUSTON AND THE OPTIONS ARE VERY LIMITED.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR A ONE BEDROOM STUDIO, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALL NEAR TMC, ROUGHLY TWO TO FIVE MILES IS STARTING AT $2,400 AND IT FLUCTUATES DAILY.
WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER OUR ONE BEDROOM STUDIO MODULAR APARTMENT FOR ONLY 1575 AND THAT'S FOR A FULLY FURNISHED, UM, ROOM.
SO HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THAT? FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO DEVELOP HOUSTON'S FIRST MODULAR HOME COMMUNITY PARK WHERE WE CAN COME IN AND BE THE AFFORDABLE MODULAR HOME BUILDERS.
AND IN FACT, THE TYPICAL, UM, COST TO BUILD A COMMERCIAL APARTMENT STARTS AT $270 A SQUARE FOOT AND CAN GO OVER $400.
OUR MODULARS, WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD ANY COMMUNITY FOR $150 A SQUARE FEET ON TOP OF THAT.
OUR CONSTRUCTION TIME IS EXTREMELY FAST.
WE CAN DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OUR FIRST MODULAR IN TWO WEEKS AND EVERY DAY WE CAN SPIT OUT ONE UNIT AFTER THAT.
SO IF WE WANNA START WITH A 20 UNIT MODULAR APARTMENT, IT WILL ONLY TAKE US 37 DAYS.
EACH OF OUR MODULAR HAS A PROPRIETARY STEEL FRAME THAT CAN BE BUILT UP TO SIX STORIES HIGH WHEN MAXIMIZING DENSITY IS CRITICAL.
WITH ALL OF THIS IN PLACE, WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER COMPETITIVE RATES AND OFFER A GREAT RETURN FOR OUR INVESTORS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED AN AREA IN SUNNYSIDE, WHICH IS GOING THROUGH EXTREME POSITIVE COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION.
RIGHT NOW THE AREA IS OFF OF 2 88 AND BELFORT AVENUE RIGHT AT WHERE SITE B AND WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK WITH AMAZING AMENITIES.
IT IS ONLY 12 MINUTES TO DRIVE TO THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER.
AND IN THE EXACT FIRST PHASE LOCATION, THERE IS A BUS STOP THAT ACTUALLY DROPS PEOPLE OFF AT THE METRO RAIL, TAKING THEM DIRECTLY TO THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, MAKING THIS A PRIME LOCATION.
OUR FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF 20 MODULAR UNITS WITH A POOL GAZEBO OFFICE AND, UM, A CLUBHOUSE.
THIS IS WHAT OUR MODULARS LOOK LIKE AND WE CAN HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BUILD IT AS LARGE AS THIS.
FOR OUR FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ONLY 20 UNITS AND, UH, OF A COMMUNITY, IT IS ONLY $3,000.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET BANK FINANCING FOR $2 MILLION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A $1 MILLION IN INVESTMENT WITH THAT.
THE PAYBACK PERIOD IS ROUGHLY THREE YEARS, AND IF WE ONLY DEVELOP 20 UNITS AND NO MORE, THE IRR IS AT LEAST 15% TO OUR INVESTORS.
IF WE CONTINUE TO ADD MORE FLOOR PLANS, IT WILL BE UP TO 30% OR MORE.
I'M TERRY, THE CEOI HAVE A DOUBLE MASTERS.
I'VE BEEN A CEO ENTREPRENEUR FOR 20 YEARS.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT DONNA.
UM, SHE'S THE FOUNDER OF THE MATERIALS RESEARCH COLLABORATIVE, WHICH SHE IS CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SHE'S ALSO NATIONALLY PUBLISHED.
AND SHE HAS DESIGNED AND SHE HAS BEEN AWARDED MULTIPLE AWARDS FOR HER DESIGN TOGETHER, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OVERQUALIFIED MODULARS TO MAKE THIS, UH, PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.
THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN SOLVING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS BY DEVELOPING HOUSTON'S FIRST MODULAR HOME PARK JUST FOR MODULAR BUILDINGS.
[02:25:01]
I'M TERRY.UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, GREAT BUSINESS PLAN AS WELL, VERY DETAILED.
UM, I'LL, I'LL START OFF WITH THE KIND OF THE TOUGH QUESTION FIRST.
UH, YOU MENTIONED IN THE PACKET, UH, LABOR FOR BUILDING, UH, THE MODULAR HOMES, UH, IS GONNA BE SKILLED LABOR AND IT'S GONNA BE FABRICATED, RIGHT? HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU, UM, CONSIDERED THE LABOR COSTS OF THAT SKILLED LABOR IN THESE MANUFACTURING PLANTS? SO WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED OUR PARTNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF DEVELOPING MODULARS ALREADY SET UP.
THEY BUILT MULTIMILLION DOLLAR, UH, UM, BUILDINGS ACROSS THE NATION ALREADY.
THEY'VE ALREADY, UM, MASTERED THAT PROCESS.
WHAT WE, WHO WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING WITH IS A NON-PROFIT, UM, MODULAR MANUFACTURER WHO ONLY CHARGES FOR THE INITIAL PHASE OF LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, DESIGNING AND THE, UH, THE, THEY DON'T UPCHARGE ON ANY MATERIALS.
SO EVERYTHING'S ALREADY INCLUDED IN THAT AND THEY TAKE CARE OF THAT WHOLE ENTIRE ASPECT.
SO LABOR IS JUST SHIPPING IT HERE AND GETTING THE SUBCONTRACTORS TO SET IT UP.
AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, HOW, UH, IN, IN THE PACKET, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IT CORRECTLY, IT'S, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF COMPETING WITH, NOT COMPETING, BUT YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THE SAME BOAT AS SITE BUILD HOMES.
SO NORMAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO HOW IS YOUR INDUSTRY GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THE REAL ESTATE MARKET? LET'S SAY THERE'S RECESSION PRICES GO DOWN.
HOW IS IT AFFECT, HOW ARE YOU AFFECTED? OKAY, SO THAT IS WHY AS HOUSTON WE NEED TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW ZONING LAW AND A WHOLE NEW PLOT OF LAND, SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR MODULAR HOMES, TINY HOMES SO THAT PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE TRADITIONAL SITE-BUILT HOMES THAT ARE INCREASING TO BRING IN THE HOMES IN THESE AREAS.
AND I WANNA BE THE FIRST TO DO THAT.
ON TOP OF THAT, AS I MENTIONED, DONNA AND I HAVE ALREADY VETTED THOROUGHLY OVER QUALIFY MANUFACTURERS AND THEY HA THE ONES THAT WE HAVE PICKED HAS ALREADY ASSURED US THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY SHORTAGES IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN AS LONG AS WE USE THEIR PROPRIETARY MATERIAL.
AND, UM, THEY'VE ALREADY SEALED IN LOCKDOWN PRICES FOR THE LONG TERM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY BUILDING AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, PROJECTS GOING OUT TO THREE OR FOUR YEARS ALREADY AND THEY ARE ONLY WORKING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, BUILDERS AND NOBODY ELSE.
SO WE ARE GOING TO PUT OUR OURSELF INTO THAT NICHE.
SO THOSE, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TAKEN CARE OF BY JUST AGGRESSIVELY VETTING THE, THE PARTNERSHIP.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS VERY CAPITAL INTENSIVE AND I THINK IT WAS IN YEAR, THE SECOND YEAR, 2024, I THINK THE, THE, UH, THE $2.8 MILLION WILL BE UTILIZED OR IT WILL BE AN INFUSION OF THAT BY AN INVESTMENT OR, OR A LOAN.
UH, SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S CAPITAL INTENSIVE FOR A 20 UNIT ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BE $3 MILLION WITH A 20%, UM, BUFFER.
WE, IF WE DO GROW, IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON HOW MANY EXTRA FLOOR PLANS WE WANNA ADD.
IF WE WANNA ADD FIVE, THEN IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, 500,000 WANNA ADD 10.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE GETTING.
AND WE, WE DO HAVE A STRATEGY ON HOW TO, UM, MONITOR WHAT THAT DEMAND IS TO UH, BE ABLE TO GAUGE HOW MANY MORE MODULARS WE WOULD BE ADDING.
SO THAT WAS JUST A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF JUST DOUBLING.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL PLAN THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO PRESENT IT TODAY.
HAS YOUR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PROFILE TAKEN A FLUCTUATING OCCUPANCY RATE IN CONSIDERATION OR ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH THE MED SCHOOLS DOWN THERE, THE HOSPITALS DOWN THERE? WHAT IS YOUR, UM, RATE OF OCCUPANCY? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT THAT LONG TERM? RIGHT, SO 20 UNITS FOR 10 MILLION PATIENTS COMING IN AND THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND THOUSANDS OF TRAVELING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW THERE'S ALREADY A HIGH DEMAND.
WHAT WE WANNA DO CONSISTENTLY IS SECURE PRE-LEASING FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES.
'CAUSE THEY ARE CURRENTLY PAYING MARKET RATE, WHICH IS $3,000 FOR A ONE BEDROOM UP TO $5,000 DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY FOR A THREE BEDROOM OR TWO BEDROOM.
WE'RE GIVING IT TO THEM FOR HALF OFF AT LEAST TO SECURE ALL OF OUR ROOMS. AND THAT'S AN INCENTIVE IN THEM ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, SIGN ON TO, UM, SEND THEIR PATIENTS TO US.
THAT'S JUST ONE AREA THAT WE CAN GO TO, YOU KNOW, HOSPITALS WHERE THEY HAVE OVERFLOW AND THEY CAN SEND IT TO US AND AGAIN, WE CAN TAKE INSURANCE.
AND THEN THERE'S MEDICAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET.
[02:30:01]
ALSO THE MARKET FOR SHORTAGES OF HOUSING FOR STUDENTS ALONE IS PHENOMENALLY HUGE AS WELL.SO WE, WE PRETTY MUCH CAN COVER ANYTHING AND THE FACT THAT, UM, OUR MODULAR MANUFACTURERS ARE NON-PROFIT AND THEY DON'T CHARGE, UM, YOU KNOW, A MARGIN HELPS US CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR VISION AND KEEP PRICES VERY LOW AND COMPETITIVE TO OFFSET WHATEVER'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A SYMBI SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, NOT JUST WHAT WE WANT, BUT IT'S WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS ARE, ARE WANTING AS WELL.
AND MY QUESTION, THANK WAIT, SORRY, I DIDN'T NEED TO ASK ONE YET.
UM, MY, MY LENS FOR THIS IS, IS THROUGH IMPACT, RIGHT? YES.
AND YOU SAID THIS IS SHORT TERM HOUSING FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
SO WE WORK WITH SOUTH UNION CDC AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM AND THE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA, UM, THE AVERAGE RENTAL RATE THERE IS $1,100.
SO THE 1575 FOR A STUDIO IS NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING SOMEBODY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CAN NECESSARILY AFFORD.
DO YOU, WHY NOT ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? SO, UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LONG TERM FOR THAT RATE OR SHORT TERM? MONTH TO MONTH, YEAH.
WHY, WHY NOT ADDRESS LONG TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR, FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP AVOID GENTRIFICATION FOR INSTANCE? YES, ACTUALLY IT'S IN MY BUSINESS PLAN AS PHASE THREE.
PHASE THREE, I DO PLAN ON, UM, PARTNERING WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE US THE BANK SO THAT WE CAN FINANCE, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN OUR THIRD PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT TO SELL TO THEM OR TO RENT TO THEM AT THOSE COSTS, AT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, UM, RATES THAT THEY HAVE ONLINE TO LET US KNOW THAT WE ARE MATCHING THE, UM, THE MA THE RATES THAT ARE GOING FOR THAT AREA.
SO THAT IS IN THE LONG TERM PLAN.
ULTIMATELY IT IS TO OFFER TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT OWN A HOME TO BE ABLE TO BUY A HOME AT A VERY INNOVATIVE, UM, PRICING STRATEGY.
THERE WAS OUR PITCHES, RIGHT? HOW ABOUT A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EVERYBODY THAT PITCHED TODAY OUR JUDGES.
AND WE'VE GOT YOU HEADING OFF STAGE TO OUR DELIBERATION ROOM AS WELL.
NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR JUDGES AND OUR FINAL CATEGORY, THANK YOU AS WELL.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BRIEF BREAK AT THIS TIME AND BE BACK HERE AT ONE 10 TO WRAP UP.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING AS WE MAKE OUR FINAL APPROACH TO GETTING THIS DONE.
AND HOW DOES IT FEEL TO MAKE IT TO PITCH DAY? IT FEELS SUPER EXCITING.
THIS IS, I WAS SUPER SURPRISED I EVEN GOT THIS FAR
UM, I ENTERED THE COMPETITION BECAUSE I MADE A GOAL TO COMPLETE MY BUSINESS PLAN AND THE FACT THAT I EVEN GOT TO PITCH MY PRODUCT IS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE.
AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL SETS YOUR PRODUCT APART FROM ALL OTHERS? WELL, I PLAN ON BEING A BRAND THAT IS MISSING IN THE RETAIL SPACE SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK WOMEN.
IT'S, UH, ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO SHOP FOR BEAUTY PRODUCTS.
AND SO I SAW A NEED AND A PROBLEM AND I CAME UP WITH THIS SOLUTION.
UM, IF YOU COULD TELL ME YOUR NAME AND A BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
I AM THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP, WHICH IS AN ARTISANAL SMALL BATCH KETCHUP MADE WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.
AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL SETS YOUR PRODUCT APART FROM OTHERS? I FEEL LIKE BEIS, FASHION KETCHUP IS REALLY SET APART BY THE TRANSPARENCY OF INGREDIENTS.
THERE HAS BEEN A PUSH IN THE MARKET FOR INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CONSUMING.
THE ARTISANAL FACTOR ALSO ADDS THAT VALUE ADD IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST MORE, MORE CARE AND LOVE HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE PRODUCT.
AND HOW DID YOU PRACTICE YOUR PITCH? ABSOLUTELY RELIGIOUSLY.
SO I PRACTICED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES IN FRONT OF, YOU KNOW, THE MIRROR IN FRONT OF MY SPOUSE, IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY, IN FRONT OF MY CAT.
SO I WANTED TO GET IT DOWN PAT.
SO WE ARE READY TO GO FOR PITCH DAY.
WELL, ABSOLUTE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU, SUZANNE.
HI, WELCOME TO LIFTOFF PITCH DAY.
IF YOU COULD TELL US YOUR NAME AND A BIT ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT.
I'M AGARWAL THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF MARITIME XR AND WE PROPOSE TO CHANGE THE CONVENTIONAL TRAINING MODALITIES IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO SUPPLEMENT, UH, TRAINING WITH ADVANCED VIRTUAL REALITY AND BE ABLE TO OFFER A MORE REALISTIC, IMMERSIVE AND INTERACTIVE TRAINING EXPERIENCE.
AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR BUSINESS? SO I'VE BEEN IN
[02:35:01]
THE SECTOR FOR ABOUT OVER TWO DECADES NOW AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT TRAINING MODALITIES AND EVERY TIME I TALK TO CLIENTS THE SAME QUESTION CAME UP.WE NEED A BETTER WAY OF TRAINING OUR WORKFORCE.
SO THE TIME WAS JUST RIGHT FOR ME TO KIND OF TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND DO IT MYSELF RATHER THAN WAIT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE COMPETITION? I THINK JUST MEETING THE OTHER CONTESTANTS.
IT'S JUST BEEN SO INSPIRING TO SEE THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
THERE IS A WHOLE FRAMEWORK AROUND YOU AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE AS NERVOUS, WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THE NEXT MONTH OR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO I THINK THAT'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF FUN AND A LOT OF ENERGY IN THAT.
WELL, I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
AND SHARE YOUR NAME AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND WHAT CATEGORY YOU'RE COMPETING IN.
I'M TERRY WYNN AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF SHI PROPERTIES AND I AM UNDER THE INNOVATION CATEGORY.
AND WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR BUSINESS APART FROM ALL OTHERS? SO I AM TRYING TO SOLVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND, UM, WHAT SETS ME APART IS I'M TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW ZONING LAW THAT ALLOWS, UM, BUILDERS LIKE ME, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDERS TO COME IN AND STRICTLY, UM, DEVELOP, UH, MODULAR HOMES.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO MAKE IT TO PITCH DAY? IT'S SURREAL,
I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I COULD COMPLETE A THOUGHT TO A WHOLE BUSINESS PLAN IN FOUR MONTHS.
WELL, ENJOY THE DAY, ENJOY THE RIDE.
IF YOU COULD TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND WHAT CATEGORY YOU'RE COMPETING IN.
HI, I AM SHARICE BUCK, CEO AND I'M IKA LAC, COO.
AND WE ARE IGNITE DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE IN THE SERVICE CATEGORY.
AND HOW DOES IT FEEL TO MAKE IT TO PITCH DAY? IT'S A BLESSING.
AND WHAT PUSHED YOU TO COMPLETE ALL OF YOUR WORKSHOPS AND YOUR BUSINESS PLAN? I THINK IT WAS MORE SO THE CHALLENGE, CHALLENGING OURSELVES TO, TO DO BETTER, UM, WANTING TO DO BETTER.
SO I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS WHAT PUSHED US AND IT GAVE US THE EXTRA PUSH WE NEEDED THAT YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE ROOTING FOR YOU AND WILLING TO HELP YOU AND THE FREE RESOURCES.
SO IT WAS LIKE, WHY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS FREE OPPORTUNITY? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL JUST ENJOY THE DAY, ENJOY THE RIDE, AND BEST OF LUCK ON YOUR PITCH.
HI, WELCOME TO LIFT OFF PITCH DAY.
IF YOU COULD SHARE YOUR NAME AND ABOUT THE CATEGORY YOU'LL COM BE COMPETING IN AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
I'M HANNAH LEE, I'M THE FOUNDER OF RESTATEMENT.
WE ARE IN THE PRODUCT CATEGORY AND WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE USED UNWANTED CLOTHING AND TURN IT INTO NEW WEARABLE ART.
AND WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION TO START YOUR BUSINESS? YEAH, ACTUALLY, SO GROWING UP I WATCHED MY MOM DO SEWING ALTERATIONS IN TOMBALL ALL MY LIFE, BUT THEN JUST IN 2020 SHE STARTED MAKING FACE MASKS OUT OF FABRIC STRAP SHE HAD SAVED FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
SO I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHO ELSE IS DOING THIS? AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF DESIGNERS, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO UPCYCLE AS WELL.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF LIFTOFF HOUSTON SO FAR? I LOVE Y'ALL.
UM, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE, BE A PART OF THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY.
IT JUST FEELS SO INCREDIBLE TO HAVE YOU AS A PART OF THIS JOURNEY, UM, IN RESTATEMENT IN OUR VERY EARLY DAYS, BUT AS WELL TO BE A PART OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST AS WELL.
WELL, WE HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
ENJOY THE RIDE AND BEST OF LUCK ON YOUR PITCH.
WE'RE SETTLING IN LIFT OFF HOUSTON PITCH DAY 2022 IS COMING TO ITS EXCITING AND INEVITABLE CONCLUSION.
ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN QUINN FROM 1 0 4 0.1 KRBE.
IT HAS BEEN MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO SEE ALL THESE EXCITING PITCHES.
WE'VE HAD SO MANY GREAT ENTREPRENEURS IN HERE TODAY SHARING THEIR DREAMS, SHARING THEIR GOALS WITH ALL OF US, AND IT'S BEEN SO EXCITING.
THEY'VE COME TO A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DECISION.
I GOTTA SAY I WASN'T IN THAT ROOM, BUT I AM GLAD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
THEY'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE OUR WINNERS IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS AND I HAVE BEEN SO PERSONALLY IMPRESSED BY EVERY ONE OF THE PITCHES THAT HAPPEN HERE TODAY.
I WANT US ALL TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO SHOW OUR ENTHUSIASM AND OUR SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE ENTREPRENEURS
[02:40:02]
THAT WE HERE.I'M NOW GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MARCIA MURRAY, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, WHO'S GONNA COME ON UP HERE AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
YOUR ENERGY IS SO INCREDIBLE, ISN'T IT? IT'S BEEN SO AWESOME.
I REALLY WANNA VOTE FOR YOU AS FAN FAVORITE FOR HOST BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THAT GREAT
SO BEFORE YOU GO, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE TIME YOU HAVE SPENT WITH US TODAY AND HOW YOU'VE MADE THIS SUCH AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US, IT'S KEVIN'S OH,
SO WHAT AN EXCITING TIME IT HAS BEEN SO FAR.
THE ENERGY IN THIS ROOM HAS SIMPLY BEEN WONDERFUL, AND OUR FINALISTS HAVE DELIVERED EXCELLENT PITCHES.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE COVID THAT WE'VE HELD A PITCH DAY COMPLETELY IN PERSON, IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND THE AND SUPPORTERS.
AND THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, LIFTOFF HAS SEEN CHANGES DUE TO, OF COURSE, UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO OUR PICTURES WERE HELD VIRTUALLY OUR COVID FINALISTS PITCHED THEIR BUSINESSES OVER ZOOM.
IT WAS A REAL DEPARTURE FROM THE PROGRAM AND THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TO TODAY.
AND LAST YEAR WE PIVOTED ONCE MORE TO HOST PITCH DAY IN A HYBRID FORMAT.
DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND PRO PROTOCOLS, WE COULD NOT HAVE A FULL AUDIENCE.
OUR FINALISTS DELIVERED THEIR PITCHES WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF LOVED ONES, UH, IN THE SAME ROOM, AND SOME JUDGES HAD TO JUDGE VIRTUALLY THIS YEAR.
IT IS ONLY FIT IN THAT WE BROUGHT BACK LIFTOFF IN A BIG WAY.
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE AMONG ALL OF YOU AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, WHICH IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
HERE'S TO 2022 AND TO THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND BEYOND A DECADE OF LIFTOFF, HOUSTON HAS ONLY BEEN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF OUR SPONSOR, CAPITAL ONE BANK AND OUR STRONG COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND HTV HOUSTON.
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING AND THROUGH ALL THE UPS AND DOWNS THERE HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL PARTNERS DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
LIFTOFF HOUSTON AND OUR FINALISTS HAVE ALSO MADE IT THIS FAR BECAUSE OF OUR WORKSHOP PARTNERS, ALL WHO HAD GIVEN US THE INVALUABLE GIFT OF THEIR TIME.
THE BUSINESS, FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND MARKETING EDUCATION THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED HAS ALLOWED OUR PARTICIPANTS TO PLAN A ROADMAP TO THEIR SUCCESS, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF VIABLE BUSINESS PLANS.
SOME OF OUR WORKSHOP PARTNERS ARE BUSINESS OWNERS THEMSELVES AND THEIR STORIES HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO SO MANY STARTUP ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR WORKSHOP PARTNERS TO THE STAGE AS WE AS, AS I CALL THEIR NAMES.
ON BEHALF OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON TEAM AND MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR SINCERE THANKS.
PEOPLE FUND, PEOPLE FUND THE KYRA COMPANY.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, LIFT FUND THE, THE SBA, SIMPSON THACHER, THE DUMPLING DUDES AWARD COMMUNICATIONS, BG HAIR CARE, HCC AND SMART START LLC.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND LET'S JUST TAKE A, A QUICK PICTURE
[02:45:01]
TOGETHER.SO AS WE GET CLOSER TO ANNOUNCING OUR WINNERS, I'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE OUR JUDGES TO THE STAGE SUN HERD.
MIRIAM KAHN, JOHN EZ, KEN UNDERHILL, KIM ADAMS, KYRA HARDWICK, BACK UP AGAIN.
ADRIANA GONZALEZ, LIN AND GRACE RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU'D PLEASE COME UP.
LET'S JUST TAKE A PIC, A QUICK PICTURE.
JUDGES, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PROVIDING OUR FINALISTS WITH YOUR INSIGHTFUL FEEDBACK.
WHETHER OR NOT THEY BRING HOME $10,000 TODAY, THE QUESTIONS YOU POSE WILL BECOME IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS AS THEY WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEIR BUSINESS GOALS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY STAFF AT THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, SEVERAL WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO SPEND THEIR SATURDAY WITH US TODAY.
PATSY JACKSON, HIRAM WRIGHT, ASHA JUA, UH, NORMA MEADOWS AND SAMIR PATEL FOR ASSISTING WITH THE FLOW OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
YOUR TIME AND PRESENCE HAS BEEN CRUCIAL TO TODAY'S SUCCESS.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, TO THE WOMEN WHO WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CAPITAL ONE BANK TO MAKE TODAY POSSIBLE.
THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MANAGER, PEARL KAHALAS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS, NELLY PENA AND JESSICA DEL GRECO.
SO THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING THE SUCCESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES EXTENDS TO ALL LIFTOFF HOUSTON PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE KNOW THAT AFTER YOU LEAVE TODAY, MY OFFICE REMAINS AS A RESOURCE TO YOU ALL.
DO KEEP IN TOUCH NO MATTER WHERE YOUR JOURNEYS TAKE YOU.
AND REMEMBER THAT MOST, SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON'S STARTED AS DREAMS BY LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WHO ENTERED COMPETITIONS LIKE LIFTOFF HOUSTON.
I WISH ALL OF YOU ARE PARTICIPANTS AND FINALISTS THE VERY BEST.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR.
RIA LAWSON, WHO'S BEEN A CHAMPION FOR LIFTOFF HOUSTON SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
DR. LAWSON HAS SERVED IN A, IN HER ROLE SINCE 2005 AND IS KEENLY FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN GENERAL AND HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IN PARTICULAR, REMAIN ESSENTIAL TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN COMMUNITIES.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL OF YOU.
AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, IT IS INDEED A PRIVILEGE IN MY HONOR TO BE WITH YOU HERE FOR THE 2022 LIFT OFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN PITCH DAY.
UH, I REMEMBER, UH, OVER 10 YEARS AGO NOW, JUST FLOATING THIS IDEA.
UH, WE'VE SEEN BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITIONS IN OTHER LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND, AND ONCE I BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, KNEW THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP WOULD TAKE THIS, UH, COMPETITION TO HIGHER HEIGHTS.
AND WHEN WE FOUND THE RIGHT PARTNER IN CAPITAL ONE, WE KNEW WE HAD A WINNING FORMULA.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THAT MOMENT OF UNSCRIPTED TIME TO JUST SAY THANK YOU AND THANK
[02:50:01]
TO THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT'S EVER TOUCHED THIS COMPETITION IN ANY WAY FOR ALL INVOLVED IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT, ESPECIALLY THE COMPETITION PARTICIPANTS.IT'S BEEN AN INTENSE JOURNEY REQUIRING A TENACIOUS, UH, UH, A, A TENACIOUS AMOUNT OF ENDURANCE.
AS A RESULT, THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM HAS PROVEN TO BE ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR THE COMPETITION.
MANY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SUCCESS.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK SOME VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS.
A CITY CANNOT THRIVE WITHOUT THE INVESTMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS WITH A SHARED VISION.
THAT IS WHY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SO GRATEFUL FOR CAPITAL ONE'S INVESTMENT AS THE FOUNDING SPONSOR OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION FOR THESE 10 YEARS AND THEIR YES AND THEIR SHARED VISION AND THEIR SHARED VISION TO SUPPORT STARTUP BUSINESSES AND MOVE THE CITY'S ECONOMY FORWARD.
AS A RESULT, OVER 27 NEW STARTUP BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED AND AN OVERALL INVESTMENT OF OVER $500,000 SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PRO OF THE PROGRAM.
A SINCERE THANKS TO HOUSTON MARKET PRESIDENT YASMIN HUBINGER AND THE ENTIRE CAPITAL ONE TEAM, INCLUDING THOSE TEAM MEMBERS WHO SERVED AS THE EVALUATORS, MENTORS, AND JUDGES.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MARETTE HOWARD AND CELIA LOPEZ FOR THEIR ONGOING COORDINATION AND SUPPORT.
WHAT A DYNAMIC DUO MARETTE, PLEASE JOIN ME ON STAGE TO ACCEPT AN AWARD OF OUR APPRECIATION.
SO THANK YOU MARVET FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT OF THIS COMPETITION.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SCHOOL HOUSTON TO THE STATE.
YOUR MENTORS HAVE BEEN A KEY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE PAST DECADE.
OUR FINALISTS WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, IF NOT FOR YOUR BUSINESS PLAN REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK.
IT TAKES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND COMMITMENT TO REVIEW DOZENS OF BUSINESS PLANS AND TO COMPLETE MULTIPLE MENTORSHIP APPOINTMENTS ON LIFT OFF HOUSTON'S TIGHT COMPETITIVE SCHEDULE.
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH TO SCORE.
PLEASE GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY OWN HARDWORKING, TALENTED, AND DEDICATED TEAM AT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND FOR THEIR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS.
IF YOU ARE IN THE ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, HPL.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST CALL OUT A FEW HPL, UH, UH, IN THE, FROM THE OFFICE OF, UH, THE, UH, THE H-P-L-C-O-O, ELIZABETH MCDONALD WITH SPECIAL EVENTS, ALICE ALLEN WESTRICK, LIZ MUNGLE, AND SHAN K SEAN KEWEN WITH DIGITAL STRATEGIES, KENNETH THOMAS AND CHARLES BAUER.
AND WITH COMMUNICATIONS CARMEN AVEGO, VIC MARTINEZ, AND SAVANNAH DORSETT WITH SYSTEM-WIDE PROGRAMS, OPHELIA GOMEZ, YVETTE RON, UH, RESCINDED RESENDEZ, JUSTIN GERT AND REBECCA TEAK.
THANK YOU TEAM FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS.
AND WE WOULDN'T BE, UH, HERE AND STREAMING.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS COMPETITION LATER WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY'S HOUSTON TELEVISION DEPARTMENT'S,
[02:55:02]
HUV ENTIRE STELLAR TEAM WHO HAD BEEN WITH US FROM YEAR ONE.THANK YOU TO THE DIRECTOR TED IRVING FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, ALONG WITH DARRELL HUGHES AND KEITH JACKSON.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TREMENDOUS WORK.
SO, YOU KNOW ALREADY THAT THERE'S A MUTUAL ADMIRATION AND LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN THE OUTSTANDING OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHERE WE FOUND MUTUAL RESPECT, HARDWORKING, TREMENDOUS EFFORT AND DEDICATION FOR ACHIEVING A SHARED MISSION.
AGAIN, PLEASE HELP ME THANK ITS DIRECTOR, MARSHA.
I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THAT IN OUR PARTNERSHIP AND PROUD TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER, HELPING HOUSTONIANS TO REALIZE THEIR DREAM OF OWNING A BUSINESS THAT'S VERY REWARDING WORK, DON'T YOU THINK? THANK YOU, MARSHA, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO PEARL CONIS, JESSICA DE GREGO AND NELLIE PENA FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK.
AND NOW I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME BACK TO THE STAGE OUR WONDERFUL PARTNER, MARVET HOWARD, THE TEXAN RELATIONSHIP GRANT MANAGER WITH CAPITAL ONE MARVET.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SUPPORTING THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON PROGRAM AND TODAY I AM VERY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY.
I HAVE TO PAUSE HERE TO SAY THAT IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY, AND I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THAT EARLIER THIS MORNING, BUT I WAS AROUND THE TABLE 10 YEARS AGO WHEN THIS WAS JUST A VISION.
SO LOOK AT IT TODAY, WE HAVE DONE WONDERFUL WORK.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS MART SAWYER HOWARD, AND I AM THE TEXAS GRANT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER FOR CAPITAL ONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY SCORE, AS WELL AS MANY OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS AND CAPITAL ONE ASSOCIATES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON PROGRAM AIMS TO EMPOWER ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH BUSINESS EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF THE HOUSTON ECONOMY.
THIS PROGRAM FULLY ALIGNS WITH CAPITAL ONE'S IMPACT INITIATIVES TO ADVANCE SOCIAL ECONOMIC MOBILITY BY ADVOCATING FOR AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, BUILDING THRIVING COMMUNITIES, AND CREATING FINANCIAL TOOLS THAT ENRICH LIVES.
FINALLY, AS WE PREPARE TO ANNOUNCE THIS YEAR'S WINNERS, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE TIME TO THANK ALL OF THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND ESPECIALLY OUR COMPETITION FINALISTS.
WE CONGRATULATE YOU ALL ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK TO THE STAGE DR.
YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN CAPITAL ONE, AND THIS TRIO OF PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE THIS THING WORK.
BUT IT TAKES VISION AND LEADERSHIP TO BE RECOGNIZED BY WAL HUB'S 2019 REPORT AS THE 13TH BEST CITY IN THE US FOR TO START A BUSINESS, WHICH IS WHY WE THANK OUR GREATEST CHAMPION OF ALL MAYOR, BEST ATTORNEY.
WE THANK HIM FOR HIS SUPPORT OF STARTUP BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON, AND MOST OF ALL, FOR THE CITY'S LIFT OFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME GIVE A GREAT BIG WELCOME TO THE BEST MAYOR IN OUR NATION, THE HONOR.
[03:00:01]
ME JOIN THE REST OF 'EM AND SAYING GOOD AFTERNOON.Y'ALL DON'T SOUND LIKE Y'ALL IN A CITY WITH THE WORLD SERIES GOING ON.
ALRIGHT, LOOK, WE GONNA CELEBRATE A CHAMPION LATER ON THIS EVENING.
WE CELEBRATE, BUT THESE ARE THE APPETIZERS TODAY.
SO WE, WE ARE CELEBRATING SOME CHAMPIONS TODAY.
LOOK, LET ME JUST START OFF BY SAYING, UH, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO WORK WITH DR. LAWSON REAL LAWSON.
UM, UH, SHE TALKS ABOUT ME, BUT GIVE IT UP TO THE BEST, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A LIBRARY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND LOOK, I'VE HAD THE, UH, THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MARSHA MURRAY AS THE DIRECTOR OF OBO.
UH, YOU KNOW, I I I HAD TO CALL ON HER TO, TO STEP IN AND INITIALLY SHE WAS A LITTLE RELUCTANT.
UH, BUT THEN SHE CAME ABOUT AND SHE HAS SERVED WITH A GREATEST DEGREE OF DISTINCTION AND DEDICATION.
SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO MARSHA MURRAY OBO.
BACK IN JULY, I ANNOUNCED THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY IN LAUNCH OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
UH, MORE THAN 380, UH, INDIVIDUALS BEGAN THE PARTICIPATION PROCESS.
AND OF THAT NUMBER 225 QUALIFIED, UH, FOR THE PROGRAM.
FOUR MONTHS LATER, UH, WE ARE RECOGNIZING A SELECT FEW WHO, THROUGH COMMITMENT AND TENACITY, HAVE PERSEVERED AND MADE IT TO THE END, 13 INDIVIDUALS WHO COMPLETED THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, 16 CONTESTANTS WHO ADVANCED TO THE FINALIST SECTION STAGE, AND THE NINE FINALISTS WHO HAVE PITCHED THEIR BUSINESSES HERE TODAY.
IT IS ALSO A PLEASURE TO SEE SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS LIFTOFF HOUSTON WINNERS WHO HAVE COME TO SUPPORT TODAY'S EVENT.
AND THESE LIFTOFF HOUSTON ALUMNI ARE JUST A FEW WHO HAVE THRIVED IN THEIR BUSINESS ENDEAVORS, AND THEY ARE TESTAMENT TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
AFTER WINNING LIFTOFF HOUSTON, THEY HAVE EXPANDED THEIR BUSINESSES AND RECEIVED MORE FUNDING, THANKS IN PART, TO THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION THEY RECEIVED THROUGH THIS COMPETITION.
MORE THAN 15,000 HOUSTONIANS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN LIFTOFF HOUSTON SINCE WE FIRST RECEIVED FUNDING FROM CAPITAL ONE BANK 10 YEARS AGO.
AND IN MARVETTA, I WAS JUST LISTENING AND YOU, YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE A PART OF THOSE INITIAL MEETINGS 10 YEARS AGO.
LET ME THANK CAPITAL ONE AGAIN.
WE ARE HERE TODAY AS WE HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST DECADE BECAUSE OF THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, TO ECHO THE WORDS AND THANKS FROM DR.
UH, DIRECTOR R LAWSON AND MARSHA MURRAY TO OUR WORKSHOP PARTNERS AND MENTORS.
UH, THE GENEROUS GIFT OF YOUR TIME HAS MADE AN IMMEASURABLE IMPACT ON THE BUSINESS JOURNEYS OF OUR LIFT OFF HOUSTON PARTICIPANTS.
THOSE, THE JUDGES AND THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED YOUR TIME IS YOUR MOST INVALUABLE RESOURCE.
SO YOUR PARTICIPATION DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
IN FACT, IT IS VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY ON SATURDAYS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING OTHER THINGS.
UH, FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE BENEFITING OTHERS AND NOT NECESSARILY NECESSARILY YOURSELF MEANS A GREAT DEAL.
AND I WILL BE VERY CANDID WITH YOU.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DECIDED TO BE HERE TODAY, UH, MYSELF.
UH, IF YOU CAN GIVE OF YOUR SATURDAYS AND YOUR TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM, THEN SO CAN I.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
AND TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND HTV, UH, LEMME JUST SAY, UH, TO ALL OF YOU, TO DIRECTOR TED IRVIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
I AM PROUD OF THE TEAMWORK AND DEDICATION FROM THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I COULDN'T DO MY JOB WITHOUT THEM.
THEY HAVE DONE THEIR JOBS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, AND WHEN THEY DO THEIR JOBS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, UH, THEN I CAN DO MINE.
SO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
UH, THERE'S A RAISE COMING, UH, BUT UM, I JUST HAVEN'T DECIDED WHEN
THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO ABOUT BUSINESS, EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP, AND NETWORKING, ALL OF WHICH ARE FOUNDATIONS OF CREATING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL PERSONS WHO COMPLETED THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, UH, TO THIS STAGE TO RECEIVE A TOKEN OF REC RECOGNITION.
[03:05:10]
AND AS THEY COME, ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH PARTICIPANTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY DID NOT COMPETE FOR THE GRAND PRIZE, THEY COMPLETED ALL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMITTED A BUSINESS PLAN FOR REVIEW AND FEEDBACK.AND FOR THAT, WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PARTICIPANTS OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON COMPETITION PATHWAY, WHO ADVANCED TO THE FINALIST SELECTION STAGE TO MAKE IT TO THIS STAGE, TO THESE INDIVIDUALS.
ALSO COMPLETED ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMPETITION, INCLUDING SUBMITTING A BUSINESS PLAN.
PLEASE COME UP TO RECEIVE A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION.
ALL THE FINALISTS, PLEASE COME UP.
LOOK, KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU WHO COMPLETED THE LIFT OFF HOUSTON EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY AND TO THOSE IN THE COMPETITION PATHWAY, WHO ADVANCED TO THE FINAL SELECTION STAGE.
AND A BIG THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO READ ALL OF THE BUSINESS PLANS.
THAT'S A LOT OF, I TELL YOU, THAT'S A LOT OF READING.
AND, UH, SO BIG KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU WHO READ THOSE BUSINESS PLANS.
UM, IT TAKES TRUE COMMITMENT TO ATTEND ALMOST FOUR MONTHS OF REQUIRED WORKSHOPS AND MENTORSHIP SESSIONS AND TO COMPLETE A BUSINESS PLAN.
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON FAMILY, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 LIFTOFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN.
FOR OUR FAN FAVORITES, EACH WILL RECEIVE $500 AND PLEASE COME UP AS YOUR NAME IS CALLED IN THE PRODUCT CATEGORY.
THIS IS THE PRODUCT IN THE PRODUCT CATEGORY.
THE SEE THE WINNER IS, UH, IS IT SUZANNE? SUZANNE NOBLE, BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED CATCHER.
[03:10:01]
WELL.SUZANNE NOBLE, COME ON AROUND.
IN THE SERVICE CATEGORY, UH, THE ONE IS DR.
NATASHA ROBERTS, ACTIVATE
DID I GET, DID I GET THAT FIRST NAME RIGHT? DID WHAT'S THE FIRST NAME? NAME? IT'S
OKAY,
AND NOW FOR THE MOMENT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR OUR CATEGORY WINNERS, PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED IN THE PRODUCTS CATEGORY, RECEIVING $500 TO SPEND TOWARDS THEIR BUSINESS.
THE RUNNER UP IS BENNY'S KETCHUP AND THE GRANDS PRIZE WINNER RECEIVING $10,000 IS, IS THAT RESTATE? AND BOTH OF YOU WE'RE COMING FORWARD MM-HMM
SO BENNY'S CATCH MR. RUNNER UP AND RESTATEMENT IS THE WINNER.
OKAY, DO LET'S THE PICTURE FIRST WITH THANKS, CONGRAT.
OKAY, RESTATE NOW FOR ANY OF YOU, YOU CAN TAKE THAT, UH, UH, YOU CAN TAKE THAT, UH, THAT POSTER FOR, FOR THE REST OF YOU AND JUST FILL OUT THE, THIS, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE, UM, BLANKS AND TAKE IT TO ANY ONE OF, UH, CAPITAL, CAPITAL ONE BANK IN THERE.
DON'T TRY TO CASH IT, JUST, JUST ASK THEM FOR THE MONEY.
YOU KNOW,
[03:15:01]
BUSINESS? THE RUNNER UP IS IGNITE DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS.COME ON, LET'S DO THIS PICTURE.
AND THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER IN THE SERVICE CATEGORY IS ACTIVATE DRIP SPOT.
I AM TAKING INVESTORS
THE RUNNER UP IS BUFFALO SEAWEED, HOW YOU, THANK YOU, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND IN THIS INNOVATION CATEGORY FOR THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER, UH, THE WINNER IS SYLVESTER.
THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER IS MARITIME XR.
WE MET IN BARCELONA
OH, WELL SEE, THIS WAS JUST DESTIN.
CONGRATULATIONS ON WATCH THE STEP.
SO BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR WINNERS, FINALISTS, AND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU COMPLETED, COMPLETED YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURE BUSINESS ENDEAVORS.
YOU'LL ALL JOIN ME, UM, ON THE, ON THIS, UH, FIELD, UH, TONIGHT AT 7 0 5 AT THE ASTROS, UH, GAME
JUST GO AND TELL 'EM I SENT YOU
IF I'M NOT THERE, JUST GO AND TAKE THE PICTURE.
BUT THIS CONCLUDES THE 2022 LIFT OFF HOUSTON STARTUP BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.
GIVE EVERYBODY A HAND, THANKS TO ALL FOR JOINING US.
[03:20:01]
FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND REMEMBER TO KEEP DREAMING AND KEEP WORKING TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESSES SUCCESSFUL.CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING THE GRAND PRIZE IN THE PRIDE CATEGORY.
HOW DO YOU FEEL? I MEAN, NO WORDS, RIGHT? LIKE, JUST FEELS GOOD TO BE, IT FEELS RIGHT, IT FEELS RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTING HOUSTON.
UM, THE CITY I GREW UP IN THAT GAVE ME EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE.
UM, IT FEELS LIKE A GOOD START.
SO NOW THAT YOU ARE $10,000 RICHER FOR YOUR BUSINESS, WHAT WILL BE THE FIRST THING THAT YOU'LL DO WITH THOSE FUNDS? YEAH, SO FIRST OFF, WE ARE GOING TO GET OUR, OUR PLATFORM LIVE.
WE ARE TAKING ON SOME CONTRACTORS FINISH UP THEIR WORK.
SO PART OF THIS FUNDING WILL GO TOWARDS THEM, BUT THE REST OF IT, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE A LOT MORE FUN, RIGHT? SO WE GET TO DO MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THAT CREATIVELY BRING IN BOTH BUYERS AND SELLERS AND REALLY EXPAND OUT OUR, OUR AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND BUYERS WHO ARE READY FOR US TO BUY, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW MANY MORE JOIN FROM THESE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING THAT ARE THINKING, OKAY, I WANNA FOLLOW HER.
WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD TELL A FOUNDER THAT IS WATCHING US RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
FIRST OF ALL, IF ANYONE IS WATCHING US RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME.
AND REMEMBER, JUST TO KEEP THINGS GOING.
LIKE THERE, THERE WILL BE SO MANY OBSTACLES THAT COME IN WHERE I CALL THEM PLOT TWIST.
JUST BE READY FOR THEM, THEY'RE PART OF YOUR STORY AND KEEP RUNNING WITH THEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA GET YOU TILL THE END OF THE DAY.
AND KEEP, KEEP EVERYTHING IN MIND AND BE SURE TO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOUR, THANK YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TOO.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN WITH ME.
YOU WON THE $10,000 GRAND PRIZE AND YOU WON $500 FOR FAN FAVORITE.
IT'S KIND OF SINKING IN NOW BECAUSE I WASN'T REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT UNTIL I PITCHED.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED AND, UH, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT I WAS VOTED BOTH THE FAN FAVORITE AND THE BEST INNOVATION PITCH BY THE JUDGES.
SO NOW IT'S KIND OF SINKING IN AND I THINK IT'S REALLY EXCITING AND IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A BIG STEP FOR MY BUSINESS.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK DID IT FOR YOU? WHAT DO YOU THINK CLINCHED THOSE TWO PRIZES TODAY? UH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT KIND OF SERVICE WE ARE OFFERING FOR A VERY SPECIFIC SECTOR.
UH, NOBODY REALLY THINKS ABOUT THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY MM-HMM
UNTIL WE RAN OUT OF GOODS IN 2020 WITH THE COVID.
NOW SUDDENLY EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT SHIPPING IS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH, I MEAN, I STARTED MY CAREER IN THE LATE NINETIES AND NOBODY EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO? SO I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE OUT OF THE NORMAL BUSINESS AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING NEW WITH THE WHOLE WE APPROACH.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF THE, I GUESS THE BUSINESS PLAN ITSELF, I WAS CONFIDENT ABOUT THE PLAN, BUT I WAS JUST GOING, AND I THINK WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD PITCHES.
I MEAN, I WAS, I WAS NERVOUS WATCHING OTHER PITCHES, AND I THINK EVERYBODY TODAY DID GREAT.
YOU CLEARLY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
SO WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER, OTHER FOLKS, OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS THAT GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT ARE AT THIS STAGE IN THEIR BUSINESS? I THINK JUST BE OPEN-MINDED.
I MEAN, I, I STEPPED OUT ON MY OWN ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND IT'S JUST BEEN EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY, YOU KNOW, DISCOVERING NEW THINGS.
ONE DAY I'M TRYING TO DO MARKETING STUFF.
THE OTHER NEXT ONE DO LEGAL STUFF.
AND THEN I SAW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LIFT OFF HOUSTON.
AND AT THIS STAGE IN THE BUSINESS, I'M TRYING TO FIND EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO IT WAS JUST DRIVE DRIVEN BY THAT.
SO I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO BE OPEN, OPEN-MINDED, LEARN.
I MEAN, I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM MY FELLOW, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPANTS, THE WORKSHOPS, THE MENTORS, YOU KNOW, SMALL THINGS THAT YOU NEVER THINK ABOUT.
SO I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS JUST STAY OPEN MINDED.
JUST SOAK IT IN AND, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT YOU GET.
AND CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT.
I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS, AND I'M REALLY SORT OF HUMBLED BY THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS ALL THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE SMALL BUSINESSES, THE NEW STARTUPS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
WELL MAKE SURE YOU TELL A FRIEND ABOUT ALL THESE FREE SERVICES THAT THE CITY OFFERS.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, AND JUST FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC WORK.
OKAY, SUZANNE, CONGRATULATIONS.
OUT OF 160 CONTESTANTS, YOU MADE IT TO THE TOP NINE, AND THEN YOU WON TWO AWARDS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I WON BOTH.
AND IT, IT FEELS SO GOOD TO DO SO AND IT'S, IT'S FINALLY SETTING IN, SO YES.
WELL, I'M GONNA, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO TO TASTE YOUR KETCHUP.
I MEAN, I WAS ACTUALLY SALIVATING AS YOU DESCRIBED, KIDDING AS WELL.
[03:25:01]
I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO TRY IT.SO,
I THINK THE BIGGEST LESSON I LEARNED WAS, WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIOR TO THE LIFTOFF HOUSTON COMPETITION.
SO I THINK THE BIGGEST LESSON FOR ME WAS THE TAKEAWAY THAT I GOT FROM ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDES MM-HMM
TO REALLY ANYONE AND EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO UTILIZE THEM.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH LIFT OFF HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE REALLY CAME OUT AS A WINNER.
WE GOT OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO FREE BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATES.
YOU KNOW, BE CONNECTED AND MEET WITH MENTORS AND REALLY JUST COME OUT WITH A FRAMEWORK FOR A BUSINESS PLAN.
SO I LEARNED SO MUCH THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
SO ONE OF THE JUDGES I BELIEVE MENTIONED TO YOU, UM, HE GAVE ME SOME ADVICE ABOUT MARKETING.
YOU KNOW, ABOUT LEVERAGING ALL OF THE, UH, FREE YES.
PLATFORMS AND RESOURCES OUT THERE.
AND IS THAT, IS THAT, HAVE YOU ADDED THAT TO YOUR PLAN? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE FULLY BOOTSTRAPPING BENNY'S OLD FASHIONED KETCHUP.
SO ANYTHING WHERE I CAN SAVE COSTS AND YOU KNOW, GET, GET UP AND RUNNING FOR FREE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO UTILIZE.
SO WE DO DO IN-HOUSE SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THE SUGGESTION THAT THE JUDGES PROVIDED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, JUST LET, LET THESE, UH, ADVERTISING COMPANIES KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
THEY MAY JUST RUN AN AD FOR YOU.
AND WHAT A GREAT IDEA THAT IS.
SO, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE DOING THIS COMPETITION? I WOULD JUST SAY IF ANYONE HAS A BUSINESS IDEA AND THEY'RE ON THE FENCE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE JUMP, JUST GO FOR IT.
THERE'S REALLY NOTHING TO LOSE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, YOU COME OUT WITH A FULL BUSINESS PLAN OR AT LEAST A FRAMEWORK FOR ONE.
SO THAT'S MY ADVICE TO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO JOIN LIFTOFF.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
ON NOT ONLY WINNING THE GRAND PRIZE OF $10,000, BUT ALSO $500 FOR FAN FAVORITE.
I WAS VERY NERVOUS WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I MEAN, NOW THAT IT'S OVER MM-HMM
WHAT DO YOU THINK DID IT FOR YOU TODAY? SO THERE WERE SOME WONDERFUL PICTURES ALL AROUND.
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU SET YOURSELF APART? UM, I THINK BECAUSE IT'S MORE NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, IT'S PERSONAL.
BECAUSE OF MY SON, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM
IT WAS, IT WASN'T JUST A BUSINESS, IT'S A LIVELIHOOD FOR HIM.
SO IT WAS MORE PERSONAL AND THAT'S WHAT MADE A DIFFERENCE.
SO YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PITCH THAT YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE FOCUSED ON, UM, EXPANDING, ADDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES AS WELL.
SO TELL ME WHAT YOU PLAN ON DOING WITH THIS $10,000.
WHAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT YOU DO? YEAH, FIRST THING, WE ARE PUSHING MARKETING.
BECAUSE WE WANT OUR BOOKS FULL.
THERE'S NO APPOINTMENT THAT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE SOON, SO YOU BETTER BOOK NOW.
UM, OUR SECOND LOCATION SHOULD BE OPENING IN FALL OR SUMMER, END OF SUMMER 2023.
AND THAT'S ON 3,300 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE.
SO HOPEFULLY THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE DONE BY THAT TIME.
AND Y'ALL CAN COME OUT AND VISIT US.
SO WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, AT YOUR STAGE IN THIS PROCESS? AT MY STAGE? YEAH.
PAY ATTENTION ASKS A LOT OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, IT DOESN'T HURT TO ASK.
MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME, JUST ASK.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SAY NO OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET LIKE, MY SCORE MENTOR ALWAYS SAYS SO.
SO DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY OFFERED BEFORE FOR BUSINESSES BEFORE YOU JOIN THIS COMPETITION? I HAD NO CLUE.
UM, SO, UM, ONCE I STARTED RESEARCHING ABOUT, UM, OPENING A BUSINESS, I SAW SBA AND SCORE HAD OPPORTUNITIES.
MY MENTOR WAS THE ONE THAT TOLD ME ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
SO FROM THERE I JUST LIFTED OFF
AND I CERTAINLY WISH YOU ALL THE SUCCESS AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY HERE FOR YOU.
JUST SEND YOUR CUSTOMERS OVER.
YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT THAT NUMBER.
THANK YOU LADIES, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING AWARDED RUNNER UP IN THIS COMPETITION.
SO TELL ME ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE YOU HAD DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
WHAT WAS IT, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU? SLEEPLESS NIGHTS,
UM, JUST TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WERE GIVEN TO US.
IT WAS FUN GOING, UH, PARTICIPATING
[03:30:01]
IN ALL THE SESSIONS WHILE MAKING SURE THE HOUSE WAS CLEANED AND FEEDING CHILDREN EARLY IN THE MORNING.BUT, UM, ENJOYED EVERY, EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
EVEN TO THIS MOMENT, IT'S BEEN ENJOYABLE AND MEETING ALL THE CONTESTANTS.
IT, IT'S JUST BEEN REFRESHING AND, UM, JUST A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER FOUNDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, IN, WELL THEY'RE AT THE, A SIMILAR STAGE AS YOU ARE AND ALSO MAYBE INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY THIS COMPETITION FOR NEXT YEAR.
WHAT WOULD, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU PROVIDE? DO IT.
I MEAN, IF THIS COMPETITION PUSHES YOU LIKE YOU NEVER BEFORE, IT MAKES YOU REALLY DIG DEEP.
IT ALSO MAKES YOU SIT IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR AND SAY, HOW FAR CAN YOU PUSH YOURSELF? MM-HMM
AND KNOW THAT SOMETIMES YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CRY THOSE TEARS.
SOMETIMES YOU ARE GONNA HAVE TO PICK YOURSELF UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS A PART OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
IT MAY NOT HAPPEN TODAY, BUT IT'LL HAPPEN TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY OR NEXT YEAR.
AND JUST KNOW NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE STARTING FROM, JUST TO KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND THAT GOD HAS SO MUCH MORE PLANNED FOR YOU, UM, BIGGER THAN THIS.
HE'S JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO TAKE THAT STEP.
AND ONCE YOU TAKE THAT STEP, YOU, YOU HAVE JUST REALIZED, LOOK, I GOT THIS.
SO THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP,
SO I WOULD SAY JUST BE LOOKING OUT FOR US WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
THIS AIN'T NO, THIS IS NOBODY BUT GOD.
I MEAN, HE'S, HE'S THE ONE WHO IS OPENING THE DOORS AND WE'RE JUST STEPPING THROUGH IT AS, UH, MATTHEW SEVEN AND SEVEN SAYS, ASKING YOU SHALL RECEIVE, SEEKING.
YOU SHALL FIND, KNOCK AND THE DOOR SHALL BE OPEN.
SO WE'RE ASKING, WE'RE SEEKING AND WE'RE KNOCKING.
AND SO IT SHALL BE RECEIVED, IT SHALL BE FOUND, AND THE DOORS SHALL BE OPENED.
WELL, I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER.
SO,
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN IN ALL THE BEST OF THE FUTURE I'LL BE LOOKING OUT FOR.