FORT SILL, Okla., March 18, 2016 -- Taking a page from ABC TV's "Shark Tank," local entrepreneurs pitched their business proposals at investors who had $100,000 to "spend" on the best ideas, March 10 at the Fort Sill Conference Center.
The only real money, however, was the $500 awarded to the top three winners.
The $100,000 was on paper only, and the three judges could allocate their stash any way they wished to the businesses they wanted to fund. A People's Choice vote online counted toward 10 percent of the final tally.
As part of the Ready Set Go workshop designed to help military spouses develop and fund businesses, Jan. 28 at Fort Sill, the Pitch Contest reflected the next step after the business plan -- finding the capital.
First place $250 prize winner was Travis Craig of C&L Recreation and Storage LLC. A helicopter test pilot at Fort Sill, Craig plans to retire next year and buy 12 acres across from Lake Lawtonka for a recreational vehicle site.
"There's not enough RV sites to go around," he said. "There's a two-year wait list."
He and his wife are also buying 80-plus storage units for RVs and boats. They want to stock a half acre pond with fish as well, to add to the amenities of RV life.
Sean and Tammy Holgren took second place's $150 prize with Rapid Refinishing LLC. Modeled after the Safelite auto windshield repair company, their mobile repair vehicle would come to the customer for minor dent repairs. Another plus is they use water-based paints, said Tammy, so they don't have to worry about EPA regulations that govern oil-based paints.
Meegan Mackay's Artes pro Vita Academy placed third for the $100 prize with her idea of "empowering others" through teaching life skills. A military spouse and mother, she said, "The first step toward self-discovery and future success is understanding your goals." With 12 employees, she hopes her $60,000 a year revenues will more than triple in two years and attain $1.2 million in 2019.
One of the judges was Hossein Moini, president of Adventure Travel which has branches at the Fort Sill Welcome Center and at the Lawton Mall. He also owns Charley's Grilled Subs and is a partner in several other area businesses. He gave advice to Tammie Ferguson, whose rival Love in Action Travel, LLC offers a "travel experience" based on a theme: cultural, religious, ecotourism or volunteering for starters.
"The trips you are going on are not extremely expensive and you can open up that market," he told Ferguson. "I also recommend leasing a bus rather than buying it."
Also judging was Dan Luton, programs director for the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, which helps build collaborative efforts across academia, industry and government.
Carl Gibson, chief operating officer at Inoveon Corporation, was the third judge. He has 13 years of experience managing venture capital-backed life sciences and technology companies. His fundraising experience spans five companies from early stage start-ups to NASDAQ public companies.
Other participants were Thomas Perkins of Cynosure of Lawton, OK, Inc.; Jarvis Moore of Moore-Kemp Enterprises LLC; and Barbara Farris of Petome, a pet-sitting service.
In addition to cash, the winners received various goods and services from local sponsors.
Organizer Shelly Hossenlopp, wife of Col. Paul Hossenlopp, Fires Center of Excellence chief of staff, said her group hopes to do another Ready Set Go workshop this summer.
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