Muskegon SCORE Chapter Announces Winners of First Annual Pitch Competition
Muskegon, MI – The SCORE Muskegon Chapter has announced the winners of its first Pitch Competition, held on the evening of October 17 at the GVSU Innovation Hub. The competition, a collaborative effort with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce (MLCC) and the GVSU Muskegon Innovation Hub, brought together innovative entrepreneurs and small business owners to showcase their ventures in front of an audience of community leaders, mentors, and supporters.
In the Start-Up Category:
1st Place awarded $3,000: Rankin Playhouse
2nd Place awarded $2,000: Bee Kindling
3rd Place awarded $1,000: USAMR
First Place Start-Up Recipient, Shalon Rankin, owner of Rankin Playhouse
In the Existing Business Category:
1st Place awarded $4,000: Navarro’s LLC
2nd Place awarded $3,000: Crucible LLC
3rd Place awarded $2,000: North Woods Tours
First place Existing Business Recipient, Marisela Sierra, owner of Navarro’s, LLC
The SCORE Muskegon Chapter, alongside event partners MLCC and the GVSU Innovation Hub, congratulates each of the winners for their hard work, dedication, and innovative business ideas. With 37 participating small businesses, the competition served as a vital platform for entrepreneurs to gain exposure, receive feedback, and potentially secure funding for growth.
Existing and Start-Up Recipients pictured with Dennis Warren
Special thanks go to sponsors, Mart Dock and Pour Choices, whose support made this event possible. Additionally, the chapter extends sincere gratitude to the evening’s judges: Andrea Copeland from Lakeshore Flavor, Ed Gardner from the Small Business Development Center, and Eric Seifert from Left Coast Capital, for their time and commitment to fostering local small business success.
SCORE is a national volunteer organization, affiliated with the Small Business Administration (SBA), providing free and confidential business mentoring along the lakeshore from Grand Haven to Ludington. Entrepreneurs interested in mentorship or guidance can contact their local chamber of commerce or visit SCORE.org to connect with a SCORE mentor.
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About SCORE – SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, with 10,000 volunteers serving all 50 U.S. states and territories. Since its founding in 1964 as a resource partner for the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE has helped more than 17 million current and aspiring entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business through mentoring, resources and education. In 2023 alone, SCORE volunteers helped create 31,167 new small businesses and add 152,115 total jobs to the American economy. Visit SCORE at www.score.org.