We are honored to have such an accomplished group of business leaders judge the live IMPACT Pitch competition this year, including the 2017 Best Established Business Winner and Founder of Repair Revolution Eli Alilson, the Founder and CEO of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, Molly Moon Neitzel, and Michael Powell, returning judge and Senior Vice President at Harborstone Credit Union! From a 40 year legacy of helping local entrepreneurs turn their dreams into realities, to founding Seattle's iconic ice cream establishment, to revolutionizing the auto repair industry, our panelists have an immense range of expertise and a serious dedication to making their communities better through business.
I attended my first IMPACT Pitch event in 2017. It was my first exposure to Business Impact NW, and I was excited to hear from local business owners with a deep commitment to the communities they serve.
At the time, Intentionalist had not yet launched – I was at the beginning of a series of events and introductions that would ultimately shape my vision for the kind of company I wanted to build.
On September 19th our eight IMPACT Pitch finalists will stand before a live audience to pitch how their inspiring business ideas will positively impact the community in attempts to win the $10,000 award for Best Established Business or the $10,000 award for Best Startup/ Early-Stage Business. Surrounded by family and friends while facing a panel
Lorri Wallace, a recent graduate of the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business joined Business Impact NW’s board two years ago through UW’s Board Fellows Program which enables MBA students to serve as non-voting board members at a nonprofits. “Through my entire UW experience, I unexpectedly got attracted to entrepreneurship,” Lorri recalled. “Business Impact NW gave me an opportunity to look at entrepreneurship from a slightly different angle, so it seemed like a really good fit.” Lorri is driven by community and finds joy in connecting people, fostering resiliency through entrepreneurship and believes that “all individuals regardless of gender, race, veteran status or sexual orientation should have the possibility of pursuing their dream of starting a business.”
This time last year Positive Spin Pole Dance Fitness was operating out of a home studio and at capacity. On the hunt for a commercial space, founder Alyssa Taubin kept running into road blocks as many landlords were weary of renting to a pole dance business. Small business ownership comes with a unique set of challenges, but it’s proven to Alyssa what she’s capable of. Thanks to her persistence and the help of a trusted friend and commercial real estate agent for small businesses, Alyssa signed the lease on a studio space in Greenwood, four days before the live IMPACT Pitch competition she was set to compete in.
In 2011, Efrem Fesaha walked into a café in Asmara, Eritrea that roasted its coffee at night, so it had fresh beans available to make espresso in the morning. “The smell of coffee inside a café is super rare. In most cafés you don’t even smell coffee,” says Efrem. “The whole experience really excited me!”
This time of year especially, it’s easy to forget to engage in self-care. Families are locking in holiday plans with distant relatives over their precious time off. Parents are searching for the most thoughtful gifts for their children, while retailers are trying to get the attention of busy customers in the form of holiday gift
IMPACT Pitch 2018: Small Business Empowerment!
On Thursday, October 4th, Business Impact NW gave away $30,000 to local entrepreneurs at 415 Westlake in Seattle. Presented by Harborstone Credit Union, IMPACT Pitch was the culmination of a 4-month long contest of 63 applicants vying for a chance to win their piece of the prize money to help them start or grow their successful business
Introducing our IMPACT Pitch Judges and MC!
We are honored to have such an accomplished group of business leaders judge the IMPACT Pitch Live Competition this year, including winner of last year’s Best Startup Business, Coté Soerens, the Founder and CEO of Remitly, Matt Oppenheimer, and Michael Powell, returning judge and Senior Vice President at Harborstone Credit Union! From a 39 year
Repair Revolution – 1 Year After IMPACT Pitch Win
Repair Revolution is on a mission to disrupt the auto repair industry, which is stained with a bad reputation for deception and lack of integrity. “We’ve created the most transparent repair experience possible” says owner Eli Alison, who sends customers photos and videos from the initial inspection of everything addressed in a quote. As a
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