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.
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Intentionalist Guest Blog: Making communities better one small business at a time
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.
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Meet Our 2019 IMPACT Pitch Finalists!
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 of business leader judges, competitors will put their ideas on the line, pitching their small business dreams and actively working to make them come true.
Continue readingMore TagBoard Member Lorri Wallace Shares Why She Loves IMPACT Pitch
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.”
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Positive Spin: One Year after IMPACT Pitch Win
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.
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