One could argue that the ABC TV series “Shark Tank” is the ultimate binge material.
In the show, budding entrepreneurs get the chance to receive funding for their businesses with different “sharks” competing to have a piece of the company for a price. Entrepreneurs often go all out for this opportunity, and some of the exuberant pitches can catch fire on the internet: “I want to draw a cat for you, I want to draw a cat for you,” one entrepreneur on the TV show famously sang.
With similar energy, 10 Yuba County entrepreneurs went for it in a competition to win $10,000 at a “Shark Tank”-inspired event that was sponsored by Yes to Yuba, a Yuba County business development initiative, and the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center.
There were some humorous moments at Thursday’s event, held at the Bridge Coffee roasting location in downtown Marysville.
David Nunes with Dave’s Chips admitted that while he could not beat Tostitos Tortilla Chip prices, he could compete on the fronts of personality and flavor. When asked by a judge how he came up with his logo, Michael Williams, the owner of a pest control business called Rodent Wrangler, admitted that he cannot lie and that his logo, which features a cowboy lassoing a rodent, was partially inspired by ChatGPT.
Ultimately, Ashley Cummings, co-owner of 2Talls Sweet Treats, won the $10,000 grand prize. In second place, the owners of a future restaurant, Emmylous Hot Food, won $7,500. Tied for the third place $5,000 prize were Rodent Wrangler and Western Equine Wellness.
Cummings made her pitch colorful as she brought ice cream samples, confetti and a large foam ice cream hat. Ironically enough, Cummings said that the ice cream hat she wore came from a business featured on “Shark Tank” that makes foam party hats, and her husband surprised her with it.
“I remember when it got delivered, I was like, ‘I’m not wearing that!’ And he was like, ‘Oh, one day it will be put to good use.’ So we put it in our storage,” Cummings said. “And lo and behold, this competition came, and I was like, what do you know, I have this awesome, obnoxiously large foam hat.”
Rachel Downs, a business engagement manager for Yuba County’s “Yes to Yuba” campaign, said that there was no fee to apply for the event, and the entrepreneurs involved also received business coaching. For this “Shark Tank” event, they wanted businesses that were three years or younger, based in Yuba County and in a place where they could still be considered startups.
A judge at the event, Matthew Alix Jr., said that from the pitchers, the judges were looking for confidence, enthusiasm and an understanding of their businesses’ market, where they want their business to go and what it would take to get there.
Judging categories included the ability to articulate, the quality of their presentation deck, whether they presented within their 5-minute timeframe, and whether they understood their market and the problem they were solving.
“(With Cummings, her) slide deck was really good. The enthusiasm that the presenter had was really just the best, so you could see the excitement for the community,” Alix said. “She became emotional during the presentation.”
Downs said that Yuba County and the Small Business Development Center hope to do this again, but that will be contingent upon funding, and they hope to provide this opportunity to additional entrepreneurs in the future. She said people can always look for small business opportunities at yestoyuba.com and their social media platforms.
