Yuma’s Tanya Flemister demonstrates how her patented scarf can save time in getting a busy woman ready for the day. (Jeff Rice/Journal Advocate)
Yuma’s Tanya Flemister was able to invest an additional $17,500 in her fledgling company thanks to The Annex’s Northeast Colorado Entrepreneur Pitch Contest.
Flemister was one of five finalists to present at an event held at Sky Ranch on Thursday, June 15th. The pitch contest is the brainchild of Trey Miller, Executive Director of the Logan County Economic Development Corporation.
A total of $30,000 was awarded to entrepreneurs who pitched in front of three judges and an audience of nearly 100 people. Jeff and Kara Smith received $7,500 from his craft in Colorado as an investment in his beef, and Mike Breka received his $3,000 as an investment in his company Anywhere Cam.
Flemister startup SWAY (short for She Will Amaze You) makes and sells headbands with built-in clips to keep the scarf from slipping off the wearer’s head.
“SWAY is a comfortable, stylish and functional line of headbands and scarves that takes 30 to 30 minutes for a hair routine…OK…OK maybe a full minute,” Flemister said on the pitch. .
The scarf’s design includes 6 clips that snap into place on the wearer’s hair, keeping the scarf or headband securely in place without the use of bobby pins or other combs.
Fremister said she is also on a “quest to build a culture of women who support and inspire each other.” To that end, a portion of each sale is donated to women’s and girls’ charities.
Colorado Craft Beef serves ranch-raised beef directly to consumers. Jeff Smith said his company is part of a 100-year-old ranch run near Akron by Kara Smith’s family in 1909 and is committed to getting customers involved in farming. rice field. Jeff Smith told the jury that the company’s ethics include philanthropy and promoting “better thinking” in the farming community.
Mike Blecha’s Anywhere Cam works without internet access or reliable power. Surveillance cameras have batteries that can last up to two weeks in some cases and have SIM cards inside so the cameras can’t be hacked over the internet.
Two other contestants, Sterling’s Wickedly Good Treats and Ray’s Camelot Dairy, also participated. Wickedly Good treats is a home bakery that sells handcrafted and decorated custom gourmet desserts. Camelot Dairy harvests camel milk and sells it to parents of children with autism and people with dairy allergies.
Colorado Springs-based economic developer Zachary Barker hosted the event, with Trey Miller also managing behind the scenes. In Thursday’s opening address, Baker hailed Miller as one of Colorado’s most talented economic developers.
“If we had 100 trays all over Colorado, it would be the most powerful state in the United States,” Barker said.
Three judges for Thursday’s event came from all over Colorado. Mark Madic is Director of Ecosystem Development and Partnerships at Startup Colorado in Pueblo. Dusty Brailsford is co-owner of Hangar 1 in Greeley, and Dan Lane is Director of Investor Relations and Business Development for Total Helium in Denver.
The event was sponsored and prizes were provided by Northeastern Colorado Revolving Loan Fund, Startup Colorado, Bank of Colorado, The Annex, Energize Colorado, Colorado Housing Finance Agency, Logan County Economic Development Corporation, National Renewable Solutions, and Greater Colorado Ventures. rice field. fund.
