Finalists in Cabot’s Shark Tank Pitch Competition, part of its Small Business Bootcamp, will get their chance to win $75,000 in funding, advertising and services on Oct. 24 at the C&C by the Lake events venue on U.S. 89.
The city is sponsoring the Shark Tank final alongside Arkansas Money & Politics and Pinnacle Advisors. The grand prize includes a $36,000 CFO service package from Pinnacle, a $25,000 feature package from AMP, a $10,000 cash prize and a $4,000 legal package.
Judging the competition will be Cabot Mayor Ken Kincade; Victor Werley, partner at Pinnacle Advisors; Marshall Butler, an investment advisor at Paladin Investment Advisors; David Hazeslip, vice president and senior commercial loan officer at First Arkansas Bank & Trust; and special guest judge Heather Baker, president and publisher of AY Media Group, which includes AMP and AY magazines.
The finalists and the businesses and services they will be pitching are:
• Adrian Bond — vintage clothing/bar
• Vivian Brittenum — employment/staffing agency
• Hope Conley— birthday parties and special events
• Yolanda Cook — treatment center for women
• Shayla Dixon and Alex Burgess — indoor soccer center
• Chip Dunlap — utility/ broadband construction and support
• Melissa Fureigh — co-working space
• Petrice Hameth — natural skincare line
• Meosha Yosh Howard — aesthetics supply company
• Kovie D. Jackson — mobile barbershop
• Mary Kastner — micro-event planning and rental company
• Mary Beth Kelloms — the Squib Bird Box
• Tanya and Stuart Lauderdale — food truck
• Curtis O’Hare — mobile Nerf battlefield
• Amy Patterson — event planning and rentals
• Riley Reed — auto detailing business
• Kim, Chris, Lindsey and Erick Robbins — brewery
• Katie Robinson — indoor play facility
• A’Ja Rolfe — food truck
• Sarah Shelton — herbal tea business
• Amy Thomson — gift store specializing in tea and treats (opened July 1)
• Gabrielle Wilkerson — nonprofit
• Patrick Williams — aquarium/tropical fish store
The free six-week bootcamp that led to the Shark Tank final was held by the city of Cabot in collaboration with AMP, Pinnacle Advisors and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.
Sessions held at Veterans Park Event Center in Cabot covered the topics of strategic planning and research; funding and finance; organization and creation; laws, licenses and legal pitfalls; and management and marketing.
