Young entrepreneurs in Timmins vie for $10,000 in business pitch competition
A new contest for entrepreneurs in Timmins will help get their products reaching new levels.
Link North created the opportunity and has been working with two young business owners to get them ready for 'Pitch 2021' and a chance to win a cash prize.
Jared Rodgers and Jessica West have created their own products which they are now selling but have hopes of reaching more people in places outside of the city.
West is the founder of Tresor Kombucha, a fermented, effervescent tea.
"I specifically formulated my recipe so they’re very light tasting, almost more like a natural pop than like a really hard, heavy vinegar Kombucha," described West.
And Rodgers is the owner of 'Jared's Metal art', fabricated ornamental signs.
"They’re personalized, custom and made here in Timmins; made in the North for people in the North," said Rodgers.
Both are young and eager to grow their businesses and have even selected to face off in Link North's 'Pitch 2021' competition.
They are vying for a $10,000 prize among other in-kind donations such as consulting.
"They do their 10-minute pitch and then the judges will have questions about what they’re pitching about; what they’re looking at doing and then following that there will be an announcement of who the winner is," said Ross MacDonald, a business development specialist with Link North.
People who want to watch 'Pitch 2021' can live-stream it from YouTube on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. however, they will need to register for free with Link North to view it.
Rodgers said if he wins he'll put the money towards growing his place of business.
"I’m going to be using it to put up a proper shop and get going into more wholesale marketing and bring my signs to the masses."
And West said if she wins, she wants to expand into Southern Ontario.
"Probiotic gut health can really influence brain health and so I think to have a company really bring mental health and bring health to the forefront, we’re really missing that in the Kombucha market right now," she said.
Link North officials said 'Pitch 2021' is much more than a competition. The video-recorded pitches from Rodgers and West will also be distributed to more than four hundred angel investors in northern Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.