For a long time, I pondered over how we could best help entrepreneurs, particularly entrepreneurs in the African American community. Given the landscape in which we are all aware, there’s a bevy of talent, skills, ideas, energy, and intelligence but a lack of institutional springboards, especially in the realm of entrepreneurship.
I think I’m onto something — a new system, a way to support and empower entrepreneurs. I call it Uni-Five, a Startup Community.
It’s a platform for organizing startup showcases which are very similar to pitch competitions. However, showcases extend well beyond a normal pitch competition and everyone in a showcase can potentially walk away a winner — even the host.
Showcases are just that — they showcase entrepreneurs and their unique business story and the problem their business solves in the world.
At Uni-Five, these pitches (presentations) are made by entrepreneurs and captured in video on front of a live audience. The idea is to get the whole community involved. Through showcases the community is literally deciding how it lives, works and plays.
After the event, the presentations are uploaded on a pitch deck landing page equipped with features to share online. As a result, pitching extends well beyond a normal competition or showcase to reach people anywhere and be used to uniquely engage a target customer. Sharing a pitch online can increase sales, help acquire new customers, brand or rebrand businesses, introduce new products, be used for social media marketing, and fundraising.
Our first showcase in June was an inspiring event and opened my eyes to new and creative ways in which we could use this platform. Pitching is not only great for new entrepreneurs but great for any business at any stage. Pitching is a great tool to define or refine your brand and communicate to your customer in a passionate, sincere and authentic way.
For the next showcase scheduled for July 19, I’m concentrating on incorporating established entrepreneurs, allowing them to revisit their mission and vision through a pitch, wow their current customers and attract new ones.
The cool thing about all of this is that anyone can hop on this platform and throw showcases or pitch competitions in their community to empower entrepreneurs. As an organizer, you can charge an upfront fee for showcase services or leverage the showcase as a fundraiser and take 10 percent of what the entrepreneur raises — or do both at the same time. Judging from best practices I believe it’s best to do both. I will explain in another blog why I believe this is the best route.
Most importantly, the organizer who is helping support and develop entrepreneurial talent via pitching and throwing showcases can realistically make a living supporting and developing entrepreneurial talent — a world that has been traditionally occupied only by angel investors and venture capitalists.
For now, you can revisit The Startup Showcase community experience and see one of our best pitches below.
Watch the Body Soul and Spirit Spa Pitch Project by Jasmin Houston and Charmayne Thompson.
This blog was originally published on Lifes A Pitch Uni-Five. It reposted here with the permission of the author, Yahya John Leigh.
