After a lifetime of dreaming, four months of intense training and business model development, several weeks of crowdfunding, and countless hours spent perfecting their pitches, the five finalists pitched their social enterprise ideas to a prestigious panel of judges at a sold-out Ware Center in downtown Lancaster.

Not only did the crowd hear from these 5 entrepreneurs, but they were also inspired by Tyler Gage, Co-founder of RUNA, about his journey in doing business with heart.

Congratulations to Bridge, who took home the top prize.  

A full list of results is as follows:

First Place
Bridge — $7,500 Cash Prize and $27,138 in pro-bono services ($34,638 total)

Second Place
Meraki Mocha — $4,000 Cash Prize and $15,800 in pro-bono services ($19,800 total)

Third Place
Lancaster Fellow Foodies — $2,000 Cash Prize and $9,940 in pro-bono services ($11,940 total)

Fourth Place
Language Beyond Borders — $1,000 Cash Prize and $3,640 in pro-bono services ($4,640 total)

Fifth Place
Green Matters Natural Dye Co. — $500 Cash Prize and $2,390 in pro-bono services ($2,890 total)

Audience Vote
Bridge — Audience donations of $1,016

Don’t forget to check out the crowdfunding campaigns for all 11 participants! The campaigns are open until tonight at midnight.

Thank you to all the wonderful sponsors, we could not have done this without your support! Thank you to the judges, who had a formidable task before them. And thank you to the supporters who attended this event.

Be on the lookout for applications to enter next year’s competition. Applications will be due Spring 2018!

ASSETS is pleased to announce the panel of experts that will be judging this year’s LIVE Pitch. The top five social enterprise ideas will present a five minute pitch, receiving a score based on presentation, content, potential impact, and financial sustainability.

The panel of renowned judges include:

Deb Brandt, Owner and Creative Director, Fig Industries

Smokey Glover, Director of Fair and Responsible Banking, Fulton Bank

Daniel Falcon, Owner, Old San Juan Restaurant, Rum Bar, and The Cellar on Market

Olayinka Credle, Co-Founder, Melanin Essentials (2016 Social Enterprise Pitch 1 st Place)

Alex Brame, Senior Vice President – Lancaster & Lebanon Market President, BB&T

The Great Social Enterprise Pitch, Lancaster’s social enterprise idea incubator and business plan competition, is a friendly competition facilitated by the Lancaster County Community Foundation and ASSETS.  The Pitch, now in its fourth year, is designed to empower local social enterprise ideas. This year’s LIVE Pitch will take place on Friday, October 6.

The 2017 Great Social Enterprise Pitch was open to individuals or organizations that have a social enterprise idea or would like to learn more about the concept. Participants followed a free 4-step process on a learning quest including the final LIVE Pitch which will result in cash prizes and pro bono services for strong social enterprise plans.

The LIVE Pitch event will feature a keynote address from entrepreneur, author and speaker Tyler Gage, Cofounder of RUNA Tea. Tyler uses wisdom from the Amazon and start-up success to bring innovation and inspiration to growing organizations.

Tyler has spent the last 12 years studying with indigenous elders in the Amazon rainforest, venturing far from his suburban roots at the age of 20. After graduating from Brown University, Tyler turned down a Fulbright grant to start RUNA, a social enterprise that makes energizing beverages with guayusa, a rare Amazonian leaf, and improves livelihoods for 3,000 indigenous farming families in Ecuador. With over 70 employees and 15,000 stores selling RUNA beverages in the US and Canada, RUNA has grown in to one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies in the US according to Inc Magazine.

Tyler was named a Forbes “30 Under 30 Entrepreneur” and winner of both the Big Apple Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Specialty Food Association’s Citizen Leader of the Year Award.  ABC Nightline, National Geographic and Richard Branson’s book Screw Business As Usual have all featured Tyler for his unique and powerful approach to building businesses and creating social good.

Tyler also serves on the Board of Directors of DavidsTea (NASDAQ: DTEA) and on the Advisory Council for Entrepreneurship at Brown University. In addition to advising and investing in other start-ups, Tyler is a co-founding partner and strategic advisor to NAKU, a pioneering indigenous healing center in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Tyler lives in Bellingham, Washington with his wife Michelle and enjoys boxing, yoga, riding his unicycle and studying ethnobotany.

The LIVE Pitch is open to the public on Friday, October 6 at 7 pm at the Ware Center in Lancaster. The Live Pitch is the final step in the Great Social Enterprise Pitch process that launched in March. Tickets are still on sale!

We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Business For Good Expo, which will take place before and after the Great Social Enterprise LIVE Pitch. The purpose of the expo is to give conscious-minded Lancastrians exposure to the local social enterprises who are using business as a force for good in the world.

The Expo will include over 30 social enterprises and B Corporations. Doors open for the Expo at 5pm and will continue after the Live Pitch comes to an end, from 8:45-10pm.

The LIVE Pitch is open to the public on Friday, October 6 at 7 pm at the Ware Center in Lancaster. The Live Pitch is the final step in the Great Social Enterprise Pitch process that launched in March. Get your LIVE Pitch tickets today!

Congratulations to the eleven social enterprise idea teams that will move forward as part of the 2017 Great Social Enterprise Pitch!

These teams were selected by organizers from a pool of 36 applicants to participate in the free Idea Incubators involving a robust four-month learning program designed to develop the proposed social enterprise ideas. Applicant ideas were evaluated based on the clarity of problem the enterprise addresses, the enterprise’s proposed impact on that problem, the demand for the proposed products or services, the potential for profitability, and the leadership of the enterprise and its capacity to scale to address the problem. Preference was given to ideas that develop or support thriving wage jobs for people with barriers to employment.

Check out the 2017 Ideas:

Fellow Foodies
Healthy, locally-sourced, prepared meals delivered to busy families and produced by employees who previously struggled to find a good job with good wages.

Fruition Collective
An event space in downtown Lancaster for underrepresented artists and entrepreneurs.

Green Matters Natural Dye Company
Bringing pollution-free color to the textile industry.

Languages Beyond Borders
Supplying the Lancaster community and neighboring communities with trained, professional interpreters hired from the local refugee population.

Meraki Mocha
Empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a farm-to-table café.

Mind, Body, Battle Incubator
Empowering the mind, fueling the body, and using athletics to strengthen the community.

Mundo
An innovative cleaning service using environmentally-friendly products and ensuring a living wage for cleaners.

Nepali Spice Company
Customized Asian spice blends for restaurant, manufactured by Nepali refugee women.

Popped Culture
A gourmet popcorn company that connects youth with jobs, mentor-ship, and entrepreneurship training.

The Townie
A publication featuring local artists and writers who represent the entire community.

Unbanned
A restaurant serving food from countries that have recently been banned from entry into the United States and staffed by refugees.

The 11 teams will attend a four-month series of learning sessions led by ASSETS focused on feasibility and business planning. In September, they will each launch a crowdfunding campaign to generate awareness and dollars in support of their concept. Five concepts from the Idea Incubators will then be invited to pitch their ideas to a live audience for over $50,000 in cash prizes and pro-bono services at the LIVE Pitch.

We’re so excited to see these ideas grow, evolve, and blossom! Keep checking back for more information as we progress through the 2017 Great Social Enterprise Pitch! Also, follow us on social media to stay in the loop during the Incubator phase of the competition. Search #InsideTheIncubator on Facebook and Instagram to follow along the journey!

It can take a caterpillar a little over a month to turn into a butterfly. If only all our business ideas transformed that quickly into successful businesses. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way, but that’s okay because who wants short-lived business success anyway?

I remember when Melanin Essentials was just a dream. It was year 2014, and I was fresh out of college, living at home with my parents and editing photos on my laptop. My best friend, Olayinka, called me and said,

“Hey, this might sound crazy, but let’s start a business. I think we should start our own organic personal care product line. Now, before you say no, hear me out …you already make your own toothpaste and deodorant, and I make hair products, so we kind’ve already do it, but just for ourselves. We might as well sell it to other people and make money while doing it. Whatcha say?”

I shrugged my shoulders and said, “okay.”

“Seriously?!” she questioned in excitement.

I simply responded, “yeah.”

And just like that we ventured on our journey to become a successful business. Fast forward two years later, we found ourselves eagerly sitting in on the Spark Sessions in the lead up to the Great Social Enterprise Pitch application deadline, brainstorming our business idea with other aspiring entrepreneurs and even established business owners who were seeking to make an influential community change through their businesses. I was front and center munching on my raspberry fig bar, and Olayinka was slowly pacing in the back of the room with her then 6-month-old baby girl strapped in a sling attentively listening and taking mental notes. Nobody knew it (not even us), but those two young, college graduates were soaking in all the information shared in those sessions to become 2016’s first place winners of The Great Social Enterprise Pitch! Say what? Yeah, it still gets me too, but it’s true.

Those sessions (as well as whole program in its entirety) were so key to our success. No, but seriously though. I mean we started as BirdOrganics – organic personal care products for women. Pretty blah. However, the facilitators of the Pitch as well as our fellow competitors kept pushing and poking at our idea saying,

“You’re almost there but not quite.”

Ugh we’d think and head back to the drawing board. Then, one day, the stars magically aligned, and a light bulb went off in our heads. We went to the next Pitch class presentation anxious and ready to kick some derrière, but not as BirdOrganics. We were Melanin Essentials – ethically-produced personal care products for women of color made by single moms. Bam! Our idea had transformed from something “ehh” to something amazing! People were excited that we finally took the leap that we were once afraid to because we didn’t want to come off as “exclusive”. But that’s all thanks to our facilitators, fellow competitors, and wonderful husbands who pushed us along through this process. And it all started with an Info Session – well Spark Session for us, which is the phase after the Info Session, but you get the point. So, if you want in on the magic, you’d better save the date(s) now. You don’t have to attend them all, but we did. 😉

A few dates to keep in mind:

Pitch Information Session: Wednesday, March 15; 6 – 8 PM at ASSETS

Spark Session #1: Thursday, March 23; 6 – 8 PM at ASSET

Spark Session #2: Saturday, April 1; 1-3 PM at ASSET

Spark Session #3: Wednesday, April 5; 6 – 8 PM at Tec Centr

Application Due Date: Monday, April 10; midnight

10 Participants Chosen/Announcement made: Monday, April 24; by 5 PM

The 2016 Great Social Enterprise Pitch ended with a bang!  After a life-time of dreaming, 4 months of intense training and business model development, 3 weeks of crowdfunding, and countless hours spent perfecting their pitches, the five finalists pitched their social enterprise ideas to a prestigious panel of judges at a sold-out Ware Center in downtown Lancaster.  Not only did the crowd hear from these 5 entrepreneurs, but they were also inspired by Matt Stinchcomb, Executive Director of Etsy.org, to transform the way that they think about business.

Congratulations to Melanin Essentials, who took home the top prize.  

A full list of results is as follows:

First Place
Melanin Essentials — $7,500 Cash Prize and $11,345 in pro-bono services

Second Place
Bootcamp 900 — $5,000 Cash Prize and $6,775 in pro-bono services

Third Place
Five Loaves Food Company — $2,500 Cash Prize and $3,075 in pro-bono services

Fourth Place
Sophie Stargazer Boutique — $1,000 Cash Prize and $1,775 in pro-bono services

Fifth Place
WIN Workplace Solutions — $500 Cash Prize and $425 in pro-bono services

Audience Vote
Bootcamp 900 — Audience donations of $640

Thanks to all the wonderful sponsors, judges, and supporters who attended this event!  Also, a huge congratulations to the other participants who have amazing social enterprise ideas, but weren’t selected as a finalist.  Please support these social entrepreneurs as well!

• Soberbars
• Lush Bazaar
• Ebenezer Wholistic Foods
• Bench Mark B-Fit

Be on the lookout for applications to enter next year’s competition! Applications will be due Spring 2017!

After 4 months of intense business plan development and 3 weeks of crowdfunding, the five finalists have finally been selected. Congratulations to these social enterprises!

1. BootCamp900 – A Fitness and Wellness center focused on improving the health of low income communities while providing high quality employment opportunities.

2. 5 Loaves Food Company – Supplying healthy, local food for early childcare facilities.

3. Melanin Essentials – Ethically-produced personal care and beauty products for women of color.

4. Sophie Stargazer Boutique – Ethically-made fashion and gifts for the stylish woman.

5. WIN Workplace Solutions – Workplace solutions for breastfeeding mothers.

Please join us at the Ware Center Friday September 30, 2016 to watch the final Live Pitch during which the ultimate winner of the 2016 Great Social Enterprise Pitch will be chosen!

The 2016 Great Social Enterprise Pitch Participants Have Been Selected!

Ten social enterprise idea teams will move forward as part of the 2016 Great Social Enterprise Pitch, Lancaster’s social enterprise idea incubator and friendly business plan competition, hosted by ASSETS and the Lancaster County Community Foundation. Business concepts include wellness training, a mobile farm stand, ethically-made fashion, and more!

The ten teams were selected by organizers from a pool of 32 applicants to participate in the free Idea Incubators involving a robust three-month learning program designed to develop the proposed social enterprise ideas. Applicant ideas were evaluated based on the clarify of problem the enterprise addresses, the enterprise’s proposed impact on that problem, the demand for the proposed products or services, the potential for profitability, and the leadership of the enterprise and its capacity to scale to address the problem. Preference was given to ideas that develop or support thriving wage jobs for people with barriers to employment.

Check out the 2016 Ideas:

Lush Bazaar
Sourcing fashion that inspires and empowers underprivileged women to have jobs in a stable environment.

The Farm Stand
Developing a mobile farm stand for healthy, affordable produce.

Ebenezer Wholistic Foods
Creating Lancaster’s very own raw vegan food company that inspires people to eat healthier and live better.

Bench Mark B-Fit
Empowering and training opportunity youth to become personal trainers in corporate settings.

SoberBars
Promoting sobriety in the community through entertainment.

WIN Workplace Solutions
Providing a temporary, portable space to employers for their female employees who need to express breastmilk in the workplace.

BootCamp900
Developing a fitness and wellness center focusing on improving the health of low income communities while providing high quality employment opportunities.

Sophie Stargazer Boutique
Ethically-made fashion & gifts for the stylish woman.

Whitaker Family Child Care
Supplying healthy, local food for early childcare facilities.

BirdOrganics
Creating ethically-produced, natural, hygienic products.

The 10 teams will attend a three-month series of learning sessions led by ASSETS focused on feasibility and business planning. In August, they will each launch a crowdfunding campaign to generate awareness and dollars in support of their concept. Five concepts from the Idea Incubators will then be invited to pitch their ideas, Shark-Tank style, for up to $50,000 in cash prizes and pro-bono services at the LIVE Pitch.

We’re so excited to see these ideas grow, evolve, and blossom! Keep checking back for more information as we progress through the 2016 Great Social Enterprise Pitch!

Nancy Keeler was a finalist in the 2014 Great Social Enterprise Pitch.  Keeler continues to be an advocate for social enterprise in Lancaster as well as a dedicated volunteer for ASSETS Lancaster. Here, Keeler reflects on her experience bringing her dream to life through Will & Whimsy, in Lancaster City.

 I’m an entrepreneur at heart – always having the desire to create something from nothing. Growing up I was often encouraged to not just do well for myself, but to do good for others.  I’ve learned now that that is called social enterprise.  That is what Will & Whimsy is.  A business that is built to be both profitable and impactful.

In short, Will & Whimsy promotes healthy lifestyles and leisure for women through handcrafted lingerie, loungewear, and specialty goods. (That’s the profit).  It also supports organizations on the front lines of assisting women out of prostitution. (That’s the impact).  I feel we can accomplish this in three ways.

First, Will & Whimsy is an alternative to what is in the market now.  We are a lingerie company that creates products for women by women with every piece made by hand with the goal of making women look good and feel good. Women are more than what is available in most stores. Will & Whimsy allows you to have more options in what you wear, to support causes that are dear to you, and to help change mindsets around womanhood.

Second, as we grow, Will & Whimsy will provide employment opportunities at living wages for women who might not otherwise have access to them.  Realizing that a shift in cultural mindsets will take time, we got antsy and realized we could have a tangible impact on specific people’s lives by providing them with a good salary.  

And, finally, there are a lot of great organizations on the front lines assisting and supporting women transitioning out of prostitution. Studies consistently show that over 80% of people in prostitution would leave if they could. Will & Whimsy promotes healthy lifestyles and freedom for all women, and each quarter we support an organization doing this work with 10% of our profits.

Often people ask me how they can get involved with Will & Whimsy.  The best ways to support Will & Whimsy is to buy our products for yourself and for your loved ones, tell your friends about us in person and online, and subscribe on our website for all the latest products, deals, and information on organizations we support.  Check Will & Whimsy out at www.willwhimsy.com.

By Nancy Keeler

After 5 months of preparation, The Great Social Enterprise Pitch 2015 participants are finally ready to take their ideas to the public.  That’s right, crowdfunding is officially underway. Now, it’s time for the public to play their part.

Voting with your dollars for your favorite local social enterprise idea means you help decide which ideas move on to the final, crowning jewel of the Great Social Enterprise Pitch, the Live Pitch. While just 5 of the 8 ideas in the competition will move on to the Live Pitch, all of the participants can benefit from the community support that comes with crowdfunding. Keep in mind, an idea doesn’t have to make it to the Pitch to come to life as a social enterprise in Lancaster.

Through clicking this link, you can learn more about the social enterprises we’ve been working with for 5 months. Meet the minds behind the impact-driven business madness through their videos and written content, and if one (or two, or three…) of the pitches speaks to you, share and support it! You’ll also earn some exciting perks for your efforts!