Saco and Biddeford businesses pitch ideas and compete for cash prize

Twelve local business owners got up in front of an audience Thursday night at Saco City Hall and, with the clock ticking, presented their ideas on how to transform their businesses into thriving destinations.

The pitch competition, hosted by local downtown group Saco Main Street, was open to Saco and Biddeford entrepreneurs and business owners who had attended an in-person training or online workshop with business expert Jon Schallert, hosted by downtown group Heart of Biddeford.

Schallert’s Destination Business training focused on transforming local businesses into unique destinations that attract customers from far and wide, creating a lasting impact on their communities. Participants had to pitch an idea using Schallert’s ideology, in hopes of winning the $2,000 top prize.

Each pitcher had three minutes to give their spiel to a panel of judges, made up of local leaders in economic development.

A wide variety of ideas were presented. Malaika Picard of the Maine Needham Company said if she won the money, it would be used toward creating a four-to-five-minute mini-documentary featuring a tour of the facility and highlighting the history of needhams, which originated in Maine 150 years ago.

Britt Bartlett, tasting room manager for Lucky Pigeon Brewing Company proposed a unique plan to draw more people into the gluten-free brewery. The proposal included a person dressed up as a pigeon handing out tokens for free beers at festivals and other events. To emphasize the plan, Lucky Pigeon employee Ian Anderson dressed up as a crow and handed out prototype tokens.

Mother-daughter team Melanie McGuirk and Victoria Charity-McGuirk of Vickie’s Veggie Table vegan restaurant won the grand prize of $2,000 for their plan to market and distribute their popular veggie burgers to local stores and venues. McGuirk and her mother plan to work with Fork Food Lab, a shared manufacturing and processing facility in South Portland.

Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jim LaBelle, one of the judges, said it was difficult to make a decision because there were so many good presentations.

“I think you all had great ideas. You’re all winners in my eyes,” he said.

While only one business took home a $2,000 prize, all participants did leave a winner. Due to leftover funding and a few people not showing up for the contest, everyone who pitched an idea Thursday night received at least $500, said Saco Main Street Executive Director Angie Presby.

Four businesses took home $1000 – Energy Mend, Suger, Lucky Pigeon and Charcutemarie. Seven businesses took home $500 – Chaya Studio Jewelry, Curl Boutique, Maine Needham Company, Harmonic Egg, Ease Massage and Manual Therapy, American Eco, and Briar and Bone.

The pitch competition was funded by a congressionally directed spending request from Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King to the Maine Downtown Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem work among Maine’s accredited Main Street programs.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.

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