Five finalists for Nov. 7 small business pitch competition announced
October 18, 2024
Council Bluffs, Iowa, October 18, 2024 – Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation and TS Bank are pleased to announce the finalists for REV, a small business pitch competition planned for Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center in Council Bluffs. Thanks to generous community sponsors, these five finalists will compete for a chance at $19,000. The event is open to the public, registration is $15.00 at tsbank.com/revevent.
The five finalists, all local entrepreneurs and business owners, include Breeze Bakery (Bellevue), Countryside Market (Minden), My Nurse Healthcare (Council Bluffs), Terraform Tillage (Eldora) and The Lilypop Shop (Treynor). These brave entrepreneurs will pitch in front of a live audience and judges in the grand auditorium.
Additionally, five spotlight businesses will have a chance to compete for a $500 people’s choice award. They include Serenity Massage & Energywork (Council Bluffs), Sprout Marketing Solutions (Underwood), Bev’s Porch (Neola), Council Bluffs Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy (Council Bluffs) and Mulholland Grocery (Malvern).
Attendees will have the chance to meet with all participants to learn more about their business ventures, network with other entrepreneurial-minded guests and enjoy food from Kitchen Council member, Viva Fit Kitchen. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The event begins at 4:00 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 7:00 p.m. when the 2024 REV winners will be announced.
Major premier sponsors include TS Bank, Advance Southwest Iowa, Google, Tandem Works, The Acres and Nebraska Enterprise Fund. This year's food sponsor is Castle and Associates Inc. while InnoVenture Iowa is the drink sponsor. Gold sponsors include the Greater Omaha Chamber, Iowa Western Community College, Full Fledged Brewery Company, Big Prana Microgreens. Silver sponsors are Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, Vistage, Aflac, Dave Lyon Towing & Repair LLC, Gillette Hauling and Nesting Grounds. Additionally, the Kitchen Council and Fox Creek Fundraising are bronze sponsors, and Bluffs Country 106.5 is this year's media sponsor.
TS Bank originally started REV in 2015 in an effort to spur economic growth and encourage business owners to continue pursuing their dreams. Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation and TS Bank teamed up in 2020, to help double the impact of the event and build upon the small business ecosystem in southwest Iowa. As of today, $138,000 has been awarded through this program. Last year’s winners included Gillett Hauling of Underwood, Iowa and OCookieOs of Council Bluffs.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Niki Ferguson at Advance Southwest Iowa at 402.720.8799 or Kelsey Stupfell at TS Bank by calling 712.487.0334.
About Advance Southwest Iowa: Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation is the economic development organization for Council Bluffs and all communities in Pottawattamie County. Advance is a one-stop shop for economic development with a focus on business attraction, retention, entrepreneurship and site development. The Advance staff are proud to work alongside our many community partners to enhance the image and increase the tax base to make Pottawattamie County a prosperous and desirable community to live and do business. For more information visit advancesouthwestiowa.com.
About TS Bank: TS Bank’s mission is to Ignite Prosperity® in the communities it serves. Leading the resurgence of community banking, TS Bank reinvests 10 percent of their net income locally; hosting educational events and partners with local organizations and non-profits. TS Bank was chartered in 1923 and has $445 million in assets, along with the largest Iowa state-chartered C-Corp trust department west of Des Moines at nearly $215 million in assets named TS Prosperity Group. Locations include Treynor, Macedonia, Atlantic, Corning, Council Bluffs and Ames, Iowa. For more information visit tsbank.com.