It's been five months since 20 entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win up to $40,000. With a business bootcamp and pitch under their belts, where are the entrepreneurs now?

 

Although Cleveland Chain Reaction season 7 ended in August, the effects of the small business pitch competition are still felt by the 20 small businesses who participated.

In August, the semifinalists pitched their businesses to a panel of judges from Medical Mutual, Minutemen Family of Companies, MAGNET, JumpStart and COSE. To prepare for their pitches, they participated in a bootcamp hosted by JumpStart where business experts helped them refine and perfect their ideas. 

The businesses were evaluated based on their narrative or story, growth strategy, financials, use of funds and overall presentation. 

Balance Cheer and Gymnastics, an athletic facility serving  predominantly underrepresented and marginalized female youth, took home the first place $40,000 prize; Covermecutee, a clothing company offering designs that celebrate modesty without compromising style, comfort or sustainability, received second place and a $20,000 prize; and the third-place $10,000 prize went to CLE Urban Winery, a working winery and tasting room in the historic setting of the Cedar-Lee neighborhood.

Each of the semifinalists received a surprise $1,250 for the businesses as well.

With a bootcamp, exposure and funds under their belt, COSE checked in with each of the semifinalists.

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Jenn Lang owns The Tangled Vine in Brunswick, a wine bar, cafe and retail store that specializes in locally made wine, food and goods. Programming and events are an important part of the business, too. The private event space seats up to 50 guests, and Lang enjoys hosting community events like songwriter showcases, art classes, bingo nights and an annual OktoberFest. 

"We love working with the local community," Lang says. "We love to help other small businesses as much as we can while growing our business."

Lang's favorite part of her business is the community of customers she serves and the regulars that help The Tangled Vine grow.

Contact: thetangledvinebrunswick.com

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It's been a busy four months for Lena Wilson and her freeze-dried treats company, Uncle Crunch, which offers a unique take on sweet treats.

"We freeze dry anything that is chewy, gummy, stick to your teeth," Wilson says, "and convert it into this nice, airy, crispy, delicious morsel."

In November, Wilson pitched on QVC and has since sent close to 700 Uncle Crunch bags across the country. She's making strides in Cleveland, too, partnering with Malley's co-branded freeze-dried treats that will hit shelves in time for the holidays.

Uncle Crunch is on shelves in Market District, Giant Eagle and Meijer Fairfax Market. Wilson's next goal is to expand in the wholesale space.

Contact: unclecrunch.com

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“Everything has a filter,” says Jeremiah Phillips, CEO of The Filter Factory. That’s why his business specializes in cleaning all kinds of reusable filters, from paper to mesh.

Since participating in Chain Reaction, Phillips has expanded his business by acquiring new machinery to clean the diesel filters used in buses and ships. He says that while a new diesel filter costs an average of $10,000, his cleaning service provides a cost-effective alternative at just $500 per filter.

The Filter Factory has been in business for 46 years. Philips’ favorite part of owning his own company: Being able to innovate and build something nobody else has.

Contact: thefiltercleaningfactory.com

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Although Cleveland is home to several wineries, Destiny Burns’ craft brewery style winery is one-of-a-kind. At CLE Urban Winery, you can enjoy a glass of wine that’s made right in front of you.

“I love the brewery culture [in Cleveland,] she says. “It’s kind of like the beating heart of the city and there’s three breweries in this neighborhood. As long as they make a good product and they serve a neighborhood, they thrive. So, I figured if it works with beer, why not wine?”

Burns received $10,000 for winning third place in this season of Cleveland Chain Reaction, which she’s using to expand CLE Urban Winery’s food offerings. She’s hoping to support food-based entrepreneurs by giving them a spot on her menu.

Contact: cleurbanwinery.com

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The UnBar Cafe on Larchmere Boulevard is a bright and welcoming coffeehouse to connect with peers and attend or host an event. Owner Melissa Garrett Hirsch strives to engage the community by hosting events each week including karaoke, game nights, trivia, comedy and more. 

"I consider it a social hub for the neighborhood," Garrett Hirsch says. "The vibe is we're not dimly lit, we're not noisy. It's just like being in your living room with family."

Garrett Hirsch says expansion is key to scaling her business. She's already planning to open the second UnBar location at Shaker Square and is continuing to look for more locations to replicate the Larchmere model.

Contact: unbarcafe.com

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Rhonda Stubbs is the owner of Flava Catering, a multifaceted food business in Garfield Heights. Flava Catering is a full-service restaurant on Thursdays and Fridays and a caterer during the week, providing lunches for the students of two charter schools and five daycares across the region.

"Sometimes the meal that a kid gets at school is the only meal they get," Stubbs says. "We try to provide as much homecooked meals as possible – from scratch."

To expand her business, Stubbs needs another vehicle and more employees, supplies and money. With schools, Stubbs says, you need to provide the service, then get paid, so it's important she has the necessary resources upfront. 

Contact: instagram.com/flavacateringcleve

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After going vegan, Miesha Wilson was surprised by how few vegan restaurants existed. She took matters into her own hands, opening Juicy Vegan – a comfort food inspired vegan restaurant and smoothie bar. This isn't Wilson's first venture; Juicy Vegan is located inside of her other business, NuLife Fitness Camp. 

After two years of success, Juicy Vegan has outgrown its space. Wilson purchased the building housing both businesses and is developing it to include a full carryout restaurant.

"This purchase of this real estate was not just for myself," Wilson says. "It was really to give other small business owners an affordable space to be able to grow. We're planning to open at least five to six tenant spaces that will allow people to have a brick and mortar at an affordable cost."

Contact: juicyvegan.net

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Kanisha Rounsaville and her business, Balance Cheer and Gymnastics took home the first-place prize of $40,000. Founded in 2016, Balance's mission is to provide an inclusive space for nearly 150 students – and more on a waitlist. 

"When I was a younger gymnast," Rounsaville says, "I found that the representation for Black coaches, teammates and gym owners was not there."

With class offerings for students starting at nine months and ranging to high school, Rounsaville has outgrown her Warrensville Heights space. She's hopeful that she'll announce a new location soon.

Contact: balancecheergym.com

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Second-place winner Idayat Sambo and her company Covermecutee specialize in size inclusive modern fashion, striving to empower women to feel confident in modest clothing. 

Five years ago, she started creating her own clothes and posting them on social media. After receiving countless inquiries on where to purchase the clothing, she's grown to 32.5K followers on Instagram – and opened a storefront in Bedford Heights.

"Cleveland Chain Reaction actually gave me the opportunity, the financial stability, to move from my basement into downtown Bedford," Sambo says. 

Contact: covermecutee.com

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