Rob Williams, MyEntre.Netwww.DreamBigGrowHere.com

History• Started in 2010

– Four Statewide Contests– $1,000 Grant Prize

• In 2011– Six Regional $5,000 Contests– Statewide Pitch Off at EntreFest!– $10,000 Grand Prize

• This Year:– Ten Regional $5,000 Contests– Statewide Pitch Off at EntreFest!– 10,000 Grand Prize

K&K Gardens Regional Winner 2011

http://www.dreambiggrowhere.com/Archive.aspx

The Process(in general)

1. Submit an Approved Dream2. Garner Online Votes3. Attend Regional Pitch Off4. Win Cash5. Attend Statewide Pitch Off6. Potentially Win more Cash

And the whole time... Grow Your Business Dream, Here!

Safari Child Care CenterRegional Winner 2011

This Year’s Contests

• Southeast Iowa• DMACC Business Resources• Innovation Gateway• Northeast Iowa Business Network• Cedar Valley• Iowa Lakes Corridor• Southwest• South Central• Creative Corridor• North Central

MoGo OrganicStatewide Winner 2011

Adrenaline X Laser TagRegional Winner 2011

AM Guitar RepairStatewide Winner 2010

Southeast Iowa• Submit Dream: Aug 1st until Sept 10th • Voting: Sept 11th until Sept 20th

• Pitch Off Event: – Top Five Sept 25th at Iowa Wesleyan

• Counties: Henry, Des Moines, Lee, Louisa, Van Buren, and Jefferson

• 30 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Angela Shipley, Mt. Pleasant Area

Chamber Alliancehttp://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/SouthEast12

DMACC Business Resources• Submit Dream: Sept 1st until Sept. 26th • Voting: Oct 1st until Oct 15th

• Pitch Off Event: – Top Five on Oct 25th DMACC Ankeny Campus

• Counties: Audubon, Boone, Carroll, Guthrie, Warren, Polk and Dallas

• 50 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Tracy Schuster, DMACC

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/DMACC12

Innovation Gateway• Submit Dream: Sept 1st until Sept 25th • Voting: Oct 1st until Oct 15th • Pitch Off Event: – Top Five on Oct 23rd DMACC Newton Campus

• Counties: Jasper, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Story

• 50 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Tracy Schuster, DMACC

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/InnovationGateway12

Go Topless GlasswareRegional Winner

2011

Northeast Iowa Business Network• Submit Dream: Sept 3rd until Sept 28th

• Voting: Oct 1st until Oct 19th

• Pitch Off Event: – Top Three + Wildcard, Date/Time TBD

• Counties: Allamakee, Clayton, Delaware, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek

• Two to 40 Employees, Non-Profit Allowed• Local Contact: Jason Passmore, Howard County ED

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/NIBN12

Cedar Valley• Submit Dream: Sept 4th until Sept 18th

• Voting: Sept 21st until Oct 5th

• Pitch Off Event: – Top Five on Oct 18th at CV Innovation Day

• Counties: Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy, and Tama

• 99 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Lisa Skubal, GCVAC

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/CedarValley12

Iowa Lakes Corridor• Submit Dream: Sept 8th until Oct 15th • Voting: Oct 15th until Oct 29th • Pitch Off Event:– Top Five on Nov 13th & 14th

• Counties: Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, and Emmet

• 30 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Brian Dalziel, Iowa Lakes Corridor

Development Corporationhttp://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/IowaLakes12

Southwest Iowa• Submit Dream: Sept 10th until Sept 28th

• Voting: Oct 1st until Oct 22nd • Pitch Off Event:– Top Five on Nov 1st at Performing Arts Center - Black

Box; Free booth included• Counties: Pottawattamie, Mills, Page, Fremont,

Cass, Shelby, and Harrison• 25 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Sue Pitts, Iowa Western SBDC

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/SouthWest12http://dreambiggrowhere.iowabiztalk.com/

South Central Iowa• Submit Dream: Sept 10th until Sept 28th• Voting: Oct 1st until Oct 19th

• Pitch Off Event:– Top Five on Nov 2nd Lakeside Casino in Osceola at 4 pm

• Counties: Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Union, and Wayne

• 200 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Bill Trickey, Clarke County ED

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/SouthCentral12

Creative Corridor• Submit Dream: Sept 18th until Oct 19th

• Voting: Oct 22nd until Nov 9th

• Pitch Off Event:– Top Five on Nov 15th

• Counties: Johnson, Washington, Benton, Jones, Linn, Cedar and Iowa

• 10 or Fewer Employees• Local Contact: Amanda Styron, Seed Here Studio

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/CreativeCorridor12

North Central Iowa• Submit Dream: Sept 19th until Oct 17th

• Voting: Oct 17th until Oct 31st • Pitch Off Event:– Top Five on Nov 12th from 1 to 4 pm NIACC Campus

• Counties: Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Mitchell, Winnebago, Worth and Wright

• 25 or Fewer Employees, Non-Profit Allowed• Local Contact: Tim Putnam, NIACC JPEC

http://www.DreamBigGrowHere.com/NorthCentralIowa

Strategies to Win

• It’s more than Friends, Family, and Fools...– Gotta be in it to win it, period– Find and ask strangers (both online and off) to

support your dream entry• Leverage Video & Pictures to Share Your Story• Use (*cough*abuse*cough*) Social Media!• Past Winners...

Other Tips: http://bit.ly/P1qRaLAdvice from Past Winner Alan Morrison, AM Guitar Repair: http://bit.ly/Tp9Jwv

Thanks to our Generous Sponsors!

Any Questions?