The highly anticipated Denton Pitch Competition, facilitated by Stoke in partnership with the City of Denton, is back for its third year. This shark-tank style event offers local entrepreneurs a unique platform to showcase their businesses and goals. Applications are now open for this exciting opportunity, where fifteen selected applicants will receive invaluable pitch coaching, with ten finalists chosen to compete for a share of $10,000 in cash prizes during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November. As we accept applications for this years’ competition, let’s catch up with last year's winners—Danielle Sibley of Speak Easy Speech Therapy, Betz Baker and Lois Robertson of Triptych Coffee Co., and Dave Weaver of Goldenroot Gingerbeer—to gain insights, tips, and updates on how their businesses have evolved since their victories.
Can you introduce yourself and your business, and give us a bit of insight into where your business was when you decided to enter the Denton Pitch Competition? What motivated you to take part?
DANIELLE: I'm Danielle Sibley, owner and lead therapist at Speak Easy Speech Therapy, the winners of last year's competition. My business was roughly a year and a half old, we were growing but had plateaued and were turning customer's away due to not being credentialed for insurance, despite having open slots on our schedule. We decided to take part when one of the school directors encouraged us to enter.
BETZ + LOIS: Hello! Triptych Coffee Co. is owned and operated by Lois Robertson and Betz Baker. We began as a catering concept that participated in the community by partnering with other local businesses to serve specialty coffee. We’ve since transformed into a mobile cafe, with a firm partnership with True Leaf Studio and have grown from being open two to three days a week to a full six-day week. When we entered the competition, we'd only been open for a month and knew we needed guidance on direction. By participating in the Pitch Competition, we were able to clarify our vision for Triptych and realize that catering was not our dream, but instead permanently serving our community in as many ways as possible.
DAVE: Dave Weaver - Owner of Goldenroot Gingerbeer. When I entered the DPC we had just launched Goldenroot a couple of months earlier (July 2023) and thought it would be a good endeavor to take on in the early stages of the brand - to define what the brand was and what our goals were. Heather and Juli were both very encouraging to me to take part. I also have somewhat of a competitive spirit and partook in Speech/Debate competitions in school, so a friendly, local competition, with potentially some prize funds, was right up my alley.
How did the pitch coaching development program transform your approach to pitching and your business strategy? Can you share a specific moment or lesson from the coaching that had a significant impact?
DANIELLE: Keep it short and keeping the thing the thing. I've found that getting to the point and being respectful but direct and very clear in our asks has yielded great things; That was shared during our rehearsals.
BETZ + LOIS: We were able to take tons of big, overwhelming ideas and narrow them down into specific, significant themes. Heather acted as a filter during our coaching sessions and helped us narrow down our vision to what felt like the most effective and important points for both us and our community.
DAVE: The pitch coaching was very helpful in refining the aspects of the pitch that would get across to the audience/judges, and cutting the sections that were unnecessary. I'm thankful that H + J set a high bar for the execution, because it drove me to practice my pitch until I could deliver it in my sleep.
Betz Baker + Lois Robertson, Triptych Coffee Co. @ FlintConf 2024, photo by Will Milne
What specific steps did you take with the prize money to advance your business? Can you provide details on a particular investment or project that was made possible by the winnings and its outcomes?
DANIELLE: We used the prize money to pay for professional help getting licensed and credentialed to go in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, Aetna and medicaid (and its various sub groups). All of the money went towards achieving that goal. We are happy to say we accept BCBS and our caseload is full running on a waitlist, we are through the first hurdle with medicaid just waiting on subgroups to process and aetna we are still in process.
BETZ + LOIS: We won the second place prize of $3,000 and were able to purchase a Mahlkonig E65S GbW espresso grinder. With that upgrade, we were able to eliminate an entire step of our drink production, allowing us to make 25% more espresso-based drinks per hour with a significant increase in consistency of quality.
DAVE: With the prize money, we were able to design the 4-pack that we pitched by hiring a local graphic designer, which is very exciting to see the brand come to life. The final step is to get this packaging onto shelves, which we are still working on.
What advice would you give to entrepreneurs considering applying for the Denton Pitch Competition? Can you offer any insights on how to maximize the benefits of the program and make the most of the opportunity?
DANIELLE: Every entrepreneur should participate in the competition. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish, it helped us crystallize our goals and next steps, it helped us refocus, and the program's coaching was incredibly helpful in that crystallization process. The exposure resulting from participating was also an incredible bonus.
BETZ + LOIS: We would absolutely encourage any and all entrepreneurs to consider participating. Use the benefits of the pitch coaching to dial into your business’ needs and maximize how you can connect with the community. Heather and Juli are locked into the needs of local businesses and consumers, and are an amazing resource for anyone looking to succeed in this city.
DAVE: For people entering the competition, I would advise to take as many of the coaching sessions as possible. It is very different practicing by yourself and delivering it to coaches, as they have lots of good feedback and can help you both refine the material and get more comfortable with delivery. Also, practice your pitch in front of friends and family as much as possible. It helps work the jitters out!
Dave Weaver, Goldenroot Gingerbeer @ FlintConf 2024, photo by Will Milne
How has winning the competition influenced your long-term vision for your business? Can you describe how this experience has shaped your goals and plans for the future?
DANIELLE: Again, the process of crystallizing goals (to give impactful help and some level of access to as many people as possible) has yielded great things for our business, we are setting a new goal - still in development - of growing the business by adding on part time therapists and an additional office admin to help our practice manager. We have expanded by doubling the size of our in-home office and therapy materials library. We are contracted to do screeners for 5 local daycares, and currently have footing in 17 denton county schools. We have also recruited/hired a retired UNT professor from the speech and hearing sciences department to help develop a community event we are hoping to pitch to the city and chamber of commerce in 2-3 years. I am so thankful for this opportunity, it was life and business changing.
BETZ + LOIS: Going through the process of participating in the pitch competition allowed us to hone in on our goals and values for Triptych. We found motivation and inspiration in bettering our community and positively impacting our environment in the process. We’re excited to move towards opening a brick and mortar that expounds on the same goals and values.
DAVE: Winning gave me confidence to take the product that I believe in so much, and share our vision with others who may want to be part of the project: Investors, Employees, Consultants and Retail Partners. I'm still set on my goal to expand and scale our product, and DPC was definitely a confidence booster. Like so many other entrepreneurs, I've found it can be a slower journey than we would like. For as much as I believe in our product, beverage is a very competitive market and it will take finding a lot more resources and team-building to reach our goals. But knowing we have a great community of supporters, customers and fellow entrepreneurs here in Denton helps keep my fire stoked.
The Denton Pitch Competition offers more than just a chance to win funding; it provides entrepreneurs with the tools, exposure, and support needed to take their businesses to the next level. Last year’s winners, Danielle Sibley, Betz Baker and Lois Robertson, and Dave Weaver, have demonstrated how transformative this experience can be. From obtaining essential business credentials and purchasing vital equipment to designing new product packaging and expanding community impact, the benefits of participating in this competition are immense. If you are a Denton-based entrepreneur looking to refine your vision, gain invaluable coaching, and connect with a supportive community, we encourage you to apply. Embrace this opportunity to bring your business dreams to life and be part of Denton’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Applications are now open, and we can’t wait to see what innovative ideas you bring to the table!