Are you interested in expanding your community’s support of local entrepreneurs? Come learn more about the Hannah Grimes Center’s PitchFork Program. Hannah Grimes is an entrepreneurial hub for businesses to learn and advance their skills and make meaningful connections in the community. PitchFork was established in 2016 when it became abundantly clear that rural areas were not recovering in the same way as their urban counterparts and startup rates were abysmally low. PitchFork has grown and changed over the years to meet the need for diverse types of funding for startup and growth.

In this friendly, rural pitch competition, local businesses are chosen to pitch their plans and ideas in front of the community in order to earn investments, loans, networking opportunities, and other resources. Hannah Grimes has iterated the PitchFork platform many times to meet their needs, the needs of its entrepreneurs, and the needs of the community. Come learn how the Hannah Grimes Center has made this event a success for years and how you can replicate this model in your own rural community. 

BONUS: toward the end we’ll do breakout groups for participants to come up with a one-minute idea pitch of their own to compete for the grand prizes of glory, fame, and some free Radically Rural tickets. 

Presenters: Sara Powell and Mary Ann Kristiansen

After years of farming, gardening, and soap-making and selling, Mary Ann started the Hannah Grimes Marketplace in 1997 as a store for local products to be sold and celebrated. She later founded the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship in 2006 to support the successful startup and growth of small businesses.

Sara Powell is the Programs Director for the Hannah Grimes Center, where she manages several workshops, seminars, and other projects that support small business owners in the area.