Startup check-in: Alumni return at special Early Risers
March 26, 2019
We caught up with eight Early Risers alumni last week at our special March Madness edition. It was a great chance to check-in with these entrepreneurs and learn how our community can continue to support them as they grow their startups:
Carlos Portis and Frank “Buddy” Pitts, Jr., and Inveloped Cards, their texted cards service, took first place in the friendly March Madness competition. Formerly known as Texted Cards, Inveloped Cards is partnering with area designers and area design schools to offer students and professionals a chance to design cards for the platform and earn a commission for cards sold. They’re in search of designers interested in participating, and, of course, customers who want to send Inveloped Cards! Check them out here.
Jon Umstead and Plan Canvas, his business planning software, were runner-up in the March Madness pitches. The company has pivoted — Jon is looking to connect and market to existing business coaching businesses rather than directly to business owners and entrepreneurs. He’s looking for an investor so he can run a national outreach campaign. Learn more about Plan Canvas here.
Tom Heil and Cover, his wifi service for small businesses, is excited for an upcoming meeting with several angel investors. At the moment, he’s looking for salespeople and, as always, clients. Check out Covur here.
Dave Bean and Mobius, his coupon-sharing service, is in search of data science expertise. He will be collecting a lot of data through the platform and wants to know best way to aggregate it. Know someone who knows big data? Send them to David! More info on Mobius here.
Will Foster and Picnk, his prepped-meal service, celebrated a grand opening in his new space at Five Seasons Sports Club Powered by LOGIK Fitness at 4242 Clyo Road, Dayton earlier this month. He’s continually looking for folks who want to do collaborative projects — think a meal pop-up in your friend’s local business — and, of course, customers. Check out Picnk here.
Jerricha Hoskins and CrownMe Coil Care, her natural hair care line, are working to get into larger retailers, like Target. She’s looking for a connection within such a retail organization. Check out her product lineup, and list of current Dayton-area retail locations, here.
Angela Malone and Dr. Scribbles, offering educational, interactive exam paper for children in hospitals, recently returned from a trip to Atlanta, Georgia, where healthcare providers gave thrilled feedback on the exam paper placed in a series of pediatric exam rooms. She’s looking for a national company interested in advertising on the paper, as well as connections to hospital administrators. Check out Dr. Scribbles here.
Sukhman Singh and Divine Services, his on-demand valet service, is looking for connections to real estate developers in growing urban areas. As cities redevelop urban cores, parking challenges arise, and his platform can help alleviate them, he said. Learn more about Divine Services here.
Having trouble connecting with one of these entrepreneurs? Reach out to us and we’ll make a connection!
