‘Pull Up and Pitch’: Small-business owners competed ‘Shark Tank’-style in Philly for a chance to win $10,000

Sixty seconds. That’s how long 200 small-business owners from around the country had to “Pull Up and Pitch” for a chance at winning part of $30,000 in prizes at a Shark Tank-like event Saturday in Philadelphia.

Clothes for people over 6 feet tall, baby bottle cleaning brushes with silicone barriers to prevent backsplash, and even a lipstick that claims to help women have better orgasms were all part of the contenders.

Mount Airy resident LaVaughn Jones woke up early Saturday to line up outside World Cafe Live shortly after the sun rose. Getting a head start was important, she said, because candidates were to present on a first-come, first-serve basis until seven people had been selected for a second round.

Three years ago, Jones felt “backed against the wall” after her husband’s incarceration left her a single mother of two. She was overworked, yet living on food stamps, and cooking halal food for her Muslim family became an impossible task. That led her to create Aruba’s Halal Kitchen, a frozen halal meal alternative.

She was one of 77 “founders,” as event organizer Black Girl Ventures calls participants, that made it in front of the judges.

One thumbs-up would mean $200 for the entrepreneur; two meant $250; and three guaranteed $500 and a spot in the second round.

Jones won a ticket to the second round, but not everyone had the same fortune.

Ingrid Prescott drove two hours from Brooklyn, N.Y., to make this enticing pitch: “If you have never had an orgasm, your vajayjay is not broken.” Her Oralicious lipstick promises to enhance, arouse, and excite libido.

Alas, the 60-year-old only got two thumbs-up from the judges. Despite not making it into the finale, Prescott said the enthusiastic reaction from the audience of 150 made her feel like a winner.

“The way they cheered made me feel like I did exceptionally well,” Prescott said. “But, in order for me to get to round two, I got to get good at doing my pitches. This is my very first time.”

Seven businesses earned a spot in the next round, where they each got three minutes to pitch to two judges for a place in the top three and the chance to win $10,000, $3,000, and $2,000, respectively.

Was the money to stay in Philly? Would some visiting small businesses nab the winnings?

Philadelphia has more than 44,000 businesses, 90% of which have fewer than 100 employees and thus fall under the category of small business, according to data from the Pew Charitable Trusts. And three of them landed in the finale.

Aruba’s Halal Kitchen, Baby Bottle Brush Bib, and street wear brand Veils Street bested businesses from Detroit and Colorado. In other words, all the prize money stayed in Philly.

Baby Bottle Brush Bib and Veils Street won second and third place, respectively. And, as surreal as it felt to her, Jones’ frozen halal food business became the Pull Up and Pitch winner.

“Hard work pays off, especially when we are rewarded with capital funds to continue the hard work that we do. It’s just amazing,” said the 35-year-old with a tight grip on a giant ceremonial check.

She plans on using the money to expand to other retail stores, beyond the 17 stores already offering her halal meals, including ShopRite and Weavers Way.

The next Pull Up and Pitch in Philly will take place on Oct. 26 at the Liberty View at Independence Visitor Center.

For any small business planning on going, “the key is understanding their business,” said Omi Bell, CEO of Virginia-based Black Girl Ventures. “If I give you access to capital today, how could you take that capital and grow your business exponentially?”