Fast Pitch Business Application

Attention All Entrepreneurs:

Kamloops’ entrepreneurs (including some Race to a Million team members) have just 5 minutes to pitch their business ideas to an expert panel of judges for helpful advice, potential investment, and a cash prize to the winning pitch. This event will be held in the centre court of Aberdeen Mall with a live studio audience. Our expert Panel of judges include Dianne Buckner of CBC’s Dragon’s Den, Tom Matzen and Allen Bonk from Quantum Business Golf, and Bob de Wit from the Green Angel Energy Fund and New Ventures BC. Only 60 tickets for studio audience seating are available. Casual shoppers within the mall will also be part of the live audience but will not have seating available.

Important Update:

The eight finalists have now been selected. Please follow this link to find out who our finalists are. http://www.racetoamillion.ca/2011/03/fast-pitch-business-competition-finalists-selected/

Business Fast Pitch Competition.

Fast Pitch Business Competitions Saturday March 5th, 2011: 12 Noon – 4PM (3-4 hours – Afternoon)

Click here to register and buy tickets.

If you are an enthusiastic entrepreneur that would like to have the opportunity to pitch your business or business idea in this competition please click here to download the Business Fast Pitch Application and email it to info@racetoamillion.ca

Venue: Aberdeen Mall, Centre Court
Speaker(s): Dianne Buckner, Tom Matzen, Allen Bonk, and Bob Dewitt
Capacity: 60 seats – all other audience members must stand.
Ticket Cost: $40
*$10 Facebook Fans Discount
*$10 Early Bird Discount before February 17.
Sponsored by: The Thompson Rivers University School of Business & Economics

Our Expert Panel of Judges and Mentors:

Dianne Buckner is best-known as the host Canada’s #1 Reality show, “Dragons’ Den”, where eager entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a group of self-made Canadian millionaire investors. In addition to her role on Dragons’ Den, Ms. Buckner is a member of the Business Team at CBC News. She writes a weekly column about small business for cbc.ca – the number one site for news in Canada. She also appears regularly on CBC’s local newscasts, reporting on the top business stories of the day. In the course of her work, Ms. Buckner has spoken with prime ministers, celebrity CEOs such as Jack Welch and super investor Warren Buffet, and has traveled extensively to countries such as Japan, Australia, the Netherlands and Iceland in pursuit of stories for CBC viewers. Her perspective on the world, and on the world of business, is unique. Dianne’s Keynote address, entitled The Art of the Pitch promises to be an entertaining presentation where she shares what she’s observed about those who are successful in business and those who are not. Featuring video excerpts from her television programs, participants will come away with new skills for getting their way at work, and at home.

Bob de Wit is a Vancouver based investor, mentor, director and consultant to growth-stage technology companies. He expresses his passion for entrepreneurship as Executive Director of New Ventures BC, Director of GreenAngel Energy Corp, and as an active member of the VANTEC angel network and the WUTIF angel fund. Annually, he mentors or reviews the best of the new technology ventures coming out of British Columbia each year. As a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, Bob draws upon his executive experience in corporate development (M&A strategy and execution), corporate finance (raising equity capital) and competitive market intelligence to audiences ranging from entrepreneurial CEOs, angel investors to graduate students. Holding degrees in marketing (BBA) and economics (MA) from Simon Fraser University, Bob has built his fifteen year career around starting or nurturing technology start-ups. In addition to working for companies, he has consulted to Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the University of California at Los Angeles where he has worked with university faculty members to develop effective technology commercialization strategies.

Tom Matzen is the founder of the Vancouver-based consulting firm, Entrepreneur Coach Inc. – a company that specializes in strategic joint ventures with socially responsible businesses. After launching Entrepreneur Coach Inc. in 1995, Tom’s first joint venture was with Puckmasters. The growth in the golf industry led Tom and the founding team from hockey to golf, and in 1999 the concept of Parmasters was born. Parmasters sold 187 franchises and did sales of 4.3 million before Tom and his team took the company public in January of 2010 (symbol AIM.V on the TSX-Venture Exchange). Over the past two decades Tom has helped more than 200 entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, and has launched some thirty-seven businesses of his own – some spectacular successes, some spectacular failures, and many falling somewhere in between. In addition, Tom and his team have raised more than sixteen million dollars from individual investors for various ventures. An international speaker, best-selling author, and strategic thinker Tom Matzen is considered by many to be an inspirational motivator and a strong force in the push towards ethics in our modern business world.

Allen Bonk is a very creative and goal oriented professional with extensive senior level & executive management, sales & marketing experience. He has worked in many large global companies, including Motorola and GE. Allen has also trained extensively in numerous technology and management programs ranging from Systems Integration & Project Management to Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Allen’s twenty plus years of experience, combined with international large project and business knowledge, led him to fully refine the art and science of great “business golf”. As author, creator and President of Quantum Business Golf, Allen is currently responsible for the development, launch, sales and coordination of marketing and training for the Quantum Business Golf program. A well rounded and varied background in business and a ‘never quit’ work ethic, combined with a commitment to excellence in all areas undertaken, provides Allen with incredible business diversity. His recent accomplishments include a 5-year term with Aegis Investment Management Inc., a publicly traded franchise company where he held the position of Vice President, Franchise Sales & Marketing.