Round Rock library names winner of business plan competition

Grand prize winner Katie Kehlenbach, left, and runner-up Mandy Kelly pose with Round Rock Mayor Craig Morton, second from left, and Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett during the final round of the Round Rock Public Library's Business Plan Competition on Tuesday at the City Council chambers. — Grand prize winner Katie Kehlenbach, remaining, and runner-up Mandy Kelly pose with Spherical Rock Mayor Craig Morton, 2nd from left, and Assistant Town Supervisor Brooks Bennett for the duration of the remaining round of the Round Rock Community Library’s Small business Approach Opposition on Tuesday at the Town Council chambers.

Entrepreneur Katie Kehlenbach gained the $10,000 grand prize on Tuesday in initially Round Rock General public Library’s Biz.skill company system competitiveness.

Kehlenbach, who won with her style and design of a barbell collar, will obtain $7,500, a Dell laptop program truly worth $2,500 and a consultation with a Dell Technologies skilled. Mandy Kelly was named runner-up and won $3,500. The competition was qualified to Round Rock-centered startup business people.

“I am really energized,” said Kehlenbach, who is the co-founder of AdderLock. “It is good to listen to the validation, when you have been building a enterprise for a long time and to kind of frequently be validated by end users or men and women who are interested and folks who see the challenge that you are solving.”

Kehlenbach received for her patented barbell collar that allows for a faster attachment and detachment in comparison to present collars that make the approach complicated. Kehlenbach stated in the course of her pitch that the collar will let people bodyweight lifters to boost their coaching time without the more problem.

Kehlenbach stated she was enthusiastic to produce AdderLock by her struggles with lifting barbells.

Katie Kehlenbach explains her business plan to the judges of the Round Rock Public Library's business plan competition. — Katie Kehlenbach clarifies her company plan to the judges of the Round Rock General public Library’s business enterprise program competitiveness.

Kehlenbach explained she was enthusiastic about moving into the opposition because even if she did not gain, she would occur out of it with a organization program that she could use.

“That nudge of encouragement and then comprehension all the applications we have access to by way of the library is super interesting,” Kehlenbach mentioned.

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As section of the opposition, entrants experienced to create a business prepare and the library offered cost-free ZOOM workshops to assistance them start, acquire and preserve their businesses. They also fulfilled with an advisor from Austin Rating, a nonprofit that mentors small companies.

Kehlenbach stated she will use the prize funds to make the item with a 3D printer.

Kelly was picked as runner-up for her business concept, Liberty Pet dog RRTX. Her company makes tiny-batch dog food stuff and treats pursuing Texas Cottage Foods recommendations to give chemical-totally free nourishment to dogs.

“I am pretty content that I received runner-up,” Kelly said. “(There) was a lot of wonderful opponents (and) it was a fantastic course of action, functioning with a Score mentor was great, I figured out a great deal.”

Kelly claimed throughout her pitch that she was encouraged to start
her dog foodstuff small business just after the title-brand name dog food she utilised was recalled.

“Our mission is to liberate pet dogs from substances,” Kelly reported.

Mandy Kelly explains her business plan to the business plan competition judges at the Round Rock City Council chambers. — Mandy Kelly points out her organization prepare to the organization system level of competition judges at the Round Rock Town Council chambers.

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The level of competition began with 17 entrepreneurs from which 6 finalists were picked. The finalists introduced their enterprise approach to a panel of 6 judges that provided an assistant town supervisor, regional business owners, chamber of commerce leadership and Dell staff members.

The other 4 finalists have been:

Colette Hammons, CEO of Mahacobo, a small business that generates personalised presents crafted in wooden
Eric Kapinus, owner of VinoSwag, a business that assists other companies advertise themselves through customized bottles of wine
Patricia Powell, who operates Round Rock Cleansing Solutions
Robin Lawrence. founder of Lil Dumpling Publication, which aims to fill in a void in availability of English/Mandarin children’s guides.

The competitors were judged on their organization strategy, effective use and influence of the prize cash, productive use of the city’s library information and research resources, local community influence and viability of their business enterprise product, according to the competition’s program.

“It’s normally appealing to view tiny enterprise owners try out to get started their business and see their passions, their blood, sweat and tears,” Mayor Craig Morgan said all through the competitors. “I’m fired up to seem for vital approaches to keep on to support business owners and create a ecosystem to make guaranteed that you are in a position to expand ideal right here in the town of Round Rock.”

The level of competition was declared by the Round Rock library in January and was influenced by the New York General public Library enterprise competitors.

This write-up originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Round Rock library names winner of organization strategy competition