Harriston June 18, 2019: 

The PitchIt! Minto Business Plan Competition started in 2012 in an effort to grow small businesses in Minto and increase awareness of the resources available. In 2019 the Town of Minto in partnership with LaunchIt Minto and our generous sponsors launched PitchIt! 2.0.

The competition continued to be geared towards entrepreneurs that wanted to open, purchase, expand or
re-locate a business within the Town of Minto. New this year, was the addition of not only prizing for the winner and all finalists but also a pool of prizing that could be customized based on the needs of the finalists. Thanks to the support of our generous community sponsors close to $27,000 in cash and prizes has been awarded in our biggest PitchIt Business Plan Competition yet! “The new format of PitchIt 2.0 allowed the judges to 'customize' a prize pack for each presenter. This gave us the ability to help multiple entrants, depending on what they needed most. These entrepreneurs put a lot of effort into their business plans and live pitches so it's nice to be able recognize each of them with prizing they expressed a need for” said Judge Rob Mattice, General Manager at 88.7 the River.

Seven entries were received and five finalists submitted full business plans and made presentations to the judges in early June. The five finalists were: The Old Post & Escape the Old Post, Animated Media, Intuitive Health, Nadur and What’s Inside the Box.

The winner of the 2019 Pitch It! 2.0 Business Plan Competition is The Old Post & Escape the Old Post, which is owned by Michael & Sue Hendrick.  The entry consisted of expansion plans to create and operate a second escape room in the basement of the Old Post, as well as the construction and operation of a unique meeting room named “The Post Script”. Escape the Old Post opened in January of 2018 and to-date has served over 3,500 people and received very positive reviews and helped raise awareness of Harriston and Minto.

“I am delighted to be chosen as a winner from a field of very cool and interesting business initiatives. The Town of Minto rocks. Their support and encouragement of development is unique and makes a world of difference. With the help of the prizes, The Old Post can move forward with confidence to complete the second escape room and a diverse room called the PostScript. The PostScript is a beautifully built meeting/workshop/special occasion space as well as commercial kitchen. Thank you Minto, and thank you judges and community sponsors” said Michael Hendrick.

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to watch for the next PitchIt 2.0 Competition which will launch in March 2020!

For more details contact Belinda Wick-Graham, Business & Economic Manager at belinda@town.minto.on.ca or 519-338-2511 ext. 241.