Racine-based Baby Express and founder Nicole Urquhart took home the Peg Ann & David Gruber Project Pitch It Award, worth $10,000, this week on “Project Pitch It”.
Urquhart is tackling southeastern Wisconsin’s epidemic of high infant mortality rates through Baby Express, a transportation service provider for pregnant women and households with infants. The goal of the service is to increase clients’ access to health care.
This mission of the company is one of personal importance to Urquhart, who experienced the devastating loss of her first-born child.
“Transportation has been identified as a barrier for these families,” said Urquhart. “I just want you to imagine a woman being eight months pregnant, or a woman with a newborn child, standing at a bus stop on those frigid days in Wisconsin. Those (doctors) appointments will get missed.”
Urquhart hopes to pursue franchising opportunities for her business and eventually expand into communities outside the Racine area.
Muskego-based company Pop’s Kettle Corn won this week’s Jerry Jendusa BREAKTHRU/UW-Milwaukee Award, worth $5,000.
Mark Knudsen’s father Richard, known by family members as “Pop,” started the company in 2009 after being fired from his job at 59 years old.
“He and my mother had an amazing opportunity,” said Knudsen. “They tried about 50 different flavors and recipes and ended up making (what is) probably the world’s best popcorn.”
Knudsen took on a leadership role with Pop’s Kettle Corn in 2016, leaving behind his career as an international teacher. He loved the idea behind the company and wanted to help take the business to the next level.
Since then, Pop’s Kettle Corn has experienced a period of sizable growth. After making $75,000 in its first year, Pop’s made just over $800,000 last year.
The company also opened its first brick-and-mortar manufacturing facility in Muskego around the same time Knudsen took over operations.
He attributes that growth to the unique branding of the company, which is focused on fun and experiential interactions with customers. Pop’s looks for unique partnerships and events to sell its products. The company has already partnered with the Milwaukee Admirals and is continuing to seek new ways to get in front of customers.
Stevens Point entrepreneurs Mindy McCord and Layne Cozzolino won the We Energies/Milwaukee Admirals Award, worth $1,500, after pitching their company Siren Shrub Co.
Siren Shrub Co. is a beverage company offering consumers a series of tangy mixers made with farm-fresh organic apple cider vinegar, organic cane sugar, and a fruit, root or herb. The company’s products are already in 300 stores nationwide.
“We know that the mindful drinking movement is not just a fad, it’s a changing landscape,” said Cozzolino. “Shrubs are a perfect way to create an inclusive drinking environment wherever you are.
The founders hope to land more high-volume accounts to sell more product. They are also entering into an expansion project with Roundy’s this year.
“Project Pitch It” airs on WISN-TV 12 in Milwaukee and on TV stations throughout Wisconsin. Those stations include Green Bay (WBAY-TV 2), Madison (WKOW-TV 27), La Crosse (WKBT-TV 8), and Wausau (WSAW/WYOW TV 7). BizTimes Milwaukee is a media partner for “Project Pitch It.”
