In today’s economic environment, it’s easy to keep your head down and focus on day-to-day operations rather than spend time preparing for a pitch competition. But what if applying gets you more than a chance to win a cash prize? What if it opens doors to new opportunities and gets you access to business coaches and mentors for free?
At the Hayden Business Pitch Competition, participants have a chance to receive cash awards and gain access to meaningful connections, coaches, and tools that can make their business more resilient in times of economic hardship.
Since its launch in 2021, the Hayden Business Pitch Competition has supported Hayden entrepreneurs, encouraged innovation, and strengthened the town’s small business community.
“The competition reflects a simple but powerful belief: when local businesses succeed, the entire community benefits,” said Kevin Corona, project management specialist for the Town of Hayden.
“The competition reflects a simple but powerful belief: when local businesses succeed, the entire community benefits." Kevin Corona
The competition, now a signature event for people and businesses in Hayden, is hosted by the Town of Hayden, the Hayden Economic Development Commission, and nonprofit West Routt Forward. Startup Colorado has supported the Hayden Pitch Competition in an advisory capacity since 2023. It’s one of a dozen pitch events we have either organized or supported around the state in recent years.
“Community- led events like the Hayden Pitch Competition reinforce the importance of celebrating ideas, innovation, and the power of entrepreneurship in the community,” said Mark Madic, Ecosystem Development and Partnerships Director at Startup Colorado. “Many rural communities know that economic development takes time and resources, but leaning into the existing small businesses and startups is a powerful first step.”
Applications for this year’s pitch competition are open from Sept. 1 to Sept. 23. Any small business in Hayden can apply, including those who are currently in operation.
Once applications close, participants will gain access to free business coaching throughout October. Final PowerPoint presentations are due by Oct. 31, with the pitch competition taking place before a panel of five judges and the community on Nov. 7. Mark your calendars!
“My words to anybody considering [applying] is you’ve really got nothing to lose,” said Ben Campbell, owner of Monarch Electrical Services and first-place winner at last year’s Hayden Business Pitch Competition. “It doesn’t cost anything to do the pitch competition. It’s a little unnerving to stand in front of people and do a presentation, but access to a grant dedicated to locals is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
Previous participants, including some you’ll read about below, agree. There’s no harm in applying!
“The worst that can happen is you get some exposure for your business in person and via social media. It is a great networking opportunity,” said Hannah Erhart, founder of Hannah the Birth Coach and last year’s Women’s Business Award winner.
But before you apply, learn what past participants said about the competition and how it delivered long-term value to their startups.
Invest In Yourself As A Founder
Previous winners emphasized that the Hayden Business Pitch Competition gave them confidence in themselves as business owners.
“It was helpful to get me to advocate for women and my business and put myself out there personally,” Erhart said, adding that part of her prize money went toward investing in herself by registering for further education courses.
Access to coaching was also a huge benefit for Erhart. The coaches helped her understand the business side of things, something she said was previously a bit foreign to her.
“I am a nurse by trade, so having the coaching was super helpful, and then having to talk business and align numbers and metrics in front of people was new and scary, but was very confidence-boosting to me,” Erhart said.
Winners also said the competition gave them assurance to speak in front of strangers about their company.
“If you’re going to be a business owner, there’s going to come times where you have to speak to new people, and if you haven’t done it yet, [the competition] is a good way to break the ice,” Campbell said.
Tami Foth, owner and founder of 3 Bar H Horsemanship and last year’s third-place winner, said she learned a lot about speaking to the public about her business and how to grow a business.
“I’ve done a lot of public speaking in regard to early childhood and special needs and the educational side of things, not necessarily in regard to a business and growing a business,” she said. “I definitely learned a lot.”
Foth said she now has “a little bit of a bug” and desire to participate in more pitch competitions. Last year’s first-place winner, Campbell, agrees.
Since winning, Campbell’s applied for other programs, including an accelerator, something he said he wouldn’t have done without the confidence he gained from the Hayden Business Pitch Competition.
The Hayden Business Pitch Competition was Foth and Campbell’s first time participating in a pitching event.
The competition also gave each entrepreneur time to invest and plan for the future of their business.
For Foth, who had been offering horseback riding lessons for eight years, the competition allowed her to dig into what was working, what could improve, and where she wanted to take the company over the next three to five years.
“I think the business competition really helped me look outside of the box and dig a little deeper,” Foth said.
Expand Your Business
In addition to the confidence boost, the pitch competition allowed each winner to expand and grow their business.
Campbell used his $9,000 grant to purchase a large wire tugging tool, which allows him to pull large wires into large pipes. The tool, which Campbell said costs about $5,000, makes some electrical jobs safer and easier to do with fewer people. Being able to buy this new tool also allowed him to expand his services and take on jobs he wasn’t previously able to do.
Some of the grant funding went toward marketing, as well, which Campbell said has “certainly paid for itself again, over and over.”
Foth also used her $1,500 winnings to expand 3 Bar H’s services beyond traditional riding lessons to include Ranch Days, an immersive three-hour camp for kids. The funding also allowed her to install a permanent shade structure on her property and purchase additional safety equipment, including more riding helmets for clients.
“With the drought this year, came some unexpected expenses,” Foth said.
She used her winnings to lease a horse for the summer season. While she originally had plans to purchase additional horses, uncertainty around hay availability and the upcoming winter caused her to change course.
With her $5,000 winnings, Erhart invested in professional development and technology upgrades.
The funding also helped her strengthen community partnerships, including collaborating with a professional midwife in Hayden to co-lead groups. The partnership continues to flourish, and now Erhart provides three hours of postpartum care to all of her partner’s birth clients.
Each entrepreneur found numerous benefits to participating in the Hayden Business Pitch Competition, and each rural company is now set up for future growth and long-term success.
“Programs like this don’t happen without a community that believes in its entrepreneurs,” Corona said. “Whether you apply, attend the event, volunteer, or become a sponsor, you are helping strengthen Hayden’s economy, create local jobs, and invest in the future of our town.
Together, we are proving that when a community comes together and invests in its entrepreneurs, everyone benefits.”
In the case of the Hayden Pitch Competition, this event is supported informally and formally by a diverse group of stakeholders, including: volunteers, sponsors, Routt County Economic Development, the SBDC, the participating judges, and a long list of community partners. It demonstrates the value of the entire community showing up to support local entrepreneurship.
“Their commitment has transformed an idea into a lasting program that continues to create opportunities for local businesses,” Corona said.
By Cassidy Ritter
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