Momentum 5×5 Night competitors announced.

Momentum 5×5 Night competitors announced.

HAMLIN TOWNSHIP — The Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce, with the Epworth Assembly and Epworth Church Association, announced the five presenters who will be part of the Momentum 5X5 Night being held on August 15 at Epworth.

The five presenters will be (listed in alphabetical order):  Art by Mary Case, Cosmic Canine Creations, Humani-tea, Ludington Manufacturing and Sister Bee’s. These presenters will pitch their business idea for five minutes, each in front of four judges and a live audience. One winner will take home $5,000, in addition to receiving the opportunity to submit their business plan in the Momentum Competition’s Top 10.

The public is invited to attend the live event being held on August 15 at Epworth Heights at the auditorium. The event will start at 6 p.m., with the presentations beginning at 6:30 p.m. In the event of a tie, the live audience will serve as a fifth judge.

Momentum Business Plan Competition

In addition to the new Momentum 5X5 Night, the fourth annual Momentum Business Plan Competition is underway and will again award one entrepreneur a winning prize of $50,000. The deadline to apply to be considered has passed and the competition’s board, which is comprised of Mason County CEO’s and business leaders, is currently reviewing the business plans and shortlisting the applicants to ten candidates.

On August 24, five finalists will be announced to make their public pitch in front of judges and live audience on September 21 at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts.

Past winners of the Momentum Business Plan Competition include Starving Artist Brewing Company, Kandy Land Dairy, and All Occasions Events & Floral.

The Momentum Business Plan Competition was spearheaded in 2015 by the Pennies from Heaven Foundation to foster and grow the entrepreneurial spirit of Mason County where its founder, John Wilson, made his business mark.

The Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce administers the program to encourage new businesses to come to Mason County through the competition and to demonstrate that the region is a ripe environment for small businesses to grow and thrive. A case in point – 65 percent of the 500 Chamber members are small businesses with less than five employees.