BatchBlue Software 2010 Super Hero Contest Winners

We’ve once again shone our searchlight into the wilds of the Internet to call forth some of the coolest, bravest and hardest-working Small Business Super Heroes out there. And they responded in droves!

The third annual Small Business Super Hero contest saw many amazing entries, but we finally narrowed it down to our one Grand Prize winner. And, in a surprise twist...three runners-up! Although we didn’t plan an awarding this many prizes, we couldn’t help ourselves. All this goodness needs to be rewarded, in this case with $50 Amazon gift cards for our lovely runners-up.

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Thanks to all our amazing entrants. If you didn’t win this year, please try again next. In the meantime, keep up the super work!

The Secret Chocolatier

Our Grand Prize winner The Secret Chocolatier is a family-owned company that sources local ingredients to create a unique small business the BatchBlue staff found quite sweet. We swear the fact that they make chocolate didn’t sway us (too much!) Because mmmm...chocolate.

Tell Us A Little Bit About What Your Company Does And What Services You Provide

We are a family owned and run small business that develops some of our regions best chocolates. Handmade chocolate truffles are one of our specialties where we offer infusions that are real--not pre-extractions or oils we use whole foods to get our flavors and we work to source those ingredients locally first, then regionally, and onward. We also do not add any stabilizers or preservatives to our products. In a world where large chocolate manufacturers are padding their bottom line by removing chocolate for oat or wheat flour we try to remind people what a quality chocolate experience can be. Beyond that our chocolate offerings include cakes, wedding cakes, tortes, pate’, mousse, fudge, brownies and more. We service our community of chocolate lovers from regional farmers markets and have grown our business into local retail accounts and also have a number of commercial accounts that use us for client or employee loyalty programs.

How Did You Get Started

Here’s one cute recap I (Andy) did: “The Epic of Homemade Chocolates” Basically my father-in-law Bill Dietz was the Executive Pastry Chef of a local restaurant group before they began downsizing in the earliest part of the recession of 2008. We had a family meeting to get a feel for what the future might hold and go over the landscape of opportunities. Being that Bill has been a part of the pastry/bakery world for over 30 years we had a lot of options to go through. Andy is the productivity geek in the family and a follower of the teachings of Alton Brown--believing in multitaskers the thought of doing chocolate was brought up as a way to use a few ingredients that when used by a talented chef can be turned into hundreds of products. The women of the family swooned. While this was one of our first collaborative companies both sides of the family had made businesses before that had ended with an education from the school of hard knocks so we wanted to grow this one very carefully and methodically. We started with a prototype, a test. With local Slow Food connections and a market manager as a friend the Dietz began to sell a chocolate and orange infused truffles at what was then the Tailgate Market in Charlotte. We also had a friends who owned a cafe about 35 miles from us where food quality was paramount and they asked to vend our chocolates. The results were more than we could have asked for. The surrounding community wanted our product and ever since then we have been stepping up our abilities and offerings. This company has been fostered by our local foodies and grown organically. We are very excited to be in our third year of business and are actively seeking a retail showroom and kitchen that we can call our own.

How Does Your Company Stay Connected With Clients And Your Business Community

We are a very public and transparent company. We serve our audience multiple times a week at open aired markets where we have the ability to talk directly to our consumers. This is invaluable. Adding to that we have multiple layers of technology from blogging, twitter, and a facebook page that allows us to quickly broadcast updates and messages to our fans.

Can You Offer Any Advice For Anyone Else Looking To Start Their Own Company

Grow as organically as you can. Have each step prove itself before you take another one. We’ve been debt free since our inception because we have had every move prove itself before we carry on to the next level. Stay agile & dynamic. With your skills you can do a myriad of amazing things but if the audience doesn’t care then you have no business. By staying in tune with your audience you source ideas and desires that they want fulfilled. Be ready to work your collective butts off. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone and restaurant service is even more demanding. Be prepared for long hours and a massive amount of sweat for what may be an inch gained of traction. You have to love what you are doing or you will be visited by burnout and when it comes you may fold. Be passionate and find those around you (a support network) that can rekindle that when needed.

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Add

We are re-establishing a tradition set forth from Bill’s great-grandfather when he moved here from Germany and opened a sweet shop. With Bill leading the way his daughter Robin is eagerly training to continue the renewed family tradition. In America the artisan has been on the decline for decades and we are proud to be bringing a little bit of it back. We encourage everyone to support their local endeavors from markets, to artisans, to new small businesses in their community. Being able to have a handshake and know the creator of your product or the farmer of your food is a powerful thing and the benefits of such a relationship are truly immeasurable. We thank you all (BatchBlue) for this opportunity to share our family story and hope it inspires others.

OMUNKY

Frankly, this runner-up had us at “monkey”. OMUNKY makes hip, organic tee-shirts from eco-friendly materials. With their lovely color palette, cute designs, and support of both the World Wildlife Fund and WildAid, we felt they were one funky monkey.

How Did You Get Started

OMUNKY started roughly one year ago. After bouncing around from design job to design job I decided it would be more fun and fulfilling to start something on my own. I created OMUNKY because the world needs a little humor to go a long with everything else it has to deal with. OMUNKY is a way for me not to have to do the 9-5 deal for the rest of my life. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

How Long Have You Been In Business And How Many Employees Do You Currently Have

As I said before, OMUNKY has been around almost a year. It will be celebrating its 1 year anniversary on July 22, 2010! I own and operate OMUNKY from my home in NY, but every now and then I get help from my girlfriend and/or little brother.

What Is Your Target Audience

I would say my target audience is males 15-25. I do find that a lot of moms get clothing for their kids. I also find that lots of kids never complain about getting said clothing from their moms.

How Does Your Company Stay Connected With Clients And Your Business Community

I am a social networking guru! OMUNKY has a twitter page, a profile on Linkedin, a Facebook fan page, a Myspace page (for about 5 minutes, I mean what’s the point anymore). I also have a newsletter and a company blog that is connected to my website. What makes this company great is that if you have a question or concern and you need to contact me, I am extremely accessible.

Can You Offer Any Advice For Anyone Else Looking To Start Their Own Company

Be prepared to make a few dumb mistakes. If you are new at this, like I was, it is bound to happen. Be ready to smack yourself on the forehead a few times.

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Add

OMUNKY is in the habit of giving back. Check the product pages of some of my tees and you will see that 5% of your order will be donated to WildAid. Tata for now!

Tutuma Social Club

We loved the story of how restaurateur Santina Matway grew up twirling pizzas at her family's Brooklyn pizzeria and eventually opened her own place, the Afro-Peruvian jazz club Tatuma. You can’t get much better than providing good drink, good food and good music while building a happy, vibrant community around your business.

Tell Us A Little Bit About What Your Company Does And What Services You Provide

We are the only Afro Peruvian jazz club in New York City. We showcase the unique music of Peru and fuse it with jazz. We also present Peruvian food, drink and culture. Offering guests an experience that can only happen at Tutuma. Another difference between Tutuma Social club and other jazz clubs is that we do not charge a cover charge.

How Did You Get Started

In 2008, I went on a trip to Peru called Tour Peru with Gabriel Alegria’s Afro-Peruvian Sextet. We spent 10 days traveling to Peru and experiencing the delicious food, warm culture, and amazing music. After returning from the tour, I decide that I wanted to open a restaurant here in NY that would present the wonderful music that you find in the penas, the dance halls where people go to socialize, eat and drink. Which is what Tutuma is modeled after.

How Long Have You Been In Business And How Many Employees Do You Currently Have

We just celebrated our 1 year anniversary and employ about 10 people.

What Is Your Target Audience

Our audience are music lovers, adventurous eaters and those looking for a evening of fun that is out of the ordinary. The age range varies since we appeal to a large variety of people.

How Does Your Company Stay Connected With Clients And Your Business Community

We send out weekly newsletters and we have accounts on many social networking sites like Twitter and facebook that we update daily.

Can You Offer Any Advice For Anyone Else Looking To Start Their Own Company

My best advice is to have a tight budget to follow and a clear idea of your mission and goal for your own business. Both will guide you through the tough times and the good times.

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Add

Gabriel Alegria and the Afro Peruvian sextet play at Tutuma every weekend. Dr. Alegria serves at our musical director.

Verlo Mattress Factory Stores

At a young age, Adel Salameh came to the United States from Jordan, learned English, got an education and went on to become a successful franchise owner for Verlo Mattresses. This would be heroic in and of itself, but what really makes Salameh special is his community involvement. He surprises people with free lunches and free gas, hosts events for charities like the Red Cross and the American Cancer Society and has donated countless beds, gift certificates and pillows. We bet many folks are sleeping easier thanks to his company.

Tell Us A Little Bit About What Your Company Does And What Services You Provide

Understanding the need for a quality sleep, and that each person has different sleep needs, we custom craft sleep systems for each individual customer. By only selling the mattresses we make, we cut out the middle man, and get you the best value on a good nights sleep. We offer a wide selection of custom made mattress sets, complete futon ensembles, pillows, mattress protection and a great selection of ornamental beds. We also offer adjustable bed sets, as well as Dual chamber airbeds, and several options of tallalay latex and memory foam beds.

How Did You Get Started

I had a friend who was interested in purchasing a franchise and needed a partner. The Verlo model offered a great product and good value. It was a good fit at the right time.

How Long Have You Been In Business And How Many Employees Do You Currently Have

I have been in business for 18 years and currently have 18 employees

What Is Your Target Audience

Our target audience is female between age 25-55

How Does Your Company Stay Connected With Clients And Your Business Community

With our clients we stay connected with great involvement in the local communities. We also send fliers advertising events to our customer base. Our customer base is used only by us, and have earned and kept their trust in this matter. Our business community, we stay linked with the extreme benefit of the chamber of Commerce, cross marketing etc.

Can You Offer Any Advice For Anyone Else Looking To Start Their Own Company

Looking back the best advice I can give you is be prepared. Building a business takes all your time effort and energy, especially in the early years. Yes the rewards are great, but so is the personal investment. Be committed to making it work, and then stick to it and see it through.

BatchBlue Software 2009 Super Hero Contest Winners

In April of 2009, our Second Annual Small Business Super Heroes contest gave us a slew of wonderful entries to choose from. It was tough, but we whittled down the list to three winners.

First place: Chadd Bennett, RetroRazor.com

One man’s noble effort at greening up the facial hair industry? A romantic Italian backstory? And… his wife nominated him (calling him her Safety Razor Super Hero Husband)! Chadd Bennett’s cool vintage-style razor business won by a whisker. (read more)

Second place: Ed Basconi, Edamar, Inc. (KitBook.com)

At BatchBlue, we love kids, we love science, and we love kids who love science. Kudos to Ed Basconi and his sidekick David Jones for their efforts in improving science teaching and learning, turning both kids and teachers into Science Super Heroes. (read more)

Third place: Dan Gellert & Randall Green, Jitterbug.tv

We confess, some of us BatchBlue parents have been fans of this cool music site for kids for a while. So when we received their contest entry, we were very excited! We could also relate to the problem jitterbug.tv is solving, which is to provide a safe, fun place for kids to find appropriate music online. That’s pretty super to us. (read more)

BatchBlue Software 2008 Super Hero Contest Winners

In April of 2008, we ran our first Small Business Super Heroes contest. We annointed three winners (and one honorable mention) as our first “Small Business Super Heroes”.

First place: Mother Load Doula Care

Frankly, Alexis Dubief had us at baby-wrangling and laughter, which are two of our favorite things at BatchBlue. We love the idea of “Wonder Doulas” and hope they will use their secret powers to bring us some Pringles. (read more)

Second place: eSeMBe Technical Services

Customized Super Hero eSeMBe logo? Action-packed description of services? Yes, please! Plus, owner Scott Blitstein uses the word “Zoof”. We are powerless against his charms. (read more)

Third place: gotClicks

So many small business owners need help with their websites. We love that Sarah Spencer is out there fighting the good fight on their behalf. Because if there’s one thing we hate, it’s unscrupulousness. (read more)

Honorable mention: Lottie’s Lounge

Lottie’s owner Josh Davis provides a valuable resource to small business owners. No, not booze (although he’s got that, too), but a gathering place, a place to unwind and forget about work for a while. (read more)