Jersey City, NJ (PRWEB) January 28, 2015 -- Rising Tide Capital (RTC) is kicking-off the 2015 Start Something Challenge (SSC) with “Share Your Story”--a six-month series of marketing and branding seminars held in both Essex and Hudson Counties. Starting this Thursday, January 29 in Newark, New Jersey, entrepreneurs can attend one business marketing workshop per month until June to prepare for the chance to win $23,500 in cash prizes through the statewide business pitch competition.
While Rising Tide Capital offers year-round seminars as part of the continued services available to its Community Business Academy graduates, the Share Your Story workshops are open to the public. Attendees will learn how to craft messaging for their target audience, create effective marketing materials for print and web, and put together marketing plans. Each workshop will feature experts in branding, social media, public relations, graphic design and video marketing.
“The Start Something Challenge is not just a competition but also an opportunity for small business owners to gain indispensable marketing skills needed to sustainably run a business,” said Communications Manager and SSC Coordinator Justyna Krygowska. “This year we wanted to boost the educational aspect of the challenge to ensure that entrepreneurs learn how to effectively market their businesses to their customer base. This is why we added the Share Your Story series of seminars to ensure potential SSC participants are able to put their best foot forward to win the grand prize.”
The 4th Annual Start Something Challenge, hosted by Rising Tide Capital, is free to enter and open to any New Jersey resident 18 years or older who either operates a microbusiness making less than $250,000 annually or has a strong business idea. With $23,500 in prizes up for grabs, including a $10,000 first prize, participants can enter the competition with a video pitch between June 15-29. Every participant must create a 30 second video commercial for their business or business idea, using the Animoto platform. To ensure that every participant has a chance to win the top prize, Rising Tide Capital provides each entrant with hands-on coaching and tutorials through the following workshops:
Share Your Story: Business Branding Basics
Thursday, January 29th at 6pm, Newark Public Library, 5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ
Share Your Story: Words That Sell
Thursday, February 12th at 6:30pm, St. Paul's Lutheran Church Basement, 440 Hoboken Avenue, Jersey City, NJ
Share Your Story: Social Media and Email Marketing
Wednesday, March 11th at 6:30pm Location: TBA
Share Your Story: How to Launch a Simple Website
Thursday, April 9th at 6:30pm Location: TBA
Share Your Story: Video and Animoto
Thursday, May 7th at 6:30pm Location: TBA
Share Your Story: Creating a PR and Marketing Plan
Wednesday, June 24th at 6:30pm Location:TBA
For more information about the Start Something Challenge or the Share Your Story marketing and branding seminars, contact Justyna Krygowska at 201-432-4326 x 110 or Justyna(at)risingtidecapital(dot)org. RSVP for each seminar is mandatory as spaces are limited. Reserve your spot by contacting Lucas Belury at 201-432-4316 x 113 or Lucas(at)RisingTideCapital(dot)org
The Start Something Challenge (SSC) is a statewide pitch competition and business strengthening opportunity for New Jersey entrepreneurs. The Challenge is funded by visionary supporters and organized by Rising Tide Capital, a non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow successful businesses. To ensure that every participant has a chance to win the $10,00 top prize, Rising Tide Capital provides each entrant with hands-on coaching and mentorship. Free to enter, the competition is open to any New Jersey resident 18 years or older, who operates a microbusiness or has a strong business idea. In 2013, 108 entrepreneurs from 38 towns and cities representing 13 counties in New Jersey completed applications for the Start Something Challenge.
To learn more, visit http://www.StartSomethingChallenge.org.
Rising Tide Capital (RTC) is a Jersey City-based nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by Harvard graduates Alex Forrester and Alfa Demmellash. RTC helps entrepreneurs start and grow successful businesses by providing a 12-week Community Business Academy—supplemented by year-round workshops, coaching and networking events. These programs are currently offered in Spanish and in English in four cities across Northern New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Union City, and Orange Township. As of June 2014, 968 entrepreneurs have graduated from the CBA and together, they operate 459 businesses in New Jersey. RTC’s model of entrepreneurship development has received national recognition from President Obama to CNN Heroes.
To learn more, visit http://www.RisingTideCapital.org.
Shanea Phillips, Rising Tide Capital, http://www.risingtidecapital.org, +1 (201) 432-4316 Ext: 117, [email protected]
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