This post has been sponsored by The J.M. Smucker Company. I received product and compensation, but all opinions are my own.
Today is a perfect day to shift our conversation from voting for politicians, to voting for entrepreneurs. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a special pop-up gathering in San Francisco of young, bold, female entrepreneurs, competing to win funding via the generous Bold Pioneer Contest launched by 1850 Brand Coffee.
A little about 1850 Brand Coffee first; this relatively new coffee brand from Folgers is inspired by the trail-blazing quest of James A. Folger during the 1850 California Gold Rush. His pioneering spirit and commitment to quality and bold coffee influenced the brand’s four rich flavors: Pioneer Blend, Trailblazer, Black Gold, Lantern Glow. 1850 wanted to celebrate its heritage by celebrating today’s bold pioneers, so they partnered with San Francisco-based Initialized Capital and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian (and Mr. Serena Williams) to help select and mentor a group of young, bold entrepreneurs.
The contestants are:
Soraya Fouladi – JARA
Alice Kitrell – Outgift
Wen-kuni Ceant & Jordan Wilson – Politicking
The best part about this competition is that YOU get to vote for who wins the 1850 Bold Pioneer Contest prize of $18,500. You can watch each of the entrepreneurs’ business ideas here, and vote for your favorite. It’s pretty awesome that we, the voters, get to play a role in the growth and future of one of these companies, as having a say that early on in any company is rare!
I was able to taste test the delicious 1850 Brand Coffee and meet the entrepreneurs last week, and all 4 of these women were inspiring, well-spoken, strong and BOLD. I loved having the chance to talk with them in an intimate setting, to understand how they got started, what their challenges have been and how we can work together to grow both of our brands through social media (of course!).
It is always a pleasure to meet business and thought leaders, as it reminds me of my own dreams, and that with hard work anything is possible. Plus, it’s amazing to feel that in some way we are helping to take part in or shape the future.
