RevRoad’s Announces Annual Entrepreneur Competition

PROVO, Utah — On Saturday, March 21st , Utah County’s top entrepreneurs will all gather at RevRoad HQ for the opportunity to pitch their game-changing, scalable company to panels of Utah’s most successful.

Often, the most important moment in an entrepreneur’s life is pitching their business to an investor (techcrunch.com). RevRoad’s Annual Entrepreneur Competition helps companies learn how to pitch their business with confidence and provides an opportunity to network. 

Each participant must complete a thorough application process as well as 2 rounds of live pitches for a panel of 24 judges—gathered from top business and university leaders. Using criteria including target market, problem/solution fit, team and advisors, leadership, traction, competitive advantage, financials and more, the judges will select the top 3  as finalists. All applications for the pitch competition are due Friday, March 6, 2019 by 11:59 pm. 

The three winning finalists will receive prizes:

  • $10,000 cash for the Champion
    (Cash prizes are NOT tied to an investment or equity.)
  • $2,500 cash for 2nd Place
    (Cash prizes are NOT tied to an investment or equity.)
  • $1,000 cash for 3rd Place
    (Cash prizes are NOT tied to an investment or equity.)

This event is free and open to the public, so the community will also get the chance to award a cash prize. The company that gets the most audience votes will receive:

  •  $1,000 as the Fan Favorite
    (No conditions or terms of use are associated with this prize.)

Competition sponsors are:

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For media inquiries, interviews or additional information, please contact RevRoad CMO A.J. Rounds at aj.rounds@revroad.com or by calling  (801) 368-1823.

About RevRoad

Did you know 9 in 10 new innovations fail in the marketplace? RevRoad focuses on helping you, the entrepreneur, succeed. RevRoad accepts 3–4 companies per quarter, if chosen you work side-by-side with us for two years. Along the way, you’ll experience everything you need: a mentor, networking opportunities, and key service deliverables. The RevRoad model is a venture services model to better meet your needs.

RevRoad’s Portfolio Supports Two Companies in the Startup World Cup Regional Finals

On Thursday, January 30th, Startup World Cup held their final round for the Utah region. This highly competitive pitch-off took place on the main stage at the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit . After reviewing over 100 applicants, 10 companies were selected to advance to the final round. Among the finalists were Hallo and Savology, two outstanding companies in RevRoad’s portfolio. 

The judges panel highlighted some of Utah’s most respected including: 

Vanessa Quigley: Chatbooker-in-chief at Chatbooks.com

Karl Sun: Co-Founder and CEO at Lucid Software

Sam Stoddard: CEO at SimpleCitizen

Gavin Christensen: Founder and Managing Partner at Kickstart Seed Fund

Kat Kennedy: Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Degreed

Each company had the chance to present a 5 minute pitch followed by a  2 minute Q&A with the judges panel. The excitement and anticipation from each participating company was evident. 

Third to present, Hallo brought energy and competition by including their organically grown audience numbers which land at 10,000 new weekly users and 400,000 total users. They continued to impress the judges by including a live product demonstration of their unique live language learning platform.  

Immediately following Hallo, Savology took the stage. Highlighting growth since their December launch, Savology outlined their  solution for the lack of financial direction among millennials and rising generations. 

“This is great representation from RevRoad. In addition to making a good showing in front of the judges, each company that participated used the event as an opportunity to meet with other investors and business leaders in the Utah entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Derrin Hill – CEO at RevRoad

Both Hallo and Savology demonstrated extreme professionalism as they delivered their polished 5 minute pitches and gave exceptional answers during the judges Q&A portion. Though neither were selected to progress to the Grand Finalé event in Silicon Valley, both received incredible feedback and exposure through their participation in the event. 

RevRoad is proud of the hard work, grit and innovative drive of the entrepreneurs in our family of companies, and we look forward to big things in the future.

Congratulations to the competition winner, Axon Optics––we wish them luck at the Grand Finalé event. A special thanks to Silicon Slopes, Startup World Cup, the judges panel, and supporting community groups for including Utah’s startup community in this competition. 

Learn more about Hallo here.

Learn more about Savology here. 

Have a startup? Learn more about how to become part of RevRoad’s portfolio here. 

Social Sensitivity in the Workplace

As defined by researchgate.net, Social sensitivity is the personal ability to perceive and understand the feelings and viewpoints of others. Why is social sensitivity important in the workplace and specifically when working with a team? Here’s what we found. 

On September 19th, Emily Gregory, VP of Development and Delivery at VitalSmarts, presented at the RevRoad Revation Summit. During her presentation, Gregory stated the following, “When team members have a higher degree of social sensitivity it predicts a higher rate of team success.” 

Social sensitivity demonstrates that one is aware of other people in both business and social settings. Below are two examples. The first demonstrates conversational qualities of someone who lacks social sensitivity. The second demonstrates qualities of someone who is socially sensitive. 

Example 1: Lacks social sensitivity

During a team meeting, a co-worker gets defensive about the progress of his/her tasks. Rather than mentioning where they are at in relation to task completion and an updated timeline/completion date, the coworker gets more upset and their voice begins to raise. It’s frustrating that they don’t have as much done on their assigned task as was expected. Soon, the energy in the room takes a turn for the worse as you raise your voice back in an effort to “put them in their place.” 

Example 2: Demonstrates social sensitivity

During a team meeting, a co-worker gets defensive about the progress of his/her tasks. Rather than mentioning where they are at in relation to task completion and an updated timeline completion date, the coworker gets more upset and their voice begins to raise. Though you’re frustrated that they don’t have as much done on their assigned task as expected, you calmly respond, “I understand this week has been stressful and we really appreciate your hard work. Based off what is on your plate right now, what would be a reasonable target completion date for these tasks?” 

Example 3: Lacks social sensitivity

At a networking event, a conversation between you and another attendee has sparked.  However, only five minutes into the conversation you feel undervalued and unheard as the conversation consistently circles back to the other attendee. Not only are they continuously talking about what they are doing and what they are interested in, they also bulldoze over anything you attempt to add to the conversation. You start to deliver verbal and physical social cues demonstrating you’re losing interest, but those are also ignored. Soon, the conversation becomes awkward as you search for a segway out of the “conversation.” 

Example 4: Demonstrates social sensitivity

At a networking event, a conversation between you and another attendee has sparked.  Five minutes into the conversation you feel valued, heard, and appreciated. The conversation is evenly focused and you both have the opportunity to talk about what you’re working on and what you’re interested in. You both take turns talking, listening, and responding. After wrapping up, you leave the conversation appreciating the new connection and excited to continue networking.

The ability to understand and demonstrate social sensitivity on a team will increase the overall rate of success.

Discover your own social intelligence by taking the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test. Take the test here.

For more information on workplace social skills and building great leaders, visit vitalsmarts.com.
For more information about business and entrepreneurship visit RevRoad.com or email info@www.revroad.com

Intro to Mentorship

Mentorship is often defined as the relationship between an industry experienced professional and a less experienced professional. Many people use a mentor to help navigate through industry’s niches and connect with those in a position of success. 

The practice of mentorship has proven to be successful time and time again.  Below are some tips to help ensure a successful mentorship experience. 

  • Choose your mentor carefully
  • Be proactive in scheduling meetings
  • Be clear on the end goal
  • Put forth effort
  • Be respectful of the mentor and their time
  • Ask questions
  • Be resourceful
  • Be engaged

By following the above suggestions, your mentoring experience will improve significantly. Success is a collaborative effort. 

Mentors are more than willing to help, but you need to put forth the right effort to make the mentorship effective. The result of a successful mentorship varies based upon one’s level of engagement and ability to clearly communicate the desired outcome.  Be sure to show up to your mentor meetings on time and with 5-6 thoughtful questions written down.

Don’t be afraid to approach potential mentors and ask for their help. They are there to help you succeed. Do your research on potential mentor candidates prior to approaching them to determine compatibility. 

Be proactive and engaged throughout the process and you will be sure to have a positive mentorship experience. 

Below you’ll find two resources with more information about what to look for in a great mentor and where to find them. 

Finding and Becoming a Great Mentor Workshop by Dave Myers (RevRoad Talent and Sales Chief Officer). View here

Download A Quick Guide to Mentorship.

For more information RevRoad.com or email info@www.revroad.com

Utilizing Video for Your Business

Video marketing has recently dominated the marketing field. As much as video can be a benefit for businesses, we also understand it can be incredibly time consuming and capital draining to create content. So, let’s dive into how your business, large or small, can better understand and utilize video.

Increase your business by utilizing video.

Videos are the industry’s new trend. They hold a significant amount of power on how a potential customer sees and values your product or service. 

Not only are videos easily found on search engines, but they also work well across different devices, including mobile. 

Videos are easily shareable, therefore, reaching a wider audience and increasing visibility for your product/service!

How can utilizing video increase your business?

  • A video on your homepage can increase conversions by 80%
  • Video produces great ROI
  • Video builds trust
  • Video is easily found on search engines
  • Video is mobile friendly
  • Video marketing can explain complex messages succinctly
  • Video encourages online sharing

Proper planning

The biggest and most expensive mistake you can make is not planning properly. When you have no plan, you will spend time and resources trying to figure everything out on the fly.

Before you begin, make sure you have the following questions answered clearly:

  • What’s your goal/purpose? 
  • Who is the audience? 
  • What’s the budget? 
  • How long will the final video be?
  • Make sure you have a storyboard/script drafted with an outline of the shots you would like to capture–anything else after that is just extra!

You can download our customizable storyboard/script template HERE.

For more tips on utilizing video for your business check out “Video on a Shoestring” by Tigran Mirzoyan (RevRoad Video Producer) and A.J. Rounds (RevRoad Chief Marketing Officer).  View HERE.

For more information visit RevRoad.com or email info@www.revroad.com

RevRoad Rally to Take Place in the Heart of Orem, Utah

OREM, Utah — On September 20th at the conclusion of the Revation Summit, RevRoad will host the annual RevRoad Rally. 

The RevRoad Rally is designed to honor Utah’s community of people with special needs and help them create unforgettable memories! Families, community members, and city partners are invited to join RevRoad and entrepreneurs around the valley at the Rally. Attendees will experience exhotic vehicles, live musicians, delicious food trucks, vendors, community royalty members and school mascots, and fun at every turn! Members of the community and special honored guests will all come together for a day of fun, food, and friendship! 

This annual event is a great way for Utah County’s community to wrap up the summer and support local musicians and vendors, get to know each other, and honor the special needs community. The event is free of charge allowing all to participate. 

RevRoad Rally will take place on September 20th at Orem City Center Park at the corner of Center Street and State Street in Orem. The event will kick off at 3:00 pm and conclude at 7:00 pm. The public is invited to attend any time during those hours. 

Search RevRoad Rally on Eventbrite to RSVP and reserve your free entrance ticket.

View the event FAQs at revroad.com/revroad-rally-2019/.

RevRoad thanks its sponsors including: Central Bank, Carta, City of Orem, Costco, Hale Center Theatre, Snackco of America, Provo Beach Resort, Sodalicious, BYU, UVU, and Keyrenter.