Yuma entrepreneur claims top prize in Entrepreneur Pitch Finals

Trae Miller’s idea draws 28 initial entries; five competed in finals contest

Tanya Flemister of Yuma demonstrates how one of her patented scarves can save a busy woman time as she prepares for her day. (Jeff Rice / Journal-Advocate)

By Jeff Rice | jerice@prairiemountainmedia.com | Sterling Journal-Advocate

PUBLISHED: June 19, 2023 at 9:39 a.m. | UPDATED: June 19, 2023 at 11:45 a.m.

Tanya Flemister of Yuma has an extra $17,500 to invest in her fledgling company, thanks to The Annex’s Northeast Colorado Entrepreneur Pitch competition.

Flemister was one of five finalists to present Thursday, June 15, during an event held at Sky Ranch. The pitch competition is the brainchild of Trae Miller, executive director of Logan County Economic Development Corp.

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About 100 people, mostly from the business sector, attended the Entrepreneur Pitch Finals at Sky Ranch. (Jeff Rice / Journal-Advocate)

A total of $30,000 was awarded to entrepreneurs who delivered their pitches to a panel of three judges and nearly 100 audience members. Jeff and Kara Smith received $7,500 to invest in Colorado Craft Beef and Mike Blecha was awarded $3,000 to invest in his company, Anywhere Cam.

Flemister’s start-up SWAY, which stands for She Will Amaze You, manufactures and sells headbands with built-in clips that keep the scarves from sliding off the wearer’s head.

“SWAY is a line of headbands and scarves that are comfortable, stylish, and functional and will take your hair routine from half an hour to half a min… OK… OK maybe one whole minute,” Flemister said during her pitch.

The design of the scarves includes six clips that snap into place in the wearer’s hair, keeping the scarf or headband firmly in place without bobby pins or other combs.

Flemister said she also is on a “quest to build a culture of women that supports and motivates one another” To that end, a portion of each sale goes to women’s and girls’ charities.

Colorado Craft Beef offers direct-to-consumer ranch-raised beef. Jeff Smith said his company, which is part of a century-old ranching operation founded by Kara Smith’s family near Akron in 1909, works to engage customers in agriculture. Jeff Smith told the judges panel the company’s ethic includes philanthropy and promoting a “greater mindset” in the agricultural community.

Mike Blecha’s Anywhere Cam can function even without internet access or reliable power source. The batteries in the surveillance camera can last up to two weeks in some cases, and an internal SIM card means the camera can’t be hacked over the internet.

Two other contestants, Wickedly Good Treats of Sterling and Camelot Dairy of Wray, also participated. Wickedly Good treats is a home-based bakery that sells custom, high-end homemade and hand-decorated deserts. Camelot Dairy harvests and sells camel milk to parents of autistic children and people with dairy allergies.

Zachary Barker, a Colorado Springs-based economic developer, hosted the event while Trae Miller managed the even behind the scenes. During his opening remarks Thursday, Baker praised Miller as one of the most effective economic developers in Colorado.

“If we had 100 Traes across Colorado, we’d be the most powerful state in the country,” Barker said.

The three judges for Thursday’s event came from across Colorado. Mark Madic is director of ecosystem development and partnerships for Startup Colorado in Pueblo. Dusty Brailsford is co-owner of Hangar 1 of Greeley, and Dan Lane is director of investor relations and business development at Total Helium of Denver.

The event was sponsored, and prize money provided, by Northeastern Colorado Revolving Loan Fund, Startup Colorado, Bank of Colorado, The Annex, Energize Colorado, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, Logan County Economic Development Corp., National Renewable Solutions and Greater Colorado Venture Fund.