Enter your small business for a chance to
ENTRY DEADLINE IS
JUNE 30, 2022
What could your business do with
$100,000?
Small businesses are a vital part of the everyday lives of Americans. You are the restaurants and bars that provide a meeting space for friends and families. You are the plumbers and electricians that keep our homes running smoothly. You are the small retail shops that sponsor little league and donate to local events. You are the employers. You are the creators. You are the memory-makers. You are the heartbeat of every community. And you’ve had a rough couple of years.
We want to celebrate you, of course; but we also want to give back to you. And what better way to do that than to give you the opportunity to win some cash to keep you resilient and to keep your business moving forward into the future.
So, tell us, what could you do with $100,000?
The Prizes!
1st Place
$100K
ONE WINNER
2nd Place
$50K
ONE WINNER
3rd Place
$20K
FIVE WINNERS
All winners will also get to choose an eight-hour advisory session for one of the following areas:
digital marketing, finance management, or data analytics.
How to Enter
First things First – Let’s make sure you qualify
Can you answer “yes” to ALL the following questions:
- Are you 18 or older?
- Do you own at least 51% of your business?
- Unfortunately, this contest is void in CO and VT –
Is your business located in one of the other 48 US states? - Have you been in business for at least one year?
- Was your revenue in 2021 under $5 Million?
- Has your business made revenue in 2022?
- Do you have a business checking account?
If you answered “yes” to all the above questions, then you’re looking good so far! On to step 2!
Second Things Second – Create a Short Video
Create an original video, no more than 2 minutes in length, telling us YOUR small business story and how $100,000 can help you continue to write that story.
You choose the story you want to tell –
- Do you have a life-changing product?
- Are your customers just the greatest?
- Was your business founded in an unusual way?
- Are you super-proud of the contributions you make to your community?
- All of the above?
Pick your favorite parts of your small business story, think about what you can do with $100,000 and tell us all about it in 2 minutes or less.
Important things to know when creating your video:
1. Your video MUST contain these two elements: Your business story AND a brief discussion of what the prize money would mean to you and how you would use it.
The judges will be rating your video based on the story it tells, its creativity, the enthusiasm and passion portrayed throughout the video, and your brief discussion of what the prize money would mean to you.
2. You DO NOT need to create a professional video! In fact, professional videos are prohibited. It can just be you and your phone! What’s important here is the story you tell and how you tell it, not how much you pay a professional to get that told!
3. Check out the video tips from our judges to help you along the way.
For more information on how submissions will be judged, please see the Official Rules.
Third Things Third – Complete the Entry Form
Once you have your video ready, head over here, answer a few questions,
upload your video …and you’re all set!
Entries must be submitted by
11:59 PM PDT on June 30, 2022.
What To Expect
What happens after you submit your video?
All entries will go through a round of judging to determine 15 finalists. The finalists will move on to a public voting round during which the general public will select the winners by voting for their favorite entry.
Tips from the Judges
Here are a few tips from our panel of judges to help you along the way in creating your video!
- People won’t remember the numbers and stats – it’s about your story and how you make them feel
- Whether you’re at home, in the office, or taking us on an adventure, make sure you’re seen and heard clearly.
- Keep it simple, the focus is on the story, not the production.
- Introduce yourself and your business and jump right into telling your story and how the $100,000 prize can help your business
- Remember: you get to choose the parts of your story that you want to tell – you can talk about how you got your start, the obstacles you’ve overcome, the products you offer, how you serve your community or anything else that makes you stand out
- Get specific about how the $100,000 will help your business. We want to know how you’ll use the money and the impact it could have on your business.
- Videos must be 2 minutes or less in length
- Remember the deadline! Submissions are due no later than June 30, 2022
So, what are you waiting for? Lights, camera, action!
The Kapitus Building Resilient Businesses (BRB) Initiative
Kapitus has worked hand-in-hand with the small business community for over 16 years, providing essential access to financing options that they often can’t find through traditional lending institutions. As an organization, we have watched the small business community face struggles that impact them more significantly than their larger counterparts. From environmental disasters, to social inequities, to economic down-turns, and global health crises, we’ve been through it all with them. During these challenging times, accessing the financial help, educational resources and products and services needed for business continuity is more difficult – but more important – than ever. We created the BRB initiative to help the small businesses community overcome these challenges – to help them build a resilient business. We will accomplish this mission by providing financial support and consultative assistance in business-critical areas; and we’re kicking it all off by giving away $250,000 with our inaugural Building Resilient Businesses Contest!
Join the BRB Community
on Social Media
Building a resilient business requires constant learning – whether that’s through educational resources or (even better) talking to other business owners. We’ve created private groups on both Facebook and LinkedIn to give you a private and dedicated space to continuously learn and connect with your fellow business owners.
We hope to see you there!
Not into social media?
Subscribe to our BRB newsletter to receive a regular cadence of educational resources to help keep your business going strong!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who can enter the contest?
A: The contest is open to all small businesses/business owners that meet ALL the following criteria:
• You are 18 or older
• You own at least 51% of the business you are entering
• The business you are entering has been in operation for at least 1 year
• The business you are entering had a revenue under $5 Million in 2021
• The business you are entering has made revenue in 2022
• The business you are entering has a business checking account
• Unfortunately, this contest is void in CO and VT – But your business is located in one of the other 48 US states
Q: Do I need to be a Kapitus customer to enter?
A: Nope! The Building Resilient Businesses Contest is open to any small business that meets the entry requirements – whether they are a Kapitus customer or not.
Q: Where do I enter?
A: You can submit your business for the Building Resilient Businesses Contest here.
Q: What do I need to enter?
A: Entering the contest is easy. Simply answer a few questions confirming that you qualify for the contest and upload an original video (2 minutes or less in length) telling your small business story.
Q: Do I need to submit a professional video?
A: Nope! In fact, professional videos are prohibited.
Q: What is the deadline to enter?
A: Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM PDT on June 30, 2022
Q: How is a winner selected?
A: The contest will consist of two selection rounds.
Round 1 – Judging: All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges. Judges will score the video submissions based on the following criteria: the story being told, creativity of the video, enthusiasm and passion portrayed, and a brief statement about how winnings will be used. The 15 submissions with the highest scores after this judging round will move forward as finalists and go to the 2nd selection round. For more information on how submissions will be judged, please see the Official Rules .
Round 2 – Public Voting: The second selection round will determine the winner through public votes. Voting will be open to the general public from July 26, 2022 to August 17, 2022. The videos with the most votes at the end of this round will be named the winners.
Q: When will finalists be announced?
A: Finalists will be announced on Monday, July 25, 2022
Q: When will winners be announced?
A: Winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Q: What are the prizes?
A: There will be a total of 7 cash prizes awarded. The breakdown is as follows:
One (1) 1st Place Prize of $100,000
One (1) 2nd Place Prize of $50,000
Five (5) 3rd Place Prizes of $20,000
The seven winners will each also receive an 8-hour advisory/consulting session in one of the following areas: digital marketing, data analytics, or finance management
Q: When will prizes be delivered?
A: Cash prizes will be delivered by September 30, 2022. Kapitus will work with winners to determine when they would like their advisory/consulting sessions scheduled. Advisory/Consulting sessions must take place prior to August 31, 2023
Q: Do I have to pay taxes on the cash prize if I win?
A: Winners will be issued a 1099 for the cash prize, and are solely responsible for applicable taxes, fees, insurance, and other expenses associated with acceptance and/or taking delivery of the prize.
Q: How do I get in touch if I have any questions?
A: You can drop an email to [email protected] with any questions or concerns you may have.