SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ever dreamed of owning a business and adding to the eclectic flavor of downtown Sacramento? A 7-year old competition is "Calling All Dreamers" to submit their ideas and win huge prizes.
The Downtown Sacramento Partnership hopes the 2019 Calling All Dreamers competition will draw unique business ideas that could add to the economic landscape of the area.
By pairing applicants with successful business owners, budding entrepreneurs are able to work through their ideas to bring them to reality.
Owner of Andy's Candy Apothecary and winner of the 2013 competition, Andy Paul, said, “As the process pulls you along, you have to do so much work and research and preparation that it made us flesh out our business plan, figure it all out, and see how this could work as a real storefront business."
The winner of the 2019 Calling All Dreamers competition will earn $10,000 in matching cash seed money as well as a prize package of business services worth almost $100,000.
Heather Wong, owner of the Allspicery, whose ideas won the 2015 competition said, "They connected me with all kinds of other local small businesses who helped me design my logo. They helped me design the space. They helped navigate me through the health permitting process.”
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This competition has a proven track record of success, with winners, finalists, and semi-finalists opening 22 businesses since 2013. Those new businesses have created more than 28 full-time and 74 part-time jobs in downtown Sacramento.
“Downtown is flourishing. We are vibrant. There’s a lot of activity and excitement,” said Valerie Mamone, Business Development Senior Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. "This is an incredible time to open a business and be a part of our region's growing urban core."
Applications for Calling All Dreamers must be submitted online by May 31, 2019.
Learn more about the Calling all Dreamers competition on their website.
