The Big Pitch
More than 450 entrepreneurs vie for their spot in the limelight.
ARE YOU READY for your 15 minutes of fame? The 465
entrepreneurs gathering in Arlington,Va., on Jan. 31 certainly
were. They’d brought their inventions to a trade show
organized by QVC, hoping their products would be included in
the 100 new ones the network will debut this summer. At each
of five shows, hopefuls get about 10
minutes to impress a buyer.
The sheer variety on offer at the Arlington event, shown here, should be enough to quiet anyone who doubts the health or spirit of American entrepreneurialism. A woman who bills herself as the Reading Fairy arrived just before two brothers selling a hip hop version of Schoolhouse Rock. Entrepreneurs extolled new mattresses, new foods, and new gardening tools. A Los Angeles event drew a crowd of 700, and some 2,200 entrepreneurs had made their pitches as of Feb. 16.
Each entrepreneur needs to be able to answer the same
questions: Is the product unique? Does
it demonstrate well? Does it save time or
solve a problem? Is it timely or topical?
If your answer to all of these is an
unqualified yes, there’s still time to get
in front of a buyer.The final event will
be held in West Chester, Pa., on Apr.
22. You can register online at
qvcproductsearch.com.Good luck.