Watch the video below -
The BCE had a busy April despite being at home! We wrapped up a BIG competition and began adapting our programming using teleconferencing.

Our blog is featured on the Bluffton Icon and this month we’re giving you a new option - a video or vlog version.

$6,000 in prizes awarded
Join us in congratulating finalists and prize recipients in the 2020 Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition. You can watch our awards via the BCE website or Facebook.: Awards video recording. Access Password: 3b?oN8A!

We awarded first place and $3,000 in business expense reimbursement to Greenhorn restaurant of Bluffton. Owners Jonah Agner and Bob Bell hope to open the restaurant at 112 Vine St., Bluffton, as soon as June. In the recent Allen County election, voters approved two forms of liquor licensing for the business.

Second place and $2,000 in expense reimbursement has been awarded to Cortney Mumaugh, who owns and operates Little Monkey Kitchen of Ft. Jennings. All products from the allergy friendly home bakery are gluten, soy, egg and dairy free. Cortney also makes potato-free, rice-free, coconut-free, and cinnamon-free products by order. Call (419) 581-9006.

An award of $1,000 in reimbursement goes to third place recipient Neli Metzger, owner of Touch of Europe bakery in Lima. Neli’s home-based business will be expanding with a brick and mortar shop. Call (408) 306-2572 to order. Neli’s European-style cakes, breads, and pastries have no artificial ingredients.

Our 2020 business plan finalists graciously handled the curveball thrown at them by the stay at home order. Their final presentations needed to be done on video, so they could be reviewed by Chloe Goodlive and Matthew Sorosiak of Ward Law Office in Tiffin, Deb Curliss of the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce, and Beth Keehn of Mercy Health in Lima.

More details about our contestants, judges, and sponsors are available at blufftonentrepreneurs.com.

Teleconferencing
In May our programming will be offered via teleconferencing and reminders will be sent by email. Sign up for reminders through the links posted with this video or by contacting us at [email protected].

Coffee hours will be small group discussions by video or phone on Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 6 p.m. A Zoom meeting invitation will be sent to email subscribers. We’ll certainly  be talking about ways businesses are adapting according to Ohio coronavirus safety mandates and we can help you get up to speed with the technology you need. Grab a cup of coffee and join us!

Brown Bag sessions will resume shortly. What topics are most critical to your business right now? Bring your questions and ideas to the BCE at [email protected] or 567-525-6667. Please leave a message and I’ll return your call.

Thanks for joining me for our BCE May update. We are helping grow a great community. Please let us know if we can help you!