HYPE - Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber

Event Schedule

The event begins with a panel discussion highlighting young entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses in Southwest Michigan. In the second part of the event, a Shark Tank style Pitch Competition takes place, with the panelists serving as the judges.

The Panel (5 - 6:30 PM)

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Registration & Networking

5:30 PM – 5:40 PM: Welcome & Opening Remarks

5:40 PM – 6:20 PM: HYPE Panel Discussion

6:20 PM – 6:30 PM: Intermission

The Pitch (6:30 - 8:30 PM)

6:30 PM – 6:40 PM: Pitch Competition Rules

6:40PM – 7:45PM Top 7 Finalists Pitch

7:52 PM – 8:15 PM: Winners Announced

8:15PM-8:30PM: Final Remarks

Meet the Judges

These successful local entrepreneurs will serve as panelists where they will share insights about their journey. They will then serve as judges for the pitch competition that follows the panel.

Danielle Grandholm: Director & Founder, Rising Kites & Rising Kites Coffee

Danielle Grandholm is the founder and director of Rising Kites, a nonprofit organization that celebrates the gift of Down syndrome. Inspired by her daughter Sammie, Danielle and her husband, Matt, started Rising Kites to bring resources, encouragement, and community to families in the Down syndrome community around the world.

What began as a personal mission has grown into a vibrant movement locally and nationally. Today, Rising Kites also offers meaningful employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities through Rising Kites Coffee and Rising Kites Flowers — creating inclusive spaces that uplift and empower.

In her free time, Danielle enjoys gardening and spending time at the beach with her family.

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Dustin Jankoviak: Co-Owner, 2nd & Main | Owner, Vision Real Estate Holdings, LLC

Dustin Jankoviak was born and raised in Niles, MI, where he and his high school sweetheart are now raising their five children. With a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Bethel University, Dustin built his career in residential mortgage and consumer lending, while also pursuing his passion for real estate. Over the years, he has gained experience in property flips, rentals, and managing both residential and commercial tenants.

But beyond business, Dustin’s true passion is people. He thrives on building connections within his community, which inspired the opening of 2nd & Main Coffeehouse & Bar in downtown Niles in March 2023. What began as a dream to create a gathering space for neighbors and friends has quickly grown, with a second location on the way in Buchanan, MI. Dustin believes deeply in investing not only in property, but in people and the future of the community he calls home.

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Michael Rowland: President & CEO, Michigan Gateway Community Foundation | Co-Owner, Rowland Property Group | Co-Owner, Thistledown & Row.

Michael Rowland is the President & CEO of Michigan Gateway Community Foundation. A charitable organization serving South Berrien and Cass Counties since 1978 in the areas of Education, Healthcare and Culture. This foundation is also the home of wonderful community programs like the Buchanan Promise Scholarship, Kickstart 2 Career and Youth Advisory Council (YAC). With a mission of Fostering a Community of Philanthropy For Good, Forever, the foundation serves the community as a permanently endowed organization that provides everlasting impact.

Additionally, Michael and his wife Elaine own Rowland Property Group, which partnered with Buchanan Craft to open Thistledown & Row. This full service restaurant and cidery is located in downtown Buchanan.

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Vanessa Frias: Owner, Willowbrook Farms

Vanessa is a dedicated mother of three and a devoted wife, as well as an educator with a master’s degree in education. After teaching in traditional school buildings for five years, she noticed a gap in the educational system for Black and Brown children. This inspired her to make a positive impact in her community, leading her to open and run an early learning center in Mishawaka, Indiana, for eight years.

Her family, a collective of entrepreneurs, shares her desire to create their own schedules and build ventures that align with their values. This led Vanessa to sell her learning center and pursue a new entrepreneurial passion.

She is now the proud owner of Willowbrook Farms, a 35-acre agricultural educational farm located in Cassopolis, Michigan. The farm provides pasture-raised poultry and meats to the local community. Through her work, Vanessa continues to combine her love for education and her entrepreneurial spirit by hosting farm stays, farm camps, and other activities centered around agricultural education.

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Meet Our Contestants

These seven entrepreneurs have successfully passed our pre-selection round and are eager to present their businesses and products. See them live on November 19th!

Mario Astudillo: Final Brush LLC

Mario Astudillo is the founder of Final Brush LLC, a professional painting company serving Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana. With extensive experience in real estate and construction, he recognized how quality finishes can transform spaces and increase property value. This insight inspired him to establish Final Brush—a company built on craftsmanship, reliability, and community pride. Specializing in interior and exterior painting, power washing, and deck refinishing, Final Brush helps homeowners and businesses bring new life to their spaces. Mario’s mission is to deliver exceptional results while creating local job opportunities and revitalizing neighborhoods. His long-term goal is to grow Final Brush into a regional leader known for professionalism, mentorship, and lasting community impact.

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Oalliyah Hornes: OH Art LLC

Oalliyah Hornes is the founder of OH Art LLC, Oalliyah is a certified visual designer and award-winning artist whose work spans illustration, portrait design, and other creative forms that foster connection and expression. She is also an aspiring Art Therapist and Art Dealer, committed to supporting those facing trauma, mental illness, and learning challenges through therapeutic creativity.

In 2024, she expanded her services to include art classes for teens and young adults, offering guided, DIY, and therapeutic sessions that help participants develop artistic skills while expressing their emotions. With a career marked by awards, mentorship, and major commissioned projects, Oalliyah now looks forward to launching an art trade school for 14–21-year-olds to inspire and nurture the next generation of creative talent.

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Hayden Keiser: Rite Innovations

Hayden Keiser is the Founder & CEO of Rite Innovations, a Benton Harbor, Michigan company creating luxury botanical technology for the modern ritualist. With a decade in quality, manufacturing, and product development, he has trained 30 OEM vendors, collaborated with 325+ teammates worldwide, and helped launch 47 consumer products found in everyday homes.

Inspired by his own search for a more intentional botanical experience, Hayden built Mixturus—an elegant, modular device that blends engineering precision with sensory design and is the foundation for our expanding botanical product family. Today he’s gearing up to expand production capacity for the next round of orders while advancing two new products that extend Rite’s mission.

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Emily Onken: Bake Effect

Emily Onken launched her first home baking business in 2019, leveraging many years of baking and restaurant experience as well as a background in events and communications.

While relocating from Texas to Michigan, Emily discovered she had a contact allergy to wheat flour and was faced with the choice: Either stop baking entirely, or pivot to a new way of creating. In 2021, she started from scratch as Bake Effect, offering “gourmet treats made without wheat.”

Emily is proud to serve the southwest Michigan community while modeling the values of tenacity, flexibility, and entrepreneurship to her young daughter.

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Stephanie Ott-Williams: Base Bowls & Company

Stephanie Ott-Williams, owner of Base Bowls & Company in Saint Joseph, Michigan, is on a mission to redefine healthy eating with a balance of hearty, delicious meals. With a commitment to fresh ingredients, her restaurant has won “Best New Business”, “Best Catering”, “Best Takeout,” and she has been recognized as a winner of “40 Under 40” and “Bold Women in Business.”

Driven by her extensive experience in hospitality, including time spent working as the executive suite manager for the Miami Dolphins, Stephanie has cultivated a space that nourishes both the body and the community. Notably, Base Bowls serves as the main food provider for the Saint Joseph Senior Center, impacting over 4,000 members annually.

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Alexandra Ranft: Bare Naked Salts and Soaps

Alex is the founder of Bare Naked Salts and Soaps in Niles, Michigan. She launched the business in 2022 after her son suffered from severe dermatitis due to commercial baby products. Motivated to find a better solution, Alex crafted a line of soothing, all-natural skincare products. Today, Bare Naked offers a line of all-natural and mineral-based essentials—including magnesium butter, soaking salts, and aloe bar soaps—all designed to be gentle, healing, and safe for sensitive skin.

Alex is dedicated to expanding Bare Naked Salts and Soaps, advocating for safer body care routines for all by sharing her products and knowledge at local markets and through community outreach.

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Kenyona Speight: Hello Beautiful Fashion Boutique

Kenyona Speight is the co-owner of Hello Beautiful Fashion Boutique. Kenyona graduated with a degree in Political Science, however her passion for fashion and all things beautiful came from her mother and business partner Destiny Burton, who went to Fashion Design school in 2009 at the Illinois Institute of Art.

Hello Beautiful started in 2020 as a small, family home-based jewelry business. Today, Hello Beautiful has its own storefront located at 170 E Wall Street downtown Benton Harbor and sells everything from men and women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes, purses, and accessories.

Not only is Hello Beautiful dedicated to great products and services, they are also invested in seeing the people in the community uplifted and encouraged through various mentorship and outreach programs.

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Criteria

To compete, pitch participants must meet certain criteria, including but not limited to:

Age Requirement: Participants must be between the ages of 21 and 40 at the time of the event.
Residency or Regional Connection: Applicants should reside in or have a strong connection to the region (Berrien, Cass or Van Buren County), such as being a current resident, working in the area, or planning to launch their business locally.
Entrepreneurial Stage: Must have an established business between 1 and 5 years old.
Application Process: All participants must complete the application process, including participating in the pre-pitch, submission of a slide-deck, provision of references, etc.

Goals

Inspire Young Professionals: Motivate and empower attendees by showcasing success stories from young entrepreneurs and professionals who have excelled in their fields.
Foster Entrepreneurship: Encourage the development of innovative ideas by providing a platform for young professionals to pitch their business and compete for start-up capital.
Showcase Regional Talent: Highlight the creativity and potential of the region’s young professionals, building the area’s reputation as a hub for innovation and business development.
Provide Financial Support: Offer start-up capital to winning pitches, giving them the resources needed to launch or grow their businesses as well as technical assistance and support.

Sign up to Pitch

2025 Applications Have Closed

Reserve your seat for HYPE, November 19th – HERE.

THANK YOU SPONSORS

PINNACLE

PARTNER

PRESENTING

SUPPORTING

BEVERAGE SPONSOR

CONTRIBUTING

PARTICIPATING

IN-KIND

An SMRC Foundation Event

All contributions and sponsorships for this event will be tax-deductible, courtesy of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber Foundation.

EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTREPRENUERS

We invite the business community to join us in championing the next generation of entrepreneurs. By sponsoring HYPE, your organization will play a vital role in helping young professionals bring their ideas to life, while also demonstrating a shared commitment to innovation, workforce development, and economic growth in Southwest Michigan.

Our sponsorship package outlines a range of support levels and benefits—providing a meaningful way for businesses of all sizes to get involved. We believe this event is a powerful platform to showcase your investment in local talent and in the region’s future success.

2025 SPONSORSHIPS ARE CLOSED