Business Challenge – Best company

Business Challenge 2016

Presenting company and products to make baby bottle feeding, bathing and sunscreen applying easier

Tuesday was an absolutely incredible and magical day. It was time for the Business Challenge final where we were one of 15 companies out of 400 applicants.

Business Challenge is a competition in which entrepreneurs compete with their ideas and their businesses. The aim is to create growth and jobs. We connect entrepreneurs with business profiles. The jury consists of these approximately 70 profiles and entrepreneurs!

The final consists of 2 stages: first, a 15-minute pitch followed by a Q&A session. The 6 best from step 1 go to step 2 for a final 5-8 minute pitch!

For us, it started with us taking the day before off to prepare and practice the pitch. As usual, it was hard to get a good structure together and make it sound good with transitions between the three of us. Full speed all day and no lunch, we hurried to the train to get to Stockholm in the evening – finally some rest from the pitch. When we approached Stockholm, I asked – where are we staying? "Weren't you going to book?" came the reply. A classic misunderstanding, no big deal... but it's Eurovision week in Stockholm. Everything was booked. In the end, we found a hotel on Drottninggatan, and when we got there and checked in, they pointed us down into the basement... When we got down, we realized we would be staying in a bunker. No windows and a minimal room... Oh well, we'll just sleep... After having practiced the pitch until 2 AM J

At 11:40 AM, it was our turn to step in front of the approximately one-third of the jury at the Grand Hotel. Nervous? As hell… but once in place, we were able to find focus and delivered a really good pitch, far exceeding expectations; everything was just nailed. Then there was some serious grilling. Questions from the jury from all directions and a lot of great tips!

We went to lunch and felt very satisfied. Of course, we were hoping that we would advance and make another pitch, but we hardly dared to think about that now; it was just half the time, so a new pitch had to be practiced.

An hour of practice, and we would find out if we advanced. They gathered all the contestants and announced the top 6, and finally, Everyday Solutions – yes! But the pitch... shit...

Last up now, it was just to wait while one by one went into the jury room. Finally, our turn. The heart beats... the jury. Now you just go for it!

Yet another good pitch, we surprised ourselves with how good it felt!

After a really nice dinner with Smiling (cashew) as toastmasters and many interesting and fruitful meetings, it was time for the final award – best company!..... Everyday Solutions – we won! Absolutely magical. So much fun!

Quite lyrical and with lots of congratulations and conversations, Business Challenge was about to end, the clock... we didn't have enough time for our train home now... so we had to celebrate a fantastic day by finding a hotel again, which was impossible, so we ended up on a boat that can hardly be called a hotel, but there was a bed to sleep on, and the feeling of winning made nothing else matter!

More photos are available on Facebook – Business Challenge!

Big thank you to everyone who supports us in different ways!