The season nine premiere of ‘Project Pitch It’ featured three Milwaukee entrepreneurs.
Milwaukee-based Diverse Dining Market, founded by Emerald Mills-Williams, was awarded the show’s $10,000 grand prize.
Mills-Williams recalled during her youth, she would enjoy spending time at former downtown Milwaukee restaurant Africa Hut.
“It wasn’t just the delicious food that got me, but also the culture and experience I got,” she said.
In 2018, she launched Diverse Dining with the goal of bringing different cultures together through a shared love of food. Mills-Williams would host workshops in different neighborhoods around the city aimed at connecting with restaurant owners. She became alarmed when she realized several of the same restaurant owners closed their business shortly after.
Diverse Dining gives culinary entrepreneurs a shared space and opportunity to use shared equipment. Business resources like mentoring and marketing are also provided.
“They get to understand what is happening and how people are experiencing their food before they make the huge investment to open their own restaurant,” said Mills-Williams.
Diverse Dining has already found one success story in Mister Bar-B-Que, owned and operated by Jervel Williams.
After taking advantage of Diverse Dining’s resources, Williams has been able to secure his own storefront in Cudahy.
Mills-Williams plans to use part of the prize money to buy signage for the food hall, which is located on the first floor of Two-Fifty building downtown.
Entrepreneur Kyle Schiedemeyer and his business, Milwaukee-based Birdie Bombs, took home the $5,000 prize this week.
Schiedemeyer has created celebratory shots for golfers to take with them to the course.
The name Birdie Bombs was inspired by an impromptu game of golf Schiedemeyer played with a group of older ladies at Brown Deer Gold Club. Every time the beverage cart came around, Schiedemeyer would buy the ladies beers, which they called “birdie juice.”
“I had this kind of lightbulb moment,” said Schiedemeyer. “These ladies were saying birdie juice because it kind of loosened up their swing.”
Taking inspiration from the golf course, Birdie Bombs showcases golf ball-inspired packaging. The product, a sleeve of three pre-packaged 50ml shots, stands out by appealing to those who enjoy spending time on the course, but can be enjoyed by everyone.
Since launching in 2023, the company has reached approximately $200,000 in revenue.
Finally, Daniel Murray, founder of Milwaukee-based FuzzPop Workshop, won the $1,000 prize.
FuzzPop Workshop is a multimedia production company that creates immersive experiences. The company uses physical environments, immersive sculptures and technology to create its environments.
Murray, a Whitefish Bay native, spent 20 years in California studying theater and film before recently returning to Wisconsin to launch FuzzPop Workshop.
“We’re building an engine for the creative economy here in Milwaukee,” said Murray. “We’re giving people in the city another reason to get out and explore their hometown and giving people from the region and around the world another reason to visit Milwaukee.”
All three entrepreneurs will also receive additional mentoring and resources.
