Milwaukee has no shortage of accelerator programs and pitch competitions that aspiring entrepreneurs can take part in. But alumni of the Near West Side Partners annual Rev-Up MKE event say the program is much more than a typical pitch competition. Those entrepreneurs say they’ve gained a local network of mentors and supporters that continues to
Milwaukee has no shortage of accelerator programs and pitch competitions that aspiring entrepreneurs can take part in. But alumni of the Near West Side Partners annual Rev-Up MKE event say the program is much more than a typical pitch competition. Those entrepreneurs say they’ve gained a local network of mentors and supporters that continues to work with them throughout the duration of their business.
Rev-Up MKE, launched in 2016, is a Shark Tank-style live pitch competition hosted by Near West Side Partners for small businesses hoping to move into an empty storefront on Milwaukee’s near west side. Winners receive cash prizes and in-kind services to support their businesses.
“The relationship doesn’t end after Rev-Up MKE, there are always going to be new operational challenges that even the most seasoned entrepreneurs encounter,” said Kelsey Otero, senior director of community engagement at Marquette University. She has coordinated the competition since it began.
Most accelerators and pitch competitions prioritize tech startups, while Rev-Up MKE is focused on main street businesses that uplift the community, Otero said. The Rev-Up MKE experience is also totally customized to each entrepreneur and what kind of support they might need, something that Otero says makes the competition unique.
Rev-Up MKE participants gain access to a group of mentors that can provide them with tailored advice. Tom Avery, a representative with Town Bank and owner of Avery Consulting LLC, has been helping finalists since Rev-Up MKE was founded.
His number one goal is to help entrepreneurs do the research needed to make realistic projections and assumptions about their business.
“Being able to thoughtfully determine the future financial performance of a business is really an overriding issue for every kind of business that you can imagine,” said Avery.
Avery and his life partner, Mary, have been entrepreneurs for nearly 40 years, starting several businesses. The couple began mentoring because they simply wanted to help other aspiring entrepreneurs, but the long-term mission of Rev-Up MKE is much bigger.
“Our goal is to make the near west side a better place to live and to work,” said Avery. “Supporting entrepreneurs in their quest to develop or expand their business role in the neighborhood benefits everybody. Empty storefronts don’t help anyone.”
Brittney Rodriguez earned first place during the 2023 Rev-Up MKE competition after she pitched her idea of opening a wellness spa. As of June, Celani Skin & Wellness is open in the Concordia 27 building, located at the corner of North 27th and West Wells streets. The business offers facials, waxes and other holistic wellness services, like Reiki healing and womb healing.
The services offered at CeLani Skin & Wellness are of particular importance to Rodriguez, who struggled with postpartum depression after giving birth to both of her daughters. She began receiving specialized treatment like Reiki and saw immediate benefits.
[caption id="attachment_597353" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Brittney Rodriguez, owner of Celani Skin & Wellness[/caption]
“I had conversations with other women who were mothers and experiencing some of the same conditions that I had,” said Rodriguez. “I knew that I wanted my business to offer these types of services, because I’ve seen what it does for me personally.”
Before going through the Rev-Up MKE program, Rodriguez said she had grand ideas but lacked knowledge in how to move them forward. Her mentors helped her settle on a starting point and break down her loftier ambitions into smaller, actionable steps. Participating in the program has also allowed her to complete additional training to expand her wellness services.
“I want the services I offer to be recognized as necessary, and not just services you receive strictly for relaxation, but services that you receive for your overall wellbeing,” she said.
Leaving the corporate world
Alan Goodman, founder of A Goodman’s Desserts, won the Rev-Up MKE competition in 2019. When he launched his company, it initially specialized in bread pudding, butter and lemon cookies, and lemon pound cake. Since then, the business has shifted to focus on bread pudding.
Goodman began baking at age 12. He developed a love for baking by helping his mom in the kitchen. His mother also inspired his own entrepreneurial spirit. He recalls her dream of opening a peanut butter and jelly shop in the city.
“I thought back on that and was like, wow, she really indirectly set up the scene for (my) entrepreneurship,” said Goodman.
A family friend was one of the first people to praise Goodman’s homemade desserts – and recommend he go into business for himself. Goodman officially made the transition to entrepreneurship about a decade ago after growing tired of his corporate job.
He became familiar with Near West Side Partners while attending the organization’s local farmers market. There, he was encouraged to apply for Rev-Up MKE. The competition’s team of mentors helped him address major hurdles like securing funding and figuring out the best method of production.
Right after the competition, Goodman was allowed to shift his production into the Ambassador Hotel’s kitchen. He now works with a co-manufacturer in Oak Creek that helps him make his products.
“(This process) opened my eyes to how much time I was spending personally making product,” said Goodman. “It’s very time consuming. It’s very physical.”
Five years after winning Rev-Up MKE, Goodman is still being supported by his mentors and Near West Side Partners. He hopes to build his company into a more regional brand and secure distribution contracts.
That’s why the company is now focused on bread pudding, which Goodman says is harder to find at retailers, presenting him with a good opportunity. The trick is nailing down the right production method.
“We’re working with the Near West Side Partners to figure out a way to really efficiently produce bread pudding,” he said. “That’s going to be a game changer for me.”
Goodman is not the only Rev-Up MKE participant who pivoted from a corporate career to become a small business owner.
[caption id="attachment_597355" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lisa McKay, owner of Lisa Kaye Catering [/caption]
Milwaukee entrepreneur Lisa McKay has participated in Rev-Up MKE twice. In 2017, McKay was named the grand prize winner. She went on to open Lisa Kaye Catering. In 2023, McKay returned to pitch the judges for funding for her Culinary Education Academy. The funding allowed her to increase her ability to teach cooking classes for Milwaukee youth and families.
McKay transitioned from a corporate career to entrepreneurship after losing her job at Blue Cross Blue Shield more than a decade ago. Catering seemed like a natural path for her given that she regularly cooked for her husband’s family, which meant providing food for upwards of 30 people.
She returned to school to get degrees in culinary arts and culinary management and officially established her company in 2012. While looking for her first brick-and-mortar location, McKay met Keith Stanley, past executive director of Near West Side Partners. He encouraged her to apply for Rev-Up MKE.
“When I became a finalist for Rev Up MKE, I really didn’t have anything developed,” said McKay. “I didn’t have a business plan. I was just catering and not thinking about anything else. They were able to steer me in the right direction.”
In May, Lisa Kaye Catering officially moved into a larger location at 3801 W. Vliet St. The business will nearly double its workforce from six to 11 people with the move.
The company has also seen a boost in business. Lisa Kaye Catering had typically earned most of its work through weekend events, like birthdays and weddings. Now, the company is working more corporate events on weekdays. Breakfast and lunch classics, like chicken and waffles, soup and salad bars, and Friday fish fries are currently on the menu, which will grow in the future to include dinner.
Eventually, McKay aspires to own her building and make her business a true third space in her community.
“I definitely want to expand and grow and be a family-oriented business,” she said.
