The top three Yes to Startups winners hold their award checks May 7 at the Five30 Event Center in Marysville. From left are Lisa Romero and Candace DeMaranville of Moonshine Family Farm, third place; Mariah Byrd of Byrd Horseback Riding Program, second place; and Shaun Clearwater of Hop Riot, first place. Photo courtesy of SBDC

YUBA COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Yuba County’s version of “Shark Tank” came to a head May 7 as the top 10 finalists in the Yes to Startups program took the stage at the Five30 Event Center in Marysville to make their final pitches before a panel of local judges.

Held in conjunction with National Small Business Week, the event drew support for local entrepreneurs working to launch or grow their businesses in Yuba County. Each finalist completed a seven-week incubator program with support from a mentor, helping them prepare pitch materials, refine business plans and compete for seed funding.

Shaun Clearwater of Hop Riot accepts the $10,000 grand prize during the Yes to Startups finale May 7 at the Five30 Event Center in Marysville. From left are Yuba County Supervisors Renick House and Gary Bradford, Clearwater, and Diane Lydon of CalOSBA. Photo courtesy of SBDC

“We started with around 30 participants, and that got whittled down to 14 for the first round of pitches and 10 for the finale,” said SiewYee Lee-Alix, director of the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center. “It’s really interesting to see their transformation from the initial pitches to the finale. It’s like night and day. Watching them grow is really cool.”

Now in its third year, Yes to Startups is a collaboration between Yuba County Economic Development and the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center. Organizers said the program is quickly gaining interest and support not only from entrepreneurs but also from local sponsors and donors, including River Valley Community Bank, Columbia Bank and SoCo Bank.

The evening also drew local officials and dignitaries, with speakers emphasizing the importance of supporting local entrepreneurs as a way to strengthen the regional economy.

“It’s important for the businesses to see that you are out there and interested in what they’re doing, because they are businesses providing economic growth within this community, jobs and money going back into the community,” said Diane Lydon, assistant deputy director and Northern California regional adviser for the California Office of the Small Business Advocate.

Lisa Romero and Candace DeMaranville of Moonshine Family Farm accept the $5,000 third-place award during the Yes to Startups finale May 7 at the Five30 Event Center in Marysville. From left are Yuba County Supervisors Gary Bradford and Renick House, Romero, DeMaranville, and Diane Lydon of CalOSBA. Photo courtesy of SBDC

Participants were each given five minutes to present, followed by five minutes of questions from the judges. Presentations were scored on timing, business articulation, pitch deck quality and market need and opportunity. The top winner received $10,000 in seed money, with second place receiving $7,500, third place receiving $5,000 and all remaining finalists receiving $2,500.

“All of you get to win a little bit going forward because you have all the tools you need to be successful,” said Yuba County Supervisor Renick House. “Congratulations to those who win tonight, but congratulations to all of you who got this far.”

For some participants, the program offered more than pitch practice. It also provided practical guidance on the steps needed to grow their businesses.

“It’s been very helpful,” said Keeghan Meinke of Meinke Ranch, a business focused on procuring and advocating for quality rabbit meat. “My big struggle with the business was learning about how I can go talk to customers and all that, but through this program, it taught me how to get my licenses and my attorneys and my insurance, things like that. It was really helpful.”

Molly Spackman, of The Market at Rebel Ridge, said the final pitch experience was intimidating, but preparation helped carry her through.

“It’s nerve-wracking standing up in front of people,” Spackman said. “Thankfully, I practiced exhaustively, so even when the nerves come through, the material is still there.”

After a lively evening of presentations, with refreshments served by some of last year’s contestants, three businesses came out on top. The grand prize went to Shaun Clearwater of Hop Riot, a Wheatland watering hole named after the 1913 Hop Riot in Wheatland. Clearwater’s winning pitch focused on adding gourmet coffee and daytime service to create a community gathering space.

“This project is about using the space we already have to create something Wheatland has been asking for: a welcoming daytime place for coffee, conversation, remote work and community,” Clearwater said. “We are grateful to Yuba County, the judges, business coaches and everyone who has supported Hop Riot as we keep building something special here in Wheatland.”

Mariah Byrd of Byrd Horseback Riding Program accepts the $7,500 second-place award during the Yes to Startups finale May 7 at the Five30 Event Center in Marysville. From left are Yuba County Supervisors Renick House and Gary Bradford, Byrd, and Diane Lydon of CalOSBA. Photo courtesy of SBDC

Second place went to Mariah Byrd of Byrd Horseback Riding Program, located in Browns Valley. Byrd said the funding will help the program continue growing.

“We are so thankful and blessed for this opportunity to invest more in our program and grow as a facility,” Byrd said. “Our second large arena is almost complete. We are excited here at Byrd Horseback Riding for the future of our program.”

Third place went to Lisa Romero and Candace DeMaranville of Moonshine Family Farm, a business operated by two sisters who create natural skin care and beauty products using homegrown and locally sourced materials, including goat milk and honey.

Other finalists included Blue’s Window Cleaning LLC, Meinke Ranch, The Market at Rebel Ridge, JB Books, MushLoon/Wild Loon Winery, The Copper Kettle Co. and SparkFR.

Those interested in learning more about business advising, workshops and other resources available through the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center can visit sacramentovalleysbdc.org. Those interested in learning more about business opportunities, development resources or expanding into Yuba County can visit yestoyuba.com.