Local business Great Wine, Inc. has been named a winner of the 2018 American Small Business Championship by SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors. The Championship awarded this title to 102 entrepreneurs for their dedication to the success of their small businesses, awarding them an all-expense-paid trip to a training and networking event, SCORE mentoring and publicity throughout the year, and a chance to win one of three $15,000 grand prizes, made possible with the support of Sam’s Club.
Great Wine earned the title of American Small Business Champion by submitting an online application describing what makes their business one of the best small businesses in their community, and how they plan to use the prizes to grow their business. Nominations that garnered at least 100 votes were then presented to a judging panel of small business experts that determined 102 winners, including Great Wine and Teen Wise.
Great Wine, the world’s first company to produce wine based on people’s wine personality, or “Vinotype,” is a collaboration with Tim Hanni, the first American to become a Master of Wine, and myVinotype, a smart wine recommendation platform for wine-related businesses and specialists to learn more about clients’ wine personalities. Great Wine inspires clients to discover their unique preferences and perspectives by providing them with wines that cater to the taste of different “Vinotypes.” The company adopts omni-channel marketing, a multi-path experience that seeks to provide the customer with a convenient and seamless shopping experience.
“SCORE congratulates and celebrates these 102 American Small Business Champions, who represent some of the best small businesses in America,” said SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. “We are proud to reward these passionate and hardworking entrepreneurs with business mentoring, publicity and additional networking and training opportunities, and we look forward to watching them utilize these tools to further grow their business success.”
“Supporting entrepreneurs has been a part of who we are for nearly 35 years,” said Tracey D. Brown, senior vice president of Operations and chief experience officer at Sam’s Club. “Many of our members own a small business and we appreciate having the opportunity to help them as they find creative solutions to problems they face on a day to day basis. The 102 winners celebrated through the American Small Business Championship are excellent examples of how innovation, persistence and knowing your customers can help an entrepreneur overcome obstacles and we congratulate them on their accomplishments.”
Great Wine is also eligible to win one of three additional $15,000 grand prizes, by being named Grand Champion. A judging panel of small business experts will select three Grand Champion from the group of small business champions this summer. Selection will be based on how effectively Champions utilize their prizes to grow business revenue or operations, as well as how effectively the winners promoted the Championship in the media and social media.
To learn more about The American Small Business Championship and to view the complete list of Champions, visit www.championship.score.org.
