You may have heard people who started up businesses talking about how they found investors. Typically, they’ll say something like, “We pitched our idea and raised X amount.”
It sounds simple. But when you dig a little deeper, delivering a successful pitch to investors is not quite as straightforward as describing your business as “The Uber of dating” or “Air BnB for pets.” Financing a startup requires convincing investors or lenders they’re taking a worthwhile risk.
Crafting this calculated risk into a convincing sales pitch – which can be in the shape of a business plan or a presentation known as a “pitch deck” – is a special skill.And it’s what Camille Terk does at her company, Terk Consulting.
Camille Terk, at Terk Consulting they put together business plans and pitch decks that entrepreneurs use to attract investment
Tey Stiteler came up withher idea for a business after she and her partner bought 4 acres of land near Poplarville, Mississippi.
Tey was looking for a reason to quit her desk-job and work outdoors. With absolutely no background in farming or horticulture, Tey started growing flowers. She grew a lot of flowers. And started meeting other people who grew flowers.
Tey Stiteler, The Secret Spot is a flower shop that sells flowers from Tey’s flower farm, “and other treasures”
Tey began selling her flowers at markets and pop-ups around New Orleans. Then in 2024 when she went all-in and opened a brick and mortar business on Camp Street. It’s called, The Secret Spot Flowers.
There’s a question you may have heard interviewers ask people. It’s, “If you could go back in time to when you were starting out, what would you tell your younger self?” IPeter doesn’t ask either Camille or Tey this question but there’s no doubt that if they, and most people, knew what roadblocks and curveballs and just downright weird, unexpected things were going to come up when they started down the path of founding and running a business, they might question their optimism and the wisdom of blind faith.
On the other hand, when things work out, as they have so far for Tey and Camille, the ups and downs become a bunch of great stories.
Camille Terk, Peter Ricchiuti, Tey Stiteler, Out to Lunch at Columns on St. Charles Avenue
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. Photos by Jill Lafleur.
