10 Years of IMPACT: Where Are They Now?

Celebrating a Decade of Entrepreneurial Impact

With the 10-year anniversary of IMPACT Pitch around the corner, we reached out to past finalists and winners to see where their businesses are now. Some alumni shared updates directly, while others are stories we’ve continued to follow through coaching and long-term support.

Over the past decade, entrepreneurs from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington have stepped onto the IMPACT Pitch stage with heart, determination, and a strong desire to make a difference. While some were just beginning their business journey, others were already well established in their communities.

Regardless of where they started, they all shared one goal: to create a positive impact in the places they call home.

So, what happens after the pitch?
We decided to find out.

Where Food Meets Mission

Many alumni are building businesses rooted in food, culture, and community. These founders show how a kitchen, café, or vineyard can become a space for impact.

Sash Sunday, who joined IMPACT Pitch in 2016, came in with a strong vision. Her company, OlyKraut, makes fermented foods that promote gut health and support local agriculture. With help from coaches and mentors, she refined her goals and focused her next steps.

Today, OlyKraut is stocked in stores across the region. The team has grown, the partnerships with farms have strengthened, and the culture of the workplace remains deeply people-centered.

“Clarifying what I was going to do with the money was a powerful part of the pitch. It helped shape our focus,” she says.

Another standout, Efrem Fesaha, stepped on stage in 2018 with a bigger vision than just coffee. His business, Boon Boona Coffee, was built to honor the rich traditions of Eritrea and create welcoming spaces for East African culture.

Now, Boon Boona has expanded into cafés, corporate campuses, and grocery shelves, all while remaining true to its roots.

“Be passionate about what you’re doing,” Efrem says. “And show grace to yourself on the journey.”

Then there’s Rosalinda Mendoza, founder of Mocel Mezcal and winner of the 2020 Community Impact Award. She partners with Indigenous, women-led producers in Michoacán to bring high-quality, small-batch mezcal to the U.S. market. Each bottle reflects culture, heritage, and sustainability.

Finally, we highlight Jens Hansen, 2022 Best Established Business Award winner and co-founder of Uva Furem Winery. After 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, Jens and his brother transformed an old honeybee farm into a boutique winery that blends European tradition with Northwest flavor.

As the only 100% service-disabled veteran-owned winery in the U.S., Uva Furem offers free tastings to veterans and donates proceeds to veteran causes.

Turning Up the Heat

In 2023, Anthony “Tony” Wilson brought his award-winning brand, Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce, to the IMPACT Pitch stage. What began as a pandemic kitchen experiment quickly took off after his Garlic Habanero sauce gained attention online. By the time he became a finalist, Papa Tony’s had won Emerging Business of the Year from the West Seattle Chamber and was featured in over 100 stores. Known for bold, balanced flavors and locally sourced ingredients, the brand reflects Tony’s community-first philosophy of Ubuntu:

“I am because we are.”

Teaching Skills and Building Confidence

For some entrepreneurs, their impact lies in education and empowerment. These businesses build confidence, creativity, and equity.

Loren Denny, founder of Kids’ Carpentry Seattle, started with a small summer camp idea in 2019. Since then, his woodworking program has grown to reach more than 1,000 students annually. These young learners gain not just technical skills, but confidence and perseverance.

“The research I did for IMPACT Pitch helped me grow as a person and a business owner,” Loren says.

In the SoDo district of Seattle, Eli Allison is reshaping the auto repair industry. Eli founded Repair Revolution to make auto care more inclusive and equitable, especially for LGBTQ+ customers and employees.

After winning the 2017 competition, Eli continued to lead with integrity and values. Today, Repair Revolution is known as much for its equity-focused practices as it is for quality service.

Craft, Style, and Creative Spaces

Creativity often lives at the intersection of community, sustainability, and style. These founders turned their personal passions into platforms for connection and self-expression.

Tawnee Kinnebrew, a 2021 finalist, launched Wyldwood Creative in Downtown Renton to build a home for fiber arts. The shop now hosts creative workshops, offers a free craft library, and supports a growing team of local artists and educators.

Across town in Seattle, Takiyah Ward is making waves in custom fashion. As the 2023 Idea/Startup Award winner, she founded T Dub Customs, where she transforms worn sneakers and clothing into bold, wearable art. Her motto?

“You name it, I paint it.”

In addition, Takiyah launched The Re-Sole 206, Seattle’s first sneaker dry-cleaning and restoration studio. Her work fuses fashion with sustainability and cultural pride. Each restored item tells a story and gives old materials a new life.

Early-Stage Innovation, Real-World Impact

Some alumni are just beginning their journeys, but their visions are already making a difference.

Dori Babcock, winner of the 2024 Best Early-Stage Business Award, founded Valiant Health Solutions to address equity in healthcare. Her business focuses on supporting neurodivergent individuals and people with autism.

Through coaching, wellness services, and advocacy, Valiant helps clients reduce anxiety, build life skills, and access more respectful care. Dori’s long-term vision is to create a healthcare model that serves the whole person, and includes those too often left out.

Over the past ten years, we’ve met many entrepreneurs like Dori. Some build quietly, while others grow in the public eye. No matter the pace, they’re all working toward the same goal: stronger, more inclusive communities.

A Shared Legacy of Impact

These are just a few of the incredible businesses that have come through IMPACT Pitch over the past decade.

Some are still growing quietly, laying strong foundations. Others are expanding quickly and making headlines. What they all share is a deep commitment to their communities and a belief in the power of entrepreneurship to drive change.

At Business Impact NW, we’re proud to support their journeys. IMPACT Pitch is more than a competition, it’s a celebration of people, purpose, and progress.

Many of the updates in this story were shared directly by alumni, while others are drawn from continued relationships we’ve maintained through coaching, technical assistance, and partnership. If you’re an IMPACT Pitch alum with an update to share, we’d love to hear from you. Just email communications@businessimpactnw.org.

Join Us October 9 for the 10-Year Celebration of IMPACT Pitch

Come celebrate the next wave of entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a mentor, supporter, or future business owner, this is your chance to be part of the story.

Get Tickets | Support a Finalist | Be Inspired