Welcome to the second article in our Small Business, Big Dreams Challenge series. This series is a snapshot of where former winners of the challenge are now, including updates on how the prize money helped fuel — and fund — their business goals. 

In our first piece, we talked to Xenia Marcinko, Executive Producer of The Magus Films and third-place winner of the second year of the BankUnited Small Business, Big Dreams Challenge. For this piece, we caught up with the dynamic duo behind a Florida-based occupational and physical therapy clinic that was in desperate need of a financial infusion. Here’s how winning the prize money from the contest helped shape their future. 

The business: Dynamic Duo PT+

Contestant: Dr. Angie Mason and Dr. Tyre Patterson

Contest: Year 2, 2nd place

Angie: We were a new business, and we didn’t know that you could apply for things like this grant to get our small business the money it needed. Someone sent us the link to the contest from Instagram. I researched it on the BankUnited website to figure out what we needed. We met the requirements, so I convinced Tyre, and we happily applied. 

Tyre: At the time, we needed the money. Our business account was depleting because we were putting out more money than we were getting back. We were to the point where we were going to have to tap into our own personal accounts if we didn’t get a grant. For me, winning the money meant that I was able to breathe. When your business is struggling, you begin to second-guess yourself. You wonder if you’re really meant to do what you’re doing or work for yourself. Getting that money helped ease my mind and gave me a boost of confidence so that I could go out and market better. It was about getting out of my head and being able to listen, rather than being in a place, but not really listening because I’m focusing on business problems.

Angie: You’re often applying for these grants, and you never hear back. I remember we were  out marketing at a lawyer’s office when we received an email about the BankUnited grant. We stayed right there in the parking lot, reading through it. It was a make-or-break situation for us at the time. It took us from trying to figure out what to do next month, where to cut back to be able to pay everything, to get $5,000 that could keep us going. 

Angie: My business partner and best friend is a riot. That’s what drew people in. Plus, we practiced and practiced. We had our skit and knew how to draw people in, get them paying attention to what we were saying and doing. We recorded about 1,000 times and practiced in front of different people. It was about entertaining, but also proving what set us apart. Through practice and maintaining who we were, our personalities were able to stand out. I had the game plan. Tyre put it into action. 

Tyre: To piggyback off that, we had to step out of what we do to explain to those not in our field what we were trying to portray. We think everyone knows what PT and OT are because it’s our field, but not many people know exactly what that entails. Practicing our elevator speech and ensuring that we could communicate well with the judges and other participants, not only about what we do as a business, but also our level of excitement, thirst, and vulnerability, were all essential. 

Tyre: We bought a new treadmill! It’s a key piece of equipment we use, and ours had died. It was something so minute but so big to us. We’ve also changed our business model through all this while still staying within our vision and mission. The money enabled us to step back and reassess. We never want to be at a point again where winning a grant will make or break us, so we modified our business model to prevent getting to that place of desperation.

Angie: Since winning, our business has really grown. At that point, we were praying that we would get 40 visits a week. Now we’re at 50, 60, or even 70 visits a week. Our company has really blossomed. 

Angie: Be yourself. A lot of people just read from scripts, but it should come from your heart. It was our passion and compassion that got us to the win. There’s nothing I would rather do than this, and that showed when we were pitching.

Tyre: I would also say read the rules. Understand what’s being asked of you. Put forth an effort in applying, and practice. Practice your elevator pitch to family, friends, and people in the industry and not in your industry. And don’t take no for an answer. If you don’t get the grant, ask why you weren’t a finalist and apply again. Putting your best foot forward always helps you go to the next level. 

In honor of National Women’s Small Business month in October, BankUnited’s Small Business Big Dreams: Women in Business contest offers women business owners the opportunity to earn up to $15,000 to put towards furthering their business goals. Learn more about how and when to enter here.