Aldo Orta's Successful Pitch to ABC's Shark Tank Started at ChicagoMSDC Coaches

June 27, 2011 - PRLog -- SUCCESSFUL PITCH TO ABC’S SHARK TANK INVESTORS CAME FROM
CHICAGOMSDC COACHES



Chicago, IL - ChicagoMSDC is best known for implementing the gold standard in MBE certification and the hosting of the premier trade fair of its’ kind, CBOF (Chicago Business Opportunity Fair).

However, ChicagoMSDC understands minority business development and lends professional advice to non-certified minority businesses as it did in the case of Chicago-based, jewelry designer, Aldo Orta.

Aldo had searched the web and visited the ChicagoMSDC website in September, 2010. He connected with Dave Thomas to say he needed advice on how to present his business for auditions for Shark Tank which airs on ABC on Fridays. Milana Walter arranged a meeting with Aldo to see how ChicagoMSDC could assist.

Present at the meeting with Aldo and his partner, David were Dave Thomas, Josh Gutstein, Tom Cassell and Milana Walter. A graduate of UCLA, Aldo had owned his exclusive jewelry business for over twelve years. His client list included Prince Albert of Monaco, Cindy Lauper, Grace Jones, Jay-Z and more.

He wanted to grow his business and share the glamour of his exclusive jewelry line in a mass-marketed one that would retail around $200.

He came to our table with a contract from a home shopping network that required his company guarantee a certain amount of inventory before they would televise his product.
But he needed cash flow. So he decided to audition for The Shark Tank.


When Aldo left the meeting, a few days later he received an email from Josh which included 4 strategic bullet points: a sample introduction; speaking points;
the essential cost-efficient, high quality samples of the new line and statistics which favored the growth of the jewelry business with current projections of $49.3 billion, the first growth since 2007.

Aldo’s ask was for $180,000 for 45% of his new line. Shark investors, Barbara Corcoran and Kevin Harrington agreed to invest together. As result, Aldo is busy producing his new line.

When Aldo called last week to thank us, he said, “You guys will be so proud of me. I used all your advice...”

Just another day at ChicagoMSDC.


About ChicagoMSDC (Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council:
ChicagoMSDC is a thought leader in minority business since 1968. Its mission is to be the premier organization for increasing value-added business opportunities between major buying organizations and minority-owned businesses. ChicagoMSDC is the founding Council of NMSDC, a network of 37 regional councils. For over four decades, serving both minority suppliers and corporate buyers, ChicagoMSDC has been Chicago’s central network where trading partners have been able to meet and develop sustainable business linkages. Today, the ChicagoMSDC partnership includes over 200 private and public sector buying organizations and more than 1000 minority-owned businesses.
Corporate members of ChicagoMSDC have reported over $3.5 billion in annual purchases from minority firms. MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) members have reported the employment of more than 20,000 workers annually.

For more information about CHICAGOMSDC and/or MBDA BUSINESS CENTER - CHICAGO, call 312-755-8880 or visit the web sites at: www.chicagomsdc.org and www.mbda.gov/businesscenter/chicago.