Daisies and beauty: Cleveland Chain Reaction deems three businesses Season 8 winners
Earlier today, Wednesday, Aug. 27, Greater Cleveland Partnership’s (GCP) Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) announced the winners of the eighth season of Cleveland Chain Reaction, a small business pitch competition. The winners and awards were announced live at Ariel LaSalle Theatre during “Kickin’ it with Kenny” on FOX 8 News in the Morning.
First place winners Daisy MakesDaisy Makes, a designer and manufacturer of 3D-printed cake pop tools for bakers around the world, is the first-place winner and received $40,000.
Even before earning the competition’s top prize, Daisy Makes founder Amy Mucha had intentions to buy new equipment, including a mixer and several freezers. Forty grand will go a long way to accelerating those plans, says Mucha.
“It’s a true honor to come out on top,” Mucha says. “The goal is wanting to make cake pop making easier and more accessible for everyone, whether you have a small business, or you’re a parent looking for a fun activity with your kids.”
Second place winners Be Browed EtceteraThe second-place winner that received $20,000 is Be Browed Etcetera, a leading permanent makeup (PMU) clinic and the home of The Ohio Institute of Permanent Makeup—the first and only state-accredited PMU school in Ohio.
Be Browed Etcetera founder Brensha “Shay” Searcy says she will use her winnings to fund national accreditation, enabling her to give financial aid to students interested in a permanent makeup career.
“I feel really great and am very happy that the judges saw my vision,” says Searcy. “National accreditation will be huge for us and open the doors for students from all over to take these programs.”
The third-place winner that received $10,000 is The Golden Room Salon, which is a full-service beauty salon and one-stop destination for senior women seeking expert care and convenience.
Thirrd place winners The Golden RoomThe winners also received complimentary advertising space from Mimi Magazine, Cleveland Chain Reaction’s 2025 print publication partner, and from Freshwater Cleveland, the competition’s 2025 digital publication partner.
The 18 remaining semifinalists received $2,000 grants funded by competition partners Medical Mutual, COSE Benefit Plan, Minutemen Workforce Solutions and MAGNET, as well as discounted advertising from Mimi Magazine and Freshwater Cleveland. All participants received COSE memberships and will continue to be supported by the organization.
“We were thrilled to have such a diverse group of businesses representing so many industry segments as a part of this year’s competition—it is a true testament to the growth and strength of our small business community,” COSE executive director and GCP senior vice president of membership development and marketing Megan E. Kim said in a statement. “These owners are passionate, confident and innovative. They will be significant contributors to job growth and the overall economy in Greater Cleveland.”
The 21 semifinalists participated in a four-week bootcamp hosted by JumpStart, where business experts advised them on how to pitch their business, create a business plan, place value on their business and appropriately invest capital to take their business to the next level.
On Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21, the entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win the capital investment.
"JumpStart is proud to work with COSE to support these talented entrepreneurs," said JumpStart Interim CEO Lorne Novick in a statement. "It's been an honor to witness both their passion and progress throughout the program, and we can't wait to see what the future has in store for them."
Season Eight semifinalists (in alphabetical order):
Daisy Makes
Max & Alayna's Paws Play, Ltd.
Reasons To Care Healthcare Services, LLC
Cleveland Chain Reaction connects entrepreneurs to capital and mentors and helps businesses grow and expand in Greater Cleveland to create jobs and prosperity. Since its inception in 2017 (the competition was put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic), Cleveland Chain Reaction has received more than 732 applications, coached and prepared 167 small business semifinalists, connected winning businesses to more than $1.8 million in capital, and provided more than 740 hours of technical assistance.
Cleveland Chain Reaction is produced by COSE in collaboration with FOX 8 News in the Morning’s “Kickin’ it with Kenny.” This season of Cleveland Chain Reaction is sponsored by Medical Mutual, COSE Benefit Plan, Minutemen Workforce Solutions, and MAGNET. Mimi Magazine is the competition's print publication partner, and Freshwater Cleveland is the digital publication partner.
