House of 423, The Tea Tree recipients of Batavia Chamber’s ‘Grow Your Business’ scholarships

The Batavia Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that the initial Grow Your Business Scholarships are being awarded to The Tea Tree, 29 N. River St. and House of 423, 10 E. Wilson St., Batavia.

According to a news release from the Chamber, the goal of the Batavia Chamber Grow Your Business Scholarship is to subsidize the costs for businesses to work with outside resources.

The selection is the culmination of a process that involved pre-screening all applicants by Harriet Parker, manager of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Waubonsee Community College. The initial pool of applicants was whittled down to five businesses who last month pitched a selection committee assembled by the Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center (FVEC).

“I assisted each candidate with preparing their pitch for the competition,” Parker stated in the release. “Everyone involved felt that the process of preparing a pitch helped them learn more about their business and get focused on their growth. It is always rewarding to see business owners dig into the details of their business and get excited about growth!”

The Tea Tree owner Missi Hartmann and Sara Whitt, owner of House of 423, a clothing boutique, were among the five business owners who presented their business plans to the committee and were ultimately chosen for the scholarships.

“The quality of applicants was wonderful, and I look forward to watch these two businesses blossom with the coaching and outside resources they receive as scholarship recipients,” stated Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

Whitt stated in the release that she is thrilled with the prospect of furthering her business through the scholarship.

“I am super excited that I have the opportunity to further my business education,” Whitt stated. “l already learned a lot when I worked with Harriet Parker to prepare my pitch; and the feedback after the presentation was great. So, I know that this entire process is beneficial to me and my business.”

Martmann stated she is equally happy to have been awarded this business scholarship.

“I feel so privileged and honored to be working with the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and the FVEC on future plans for The Tea Tree,” she stated. “The expertise offered by both groups will help plan the next steps to furthering our success. I want to thank everyone for choosing me to be a part of this process and I look forward to the advice and guidance over the next few months.”

According to the release, the scholarship program, which was announced in May, was opened for applications to Batavia Chamber of Commerce business members or those who agreed to become a member. The Batavia Chamber partnered with the Fox Valley Entrepreneurial Center (FVEC) and the ISBDC at Waubonsee Community College. The FVEC assisted in vetting the business’s needs, providing expert advice, and also contributed monies to the Grow Your Business Scholarship fund.

Andy Parker, the executive director for the FVEC, is enthusiastic about the Grow Your Business Scholarship’s initial awards and looks forward to the program continuing in the future.

“If this first round of participation is a true indicator of entrepreneurial interest in the Fox Valley, the Grow Your Business Scholarship program is not only a success, but definitely needed by area businesses,” Parker stated. “It will be exciting to see how the first two businesses utilize the resources given to them and the resulting outcomes.”