Small business ideas, tips, and advice in Shark Tank Meets Main Street

If you are a small business owner, or ever thought about starting a small business, U.S. Cellular is committed to supporting you! One of the ways that you can be successful as a small business owner is to continue to learn the tools of the trade to make your business grow. U.S. Cellular is offering that opportunity to all small business owners with their newest program, Shark Tank Meets Main Street.

Shark Tank Meets Main Street

U.S. Cellular® has partnered with ABC’s “Shark Tank” and created “Shark Tank Meets Main Street,” to support small businesses in the U.S.Cellular footprint and beyond.

• Last year, U.S. Cellular launched the “Spotlight on America’s Backbone” contest which invited small businesses in the company’s footprint to enter to win free advertising, cash and a year of wireless service to help grow their business. To further show their commitment to business owners, U.S. Cellular expanded on that this year and gave consumers more access to tools and support to help grow their business or make their entrepreneurial dreams come true by working with ABC’s “Shark Tank”.
• Casting Calls took place over the over the past few months, where U.S. Cellular provided access to the prime-time show via a casting tour exclusively in their footprint, giving small businesses the opportunity to pitch their business, product or idea for a chance to appear before the Sharks on Shark Tank, airing on national TV.
• Phase two, the sweepstakes, open for entry now. This sweepstakes provides customers in the U.S. Cellular footprint the opportunity to gain unprecedented access to the casting call process and hear tips and advice from other small business owners. One lucky winner will win an exclusive behind-the-scenes Shark Tank experience, which includes a VIP seat during the entire pitch process in LA, lunch with the casting team and opportunities to engage the Sharks throughout the day to ask any burning questions, including how he/she can further their business if the winner is a business owner.

Want great tips and advice now?

• Visit  Americasbackbone.com/sharktank to view custom content that will cover both a behind-the-scenes look at the Shark Tank casting process (what Casting Calls are like, what it takes to make a great pitch), what happens after you get funded, along with stories and advice from real entrepreneurs we met at our Casting Calls (about their businesses, the obstacles they’re facing, what they’re looking for from the Sharks, etc.).

Ready to enter the Shadow Shark Tank Sweepstakes?

U.S. Cellular and ABC are giving one lucky winner the change to look INSIDE the Tank! To sign up to be entered to win visit ShadowSharkTank.com. Ends on 10/31/14, winners will be selected between 11/1-11/4 and announced 11/17-11/21.

So tell us…

Do you have a small business, or have you ever thought about starting one? If you could ask any one thing, what question would you ask of the Shark Tank team?

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I am part of the U.S. Cellular Blogger Brigade and have been compensated for this post, all opinions are my own.