On the third week of entrepreneur presentations as part of the “Running With the Bulls” feature on Your American Story Radio, Raja, along with his panel of judges, welcome the final two entrepreneurs onto the show, as Albert Ciuksza of Portabeer and James Lomuscio of Hability prepare to make their best pitch, and take all of the probing questions our judges will throw at them. And, just like the prior two weeks, the action is in YOUR hands. Go to YourAmericanStory.com and vote for who YOU think has the better pitch. You have until next Sunday at 1 PM to do so, and if you need help, you can see their business plans, hear their pitches, and even WATCH the action on our YouTube Channel.

It’s a radio feature like never before, with hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake! Raja, along with Mike Matesic and his team at IdeaFoundry, a Pittsburgh-based business development and support organization, are giving six local entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their companies to a trio of real-world venture capitalists, Roger Byford, Mel Pirchesky, and Alicia McGinnis, who will serve as judges. All this month, “Your American Story” Radio features these back-and-forth dialogues, in which the judges ask the entrepreneurs penetrating questions about their business. But unlike ABC’s “Shark Tank” and other similar business-themed “reality” shows, the “Running With the Bulls” judges are not out to play “gotcha”, but are instead committed to ensure that the entrepreneurs think through every step of their business plan, in order for everyone to succeed, as the entrepreneur can operate a successful business, and the investors can get a healthy ROI. This is the real deal….REAL entrepreneurs pitching to REAL investors to create REAL jobs in our region. And not only can you listen to this unfold every week on our show, but you have the opportunity to make YOUR decision as to who gets funding.

Today, we talk with a new pair of entrepreneurs, Paul Sandberg of PHRQL & Colin Huwyler of Optimus Technologies, who pitch their companies to our judges, who fire back with penetrating questions of their own. Then, it’s in YOUR hands, as you can go to our website, YourAmericanStory.com, to review Paul and Colin’s companies and cast YOUR vote for the better pitch. Plus, you can watch our presenters in action at our YouTube channel.

THE BULLS ARE LOOSE!!!

After weeks of buildup and last Sunday’s preview show, it’s time for the first two contestants in our groundbreaking “Running With the Bulls” feature to show their stuff! On this Sunday’s edition of “Your American Story”, Raja moderates a pair of pitches from REAL entrepreneurs, in need of REAL funding, who talk to REAL venture capitalists (Roger Byford of the BlueTree Venture Fund, Mel Pirchesky of Eagle Ventures, and Alicia McGinnis of the Audrey’s Kitchen Venture Fund), who will serve as our judges. Plus, Raja lays out what listeners can expect, and explain some of the heady terminology that may get thrown around over the next few weeks. This ground-breaking radio series (a radio “Shark Tank”, if you will) can inspire ANYBODY in our listening audience to take the leap to converting that idea into a reality.

It begins!

For weeks, you’ve heard Raja talk about a feature that we’re very excited about here at “Your American Story”. “Running With the Bulls” is a first-of-its-kind radio feature that showcases aspiring entrepreneurs from around the region, as they pitch their company in front of real investors, in hopes of obtaining real capital necessary to take their companies to the next level. (And the best part? YOU have a hand in the proceedings.) Today, we feature a special preview show, giving you the opportunity to meet the man who helped us put this together, Mike Matesic of the Idea Foundry, one of the premier business support organizations in Western Pennsylvania. Mike and his team work with prospective entrepreneurs from around the region, many of whom come equipped with nothing more than an idea, and provide them the guidance, support, resources, and in some cases, access to the funding that is necessary to turn that idea into a real, sustainable business concept. -You will also get the chance to meet our judges, three seasoned business investment professionals who face investment opportunities on a daily basis, so they have come to know what they like (and what they don’t) when it comes to throwing financial support behind a company they think will be a winner. Raja will spend a few minutes with Roger Byford of the BlueTree Venture Fund, Mel Pirchesky of Eagle Ventures, and Alicia McGinnis of the Audrey’s Kitchen Venture Fund, as they discuss what they are looking for when it comes to investment in a potential company, as well as what they look for when it comes to investment in an entrepreneur. (Do they back the “Jockey” or the “Horse”?) Plus, Raja lays out what listeners can expect, and explain some of the heady terminology that may get thrown around over the next few weeks. This ground-breaking radio series (a radio “Shark Tank”, if you will) can inspire ANYBODY in our listening audience to take the leap to converting that idea into a reality.

Raja shares the remarkable story of Bobby Zappala, a Pittsburgh-based attorney who gave up a position with one of the highest-profile firms in the region in order to start ThrillMill, a rising star in the landscape of business incubators in Western Pennsylvania. Bobby discusses why he made the decision he did, and his vision for how ThrillMill can help startups by providing the resources they need in order to reach the elusive next level. Plus, Raja examines the Affordable Care Act, (dubbed “Obamacare” by its critics), specifically its impact on business, as he talks with Dave WIlke of Wilke and Associates CPA. Dave lays out what this means to employers and employees, and how both sides can get the best results from this government measure.