Jill Johnson
Lynn Callaway, founder of Good Dirt, poses with eosera CEO Elyse Stoltz Dickerson after winning $20,000 for her small business.
An Austin-based health-conscious soda company walked away with the top prize in the eosera® Foundation Pitch Competition at the Kimbell Art Museum on Tuesday evening.
Good dirt® was awarded the Simmons Bank First-Place Award of $15,000, plus the iHeartMedia Peoples’ Choice Award of $5,000 in the competition for women-owned businesses.
Good dirt® was founded by Lynn Callaway, who was seeking a remedy to heal her gut in the aftermath of giving birth to her son.
“I couldn’t even hold my son sometimes due to the inflammation I was experiencing,” she said. “My husband and I have a background in urban agriculture. We’re folks who like to forage for mushrooms, and they’re amazing in terms of the impact and benefit on one’s body.”
Callaway said she was inspired by indigenous cultures around the world, which have been using mushrooms for thousands of years for their health benefits.
“We’re sharing it in a different way — it’s an approachable soda,” she said.
The eosera® Foundation partners with local organizations to provide thousands of dollars in funding for newly founded, women-owned businesses based in Texas. More than 120 founders entered this year.
Kimberly Ikpo
Three women-owned businesses won a total of $35,000 during the eosera® Foundation. They are, from left, Dr. Meena McCullough, founder of Body Spring; Addison LaBonte, founder of Sweet Addison’s; and Lynn Calloway, founder of good dirt.
Three finalists competed for the top prize in front of a panel of judges at the Kimbell Art Museum. Kellie Rasberry, co-host of the KHKS 106.1 Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, was the emcee.
This year, $35,000 in funding was awarded from Simmons Bank ($15,000), Higginbotham ($10,000), Satori Capital ($5,000), and iHeartImpact ($5,000).
“The pitch competition is my favorite day of the year. I won a pitch competition during the early days of our company, and my business partner, Joe Griffin and I vowed to pay it forward,” said Elyse Stoltz Dickerson, eosera® CEO. “This competition is our way of doing just that, and I couldn’t be more excited about the amazing businesses that presented this year. The energy in the room was so palpable — you could just really feel the excitement. I have no doubt each of these businesses will go on to be successful.”
Winning the Higginbotham Second-Place Award of $10,000 was Dr. Meena McCullough, founder of Body Spring, based in Euless.
McCullough developed PressEX, a revolutionary tool and program for mobilizing fascia for improved movement, flexibility, and chronic pain relief.
McCullough, who suffers from fibromyalgia, developed PressEX to relieve her own pain, as well as the pain of her physical therapy patients. The funding she won will help her company pay for marketing services, she said.
“My main message is that if you want to stay active as you age, it’s important to keep searching for answers to movement challenges that you have,” she said. “I found mine with PressEX, and I hope other people do too.”
Addison LaBonte, founder of Sweet Addison’s, a gluten free bakery, was awarded third place. Like the other finalists, LaBonte’s business was born because she needed to find a solution for her own health problems. A Division I soccer player in college and marathon runner, LaBonte began experiencing numbness in her legs while running.
“I was diagnosed with compartment syndrome,” she said, adding that she tried yoga, compression socks, and other alternatives, but nothing brought her relief. “It wasn’t until I became gluten free that I was able to run normally again.”
LaBonte has since developed numerous desserts made from wholesome ingredients, without gluten and dairy, that “taste like your favorite local bakery.”
Callaway said the total earnings of $20,000 will go toward market their products.
“We know how important funding is when you’re starting a small business, and we can’t wait to see what Lynn Callaway and good dirt® accomplish in the coming years,” said Lori Baldock, president of Simmons Bank. “It’s very important to us that we give back to small businesses, and we’re happy to support the eosera® Foundation in this endeavor.”
Applications open in July for next year’s competition. Any female-owned company that is three years old or under can apply.
