01/31/2011
Holyoke, MA – Tuesday night marked the completion of the 2010 Western Massachusetts Business Makeover competition put on by Gravity Switch, a Northampton-based web-development company specializing in the design and development of websites, mobile apps & iPhone apps, and the inventors of the iPad wall mount, the iBracket.
"The goal of the Western Mass Business Makeover is to serve as a fun and different way to help boost the local economy. Our prize sponsors are all local business who provide services that would be useful to any size business, including small businesses and small non-profits," said Jason Mark, co-founder of Gravity Switch.
The Western Massachusetts Business Makeover is a free-to-enter contest, open only to local businesses and non-profits based in western Mass, southern Vermont, and northern Connecticut.
In the fall of 2009, the idea of the contest was first brought to Jason Mark by Dave DelVecchio of Innovative Business Systems (IBS). Dave had learned of a similar contest done in Indiana. In spring of 2010, Gravity Switch decided to commit the time and resources to run the contest.
Gravity Switch gathered twelve local sponsors, including itself, IBS, The Steady Sales Group, TSM Design, Rock 102 / Lazer 99.3, WGBYTV-57, Business West, Media Shower Productions, Robert Charles Photography, H.L. Dempsey, Isenberg School of Management, and Dove Business Associates to donate multiple products and services to the winners of the competition. Prizes ranged from logo design, to professional photography, to radio advertising, and more. In total, over $50,000 worth of prizes were awarded Tuesday night.
The final results were announced Tuesday night in front of a crowd of over 60 people at The Delaney House. The event itself was a team effort: IBS organized the event, Log Cabin | Delaney generously donated the majority of the costs for the event, and Gravity Switch prepared and delivered the awards presentation.
Fourth place and two prizes worth a combined value of $1,300 went to Chicopee Visiting Nurse Association. NESEA, (the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association) was presented with third place and 2 prizes worth a combined value of $4,800. Second place was awarded to LB Manufacturing, winning 3 prizes worth a combined value of $7,750, and the grand prize went to Charter Oaks Cultural Center who won 6 prizes worth a combined value of $9,800. All 17 finalists were awarded prizes.
"We're thrilled that the Western Business Makeover Competition and awards event went so well," said Gravity Switch co-founder Christine Mark, who also served as the emcee for the event. "The night was filled with fun and anticipation. Sponsors were psyched. Finalists were psyched. There was great energy and connections. And Delaney did a superb job. They really set us up. It was an all around great night."
Gravity Switch has received so much support and positive feedback for the Western Business Makeover Competition that there are plans to move ahead with a 2011 contest engaging the support of local chambers, who have already expressed interest, to help run the contest.
Anyone interested in joining the contest next year can sign up for the Gravity Switch mailing list at www.gravityswitch.com or follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GravitySwitch to learn more.
For a complete list of all the winners and sponsors, visit
www.WesternMassBusinessMakeover.com.