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ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – An entrepreneur in Onslow County brought home a $30,000 prize and a first-place win for his business Rinse-A-Poo on Sept. 17.
Dan Spangler competed in the inaugural North Carolina Small Business Center Network Startup Showdown, competing against over 300 entrepreneur applicants across North Carolina.
Spangler’s created a self-cleaning pooper scooper to help kennels and pet daycare facilities address sanitation challenges. He was inspired by his own work in the commercial pet-care industry.
The Coastal Carolina Community College Small Business Center supported Spangler while he went through entrepreneurship training, counseling, and pitched his idea before a panel.
“Mr. Spangler’s achievement is something our entire College and community can be proud of,” said David Heatherly, President of Coastal Carolina Community College. “Entrepreneurship takes courage, perseverance, and a willingness to turn challenges into opportunities. Mr. Spangler demonstrated each of those qualities throughout this competition.
At the end of the program, voting was open to the public from Sept. 1 to Sept. 15. The award will help Spangler start his business.
“The Startup Showdown was worth every hour I put into it,” Spangler said following the competition. “The coaching sharpened my pitch, but the real value was the ‘room.’ Between the instructors and the other cohort members, I was asked questions that made my product better.”
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