Mikáel Pyles claims that he and his company partners work on Quikliq 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s 25 hours a day, eight days a week focused on their one-of-a-kind smartphone app, which allows customers to buy wine, beer, and liquor from Black-owned brands and independently operated outlets.
And their efforts are bearing fruit, as the new company earned first place and a $15,000 business award at the BLACK ENTERPRISE 2023 Disruptor Summit pitch competition, which was sponsored by Hyatt.
“We are grateful to Hyatt for sponsoring the pitch competition because it promotes entrepreneurship, it fosters creativity, and it fosters hope,” said Quikliq president and co-founder Pyles.
“When companies like Hyatt sponsor pitch competitions and give money to these initiatives, it puts the opportunity for Black ownership, entrepreneurship, and innovation on such a higher platform.”
In recent years, the pitch competition at BE events for aspiring entrepreneurs has taken different forms, including video submissions leading to live competitions in front of judges for a money prize and mentoring sessions.
This is Hyatt’s first year as a contest sponsor, awarding business scholarships to three finalists chosen by BLACK ENTERPRISE staff from a pool of approximately 50 video entries. The three finalists delivered live pitches at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead in Atlanta on June 3rd, hosted by Nationwide.
“Black entrepreneurship is not only something we are passionate about at Hyatt – it’s something we are committed to supporting as part of Change Starts Here,” said Tyronne Stoudemire, senior vice president of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Hyatt Corporation.
“We are thrilled to be a part of BLACK ENTERPRISE ’s pitch competition which is very much aligned with our vision for a more just and equitable Hyatt community.”
The three finalists took the main stage of the royal Buckhead Ballroom, where they each had 90 seconds to orally pitch their firm to hundreds of eager attendees, many of whom are also entrepreneurs. The winners were revealed during the summit’s awards breakfast.
Dr. Erica Gamble, founder of The Wig Doctor, which provides non-medical, non-surgical hair augmentation options for men, women, and children suffering from hair loss, was the first runner-up. Gamble also provides scalp examination and treatments to assist clients in growing their hair back organically, as well as breast forms and personalized prosthesis before to and after a mastectomy. Hyatt provided a $10,000 business grant to the Wig Doctor.
Michael Fulton II, the founder of Bizinc, a social linking marketplace app that supports services and small enterprises, came in second place. To improve users’ social exposure and engagement, Bizinc blends social marketing, freelancing, and booking into a one platform. During his pitch, Fulton stated that the software is now in beta and that customers are earning monthly revenue through Bizinc. Fulton received $5,000.
During the summit, BE Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Alfred Edmond Jr. announced the competition and each finalist. Edmond, a business mentor and coach for over 25 years, will deliver many coaching sessions to each of the three finalists this year.
“Hyatt provided business grants for the pitching entrepreneurs, as they are investing in businesses that are going to be successful,” Edmond said. “I recommend to every entrepreneur: you should be pitching as much as possible, everywhere you can, because it’s not just about the money; it’s about the relationships.”
From HBCU Classmates to Business Co-Founders
Quikliq was founded by Pyles, Aaron Carter, and Navarr Grevious. The three met while attending HBCU Clark Atlanta University, where they identified a need for safe alcohol delivery services for social events. Their over-a-decade-old business concept required devotion and a lot of patience, as it took time for certain states to authorize alcohol delivery. Quikliq is now available in two states and has over 7,000 downloads. Grevious serves as CEO, and Carter serves as Chief Marketing Officer.
“We are the only platform of our kind dedicated to helping mom-and-pop liquor stores and minority-owned brands stay in business in today’s ever-evolving retail landscape,” Pyles said.
“We can use our platform to increase visibility and accessibility of Black-owned brands.”
The Quikliq team intends to utilize the Hyatt business grant to “further fuel innovation in our technology” in order to make the platform more user-friendly and to expand operations. Quikliq is now available in Atlanta, west Florida, and Miami, where the team is based. They intend to grow throughout the southeast this year and to move west by 2024.
“BLACK ENTERPRISE is lauded as the authority for Black excellence, entrepreneurship, and forward movement,” said Pyles, who grew up with copies of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine on his parents’ coffee table.
“To have the opportunity to pitch our business to such a huge platform is a watershed moment and life-changing experience.”