StartupNation Radio

Bloomscape and 2021 Midwest Venture Showcase: Successful Startups are Blooming in Our Region

Episode Summary

Welcome back to another brand new episode of StartupNation Radio! Today, Jeff is joined by frequent co-host, Norm Pappas, president and CEO of Pappas Financial. First up, the two welcome Justin Mast, founder and CEO of Bloomscape, to StartupNation Radio. Later in the show, Jeff chats with Phyllis Ellison about an upcoming event that will surely interest startups, entrepreneurs and investors in the Southeast Michigan region.

Episode Notes

Welcome back to another brand new episode of StartupNation Radio! Today, Jeff is joined by frequent co-host, Norm Pappas, president and CEO of Pappas Financial. First up, the two welcome Justin Mast, founder and CEO of Bloomscape, to StartupNation Radio. Later in the show, Jeff chats with Phyllis Ellison about an upcoming event that will surely interest startups, entrepreneurs and investors in the Southeast Michigan region.

Bloomscape, which is the modern online garden center delivering the largest variety of quality houseplants directly from the greenhouse, was founded in 2017. The Detroit-based company is the only plant company that ships plants directly from the greenhouse to the consumer’s front door. Last fall, Bloomscape announced that it raised $15 million in series B funding.

During the interview, Mast discusses:

• How he carved out a niche for his business
• Why Bloomscape's authentic brand story connects with its millennial customer base
• His vision to reinvent the garden center and create a premium retail brand
• Steps he took to prepare for launching Bloomscape
• How Bloomscape positions itself against its biggest competitors
• How he plans to continue scaling his business over the next few years

For more information, visit Bloomscape's official website.

Next up, Jeff interviews Phyllis Ellison, Executive Director of InvestMidwest Forum and Vice President of Partnerships and Program Development of Cortex Innovation Community.

The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium and InvestMidwest are once again partnering to present the 2021 Midwest Venture Showcase through a virtual event on April 27 to 28, 2021.

During the discussion, Ellison talks about:

• The partnership between Midwest Growth Capital Symposium and InvestMidwest
• How the event helps promote startup companies based in the Midwest
• The different types of companies pitching during the event
• How the event fosters relationships between startups and investors
• Past startup success stories

To learn more about the Midwest Venture Showcase, visit the official website.