Makers of VinniBagTM Win $250,000 Mission: Small Business Grant Sponsored by Chase and LivingSocial

VENTURA, Calif., Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "We won! Oh my gosh we won!"  It was all mother daughter team, Elizabeth and Summer Scarbrough could say when they heard they had won the $250,000 grant from Chase and LivingSocial.

Elizabeth and Summer Scarbrough founded Ellessco LLC in 2009 with their first product, VinniBag^TM – an inflatable, durable travel accessory for liquids and breakables.  With a drive to produce innovative American made products, a shoe string budget, and a commitment to be eco and socially conscious, Elizabeth and Summer successfully grew their business and now distribute in 14 countries.  However, keeping production in the United States and expanding their product line proved more costly than anticipated, so when they heard of the opportunity to win a capital grant from the Chase and LivingSocial Mission: Small Business program they decided to take another chance.  Along with 70,000 other applicants they begged, pleaded, and annoyed friends, family and strangers to cast their vote at the Mission: Small Business website to reach the needed votes to qualify for the evaluation process.

On May 7, 2012, Chase Bank USA and LivingSocial Inc announced their combined efforts to launch the Mission Small Business program that was designed to help provide small businesses nationwide with the capital and resources necessary to expand.  A $3 million grant pool was made available for up to 12 qualified candidates, with the final recipients to be handpicked by a panel of notable business executives.  Participating companies were required to obtain Facebook votes to finalize their grant application.  With a 250 vote qualifier per applicant, it didn't take long for Mission: Small Business to become a viral sensation, as over 70,000 businesses took to social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter to rally votes during the voting period that ended June 30, 2012.

"Throughout the voting period, I began to see multiple requests for votes from other small business friends and acquaintances who were also entering the grant contest," said Summer Scarbrough, co-founder and Managing Director of Ellessco. "I just tried to remain positive and believe in the strength of our company's story and success to date. I remember my mom saying, 'Well, somebody has to win'. I still can't believe we are one of those somebody's!"

So what makes Ellessco unique? They're certified women-owned, entirely self-funded to date, and committed to social, economic and ecological responsibility. The company also employs USA resources for design, manufacturing, packaging and shipping to help keep their neighbors working. They operate day-to-day business with eco-friendly practices, including maintaining a recycle program that converts plastic into garden hoses to help keep the planet green. They support charitable efforts and volunteer locally. And last, but not least, they live by the simple rule of "Be Nice and Have Fun". 

"Winning the grant still seems surreal…but we can't wait to launch our growth plans and reinvest in our community," said Elizabeth Scarbrough, Co-Founder and President of Ellessco. "We are so grateful to Chase and LivingSocial for believing in America's small businesses, and to our customers, friends and family for supporting us. We hope to make them proud." 

About Ellessco

Ellessco was founded in 2009 by a mother-daughter team. As experienced travelers passionate about wine and local specialties, they saw a need for a better way to transport liquids and fragile items. Two years of intensive product development and testing resulted in a unique concept for inflatable travel accessories and the creation of Ellessco.

Committed to social, economic and ecologic responsibility, Ellessco employs U.S. resources to help keep their neighbors working and maintains a recycle program that converts plastics into garden hoses to help keep the planet green.  For more information, please visit www.Ellessco.com.

Contact: Kristyn Moll, Avalon Communications
Phone: 512.502.1732
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ellessco