#2MinuteDrill Awards Impact
February 2, 2021
Four companies, two minutes, and one dynamic host: Have you checked out 2 Minute Drill hosted by JA University Chief Chancellor David Meltzer? 2 Minute Drill revolutionizes the way entrepreneurs pitch themselves and their businesses. With US$50,000 in cash and prizes on the line, the show focuses not on funding ventures, but on teaching entrepreneurs how to pitch their businesses, a skill that serves myriad purposes in the business world. Each episode features a special prize called the “JA Impact Award,” given to presenters whose ideas create a positive social impact in their communities.
David is on a mission to empower over a billion people, and that includes entrepreneurs. Giving back is important to David, as is JA, and he wanted to include charitable impact in 2 Minute Drill. Each week, in addition to honoring one entrepreneur with the JA Impact Award, JA Worldwide receives a US$1,000 donation in the winner’s name. Since its U.S. premiere on January 8 on Bloomberg TV and Amazon Prime, JA Worldwide’s Sarah Rapp, Senior Manager Alumni & Marketing Campaigns, has been hosting weekly Instagram Live interviews with David Meltzer and the JA Impact Award winners. If you weren’t able to catch them live, you can still watch! Check out the first three below. And, if you’re outside the US, 2 Minute Drill is expanding to international networks, so check your local listings and streaming services.
January 14: Sarah Rapp and David Meltzer
January 21: JA Impact Award winner Alex Weber, 100% Athlete
Alex Weber is an international speaker, award-winning performer, and American Ninja Warrior positively impacting over 3.5 million people worldwide to overcome obstacles, fears, and even failures to achieve their goals. Alex has also been awarded US Lacrosse Coach of the Year honors, holds a world record, and is a five-time TEDx speaker. Alex joined forces with Emily Perrin to create 100% ATHLETE, which focuses on mental and emotional fitness for young adults. Alex's greatest passion is supporting young adults, helping them realize their potential, overcome their fears, and accomplish their greatest goals.
The pitch: “100% ATHLETE provides mental and emotional fitness specifically designed for athletes to perform their best—on and off the field. Just like physical fitness, mental and emotional fitness is critical to success in competitive sports, and life, and yet is massively overlooked, contributing to many challenges for Young Adults in sports, and in life. Our goal is to support athletes so they can be in the driver’s seat of their mental and emotional games, and in doing that, be in the driver’s seat of their success. Emily and Alex provide a wealth of knowledge, insights, and practical tools to immediately improve an Athlete’s Mental and Emotional Fitness and make it a source of consistency, resilience, strength, and peak performance. At 100% ATHLETE, our goal and passion is to give athletes the resources, training, and support to become the best versions of themselves.”
Check out 100% ATHLETE and watch Alex on 2 Minute Pitch episode 1.
January 28: Nikki Speer, Redefined Courage
Nikki Speer is the co-founder of Redefined Courage, an author, an inspirational speaker, and host of the Courage Collective podcast. She adores her family, enjoys making home-cooked meals and reading faith-filled and encouraging books, is an aspiring minimalist, and loves taking walks while listening to podcasts.
The pitch: “Hey I’m Nikki Speer, the founder of Redefined Courage. I promised my mom that I would make her feel beautiful because breast cancer had ravaged her body three times, and I wanted to make a difference, so I put pen to paper made phone calls and sent emails and created a nonprofit in 2018 gifting women HOPE—a post-operative shirt to aid in comfort and healing with four pockets inside to conceal drain bulbs. See, you can make a difference with us, too. You can invest your time (volunteer), your talents (become a board member), and your resources (become a financial partner) with us. My sweet mama, Virginia lost her life 70 days after I made the promise, but you can help a woman undergoing breast surgery know you thought about her in a vulnerable time. This is a $60 investment for one HOPE shirt to be shipped. We have served over 500 women nationwide and are projected to help 500 more just this year. Let’s continue to create HOPE and healing across the world one post-op shirt at a time.”
Check out Redefined Courage and watch Nikki on 2 Minute Drill episode 3.
Pitch Your Business
Interested in pitching your business? David and his team are casting for season 2 of 2 Minute Drill! Find out how to apply at dmeltzer.com/pitch.