Qurate Retail Group launches pitch competition for beauty entrepreneurs

The retail group will begin accepting entries next month; and winning brands will be on air with QVC or HSN late this year and over the course of 2020 as well.  

Qurate has always helped consumers discover new and interesting products. Recently though, conventional retailers have been catching up; bringing more discoverable brands in-store, adding indie beauty, wellness, clean beauty, and CBD sections. With The Big Find, Qurate seems to be again staying ahead of the curve, and championing founder-led brands in a new way.

Most pitch competitions end in an accelerator program or funding opportunity; Qurate’s new initiative will give brands a presence on a well-established retail platform and the opportunity to reach hundreds of millions of consumers. “The Big Find is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for entrepreneurs to share their stories with an audience of millions across our QVC and HSN platforms,”​ affirms Mary Campbell, chief merchandising officer at the Qurate Retail Group and chief commerce officer at QVC US, in a media release announcing the pitch competition.

What’s happening ​

“We’re looking for entrepreneurs who are passionate about their products, have great stories to tell, and are engaging storytellers,” ​says Campbell, adding that, “This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to bring our customers more discoveries while increasing our product differentiation.”​

Products and video entries will be accepted June 13 through July 12. Finalists will be selected by a panel of the company’s merchandising experts. And, live pitch competitions will be held in August in four cities around the US: West Chester, Pennsylvania; St. Petersburg, Florida; New York, New York; and Seattle, Washington.

Qurate has a history of helping launch founder-led brands: “QVC and HSN have launched and fostered the growth of some of the most successful entrepreneurial brands like IT Cosmetics, philosophy, bareMinerals, Spanx and Diane Gilman,” ​according to the media release. And The Big Find is likely to add to that roster.
Learn more here​.

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.