And then there were 14.
Earlier this year, Lowe’s announced it would be hosting a second round of Making It… With Lowe’s and now, the company has narrowed down thousands of products to the top suppliers.
Making It… With Lowe’s is a product-pitching competition that provides small, diverse entrepreneurs around the country the opportunity to boost their business by being sold on Lowes.com or in Lowe’s stores nationwide.
New this year, you can help decide who will make it to the final by voting for your favorite product! The winning entrepreneur could receive a guaranteed $5,000 business grant and join up to 5 other entrepreneurs selected by Lowe’s to pitch their products to Lowe’s executives in the final hosted by “The People’s Shark” Daymond John for the chance to become the Making It… With Lowe’s Top Supplier.
Here’s a preview of the Top 14 entrepreneurs and their products:
Frank Lauyans: AnchorHog, Inc
Frank Lauyans created AnchorHog in December of 2018. The product was born out of a personal need he had to secure items like grills, bikes, generators and saws as he traveled between his two homes in Kentucky and Florida. Lauyans says the AnchorHog is small, low cost, compact, and easily installed, and can also mount to wood or concrete surfaces.
Scott McIntosh: Cell Phone Seat
Scott McIntosh worked for three years to perfect the design of his product, Cell Phone Seat, which is designed to hold a cell phone without blocking a cupholder, dashboard or air vents. Frustrated by always tossing his phone in his cupholder where it was hard to see GPS directions, McIntosh invented Cell Phone Seat. He says its unique angle holds the phone securely without any needs for latches or clips, and makes it easy to drive hands-free.
Jennifer Deans: Erase-A-Hole Wall Repair Putty
Jennifer Deans’ father created Erase-A-Hole 20 years ago, but only recently did Deans purchase the trademark, start her company and work to expand production. With her father as her inspiration, she’s manufacturing the product herself and looking to grow. Deans says Erase-A-Hole simplifies the wall repair process for homeowners or renters because it only requires three easy steps: Apply, Wipe and Paint.
Kavita Shukla: FRESHPAPER
Kavita Shukla’s idea for FRESHPAPER began as her middle school science project, and was inspired by one of her grandma’s recipes. To help combat the issue of food waste in America, Shukla created FRESHPAPER – a plant-powered food saver that keeps food fresh up to four times longer, organically. The product is plastic-free, recyclable and compostable.
Joe Ganahl: Hot Bento
Joe Ganahl invented Hot Bento and says the product is an entirely new product category: a self-heating lunchbox. The portable lunchbox uses batteries to heat meals in 10 minutes and is airplane safe. The Hot Bento is designed to go where you go, making it easier to have healthy, hot, fast and convenient meals.
Barbara Kent: Learning Blankets & Tapestries
As a disabled Army veteran, Barbara Kent picked up sewing after she left the military. She teamed up with her sister to create Learning Blankets and began selling them. The blankets are packed with tons of facts and various topics, making them an educational tool for kids and educators. Kent and her sister are excited to expand their product line and create more items that encourage kids to learn and explore.
Kim Craig: Musashi Weeder
Wife, mother and gardener Kim Craig created the Musashi Weeder when she realized gardening was becoming too much of a chore. The Musashi Weeder vibrates and pulls weeds up with the root intact so they can’t grow back. The product is cordless, lightweight and overall, reduces the strain and stress of pulling weeds. Because there are no chemicals or herbicides involved, Craig says her product also means no more worrying about chemicals around your kids and pets.
Dean C. Rodgers: Quick-Snap Sprinkler
While in the Air Force, Dean Rodgers found himself looking for a way to water his yard without a buried system or having to drag above-ground sprinklers around his property. Out of this dilemma, his product – Quick-Snap Sprinkler – was born. With the product, you can plant it, set a timer and forget about it. Rodgers says his product is cheaper than a buried pipe system and you can also take it with you when you move.
Thomas K. Barnhill: QuikSizer
Thomas Barnhill’s first version of his product was created for jewelers, to help size clients’ fingers. When he realized there was a larger market for a similar tool, he invented the QuikSizer, which can size nuts, bolts, pipe and tubing. The product features both Standard and Metric scales and has been verified to a certified machinist pin for accuracy.
Tomeka Hayes: Mecca Candle Co.
Tomeka Hayes launched Mecca Candle Co. in 2018 with a focus on wellness and creating natural and eco-friendly products. With scents inspired by their childhood, places they have been and connections they’ve made, Hayes says all their candles are infused with all-natural botanicals. Mecca Candle Co. products are vegan, cruelty-free and paraben-free.
John Farnsworth: Cut & Guard Gang Box Lid
John Farnsworth is an avid DIYer but was frustrated by locating and cutting around electrical boxes. That’s why he designed the Cut & Guard Gang Box lid, which allows you to find electrical boxes with a magnet while also keeping wires and cables clean and protected. Farnsworth says this product will help DIYs and contractors make more precise drywall cuts when working around electrical boxes.
Xiaoming (Tim) Zhang: Starkline Electric Netting
Xiaoming Zhang created Starkline Electric Netting for farmers, homesteaders, gardeners and more to help give them a reliable system for protecting their backyard investments from pests and predators. Zhang’s product is a pre-assembled electric fence that takes only 15 minutes to install. Whether you’re protecting animals or a garden, Zhang says Starkline will help keep it thriving.
Dave Chambers & Steven Boyd: The Perfect P-Trap
Dave Chambers and Steve Boyd want consumers to never again worry about dropping some valuable down the drain. That’s why they invented the Perfect P-Trap, a tool designed to let you access you under-sink plumbing without having to disassemble the unit or call a plumber. With the simple turn of a screw, you release a trap door allowing anything in the catcher to be retrieved.
Denise Sung: Watex Mobile Green Wall
Inspired by her late uncle and his vegetable garden in Northern Taiwan, Denise Sung wants to make gardening more accessible to those living in urban areas. The Watex Mobile Green Wall is a moveable, vertical garden with a drip irrigation system. The DIY kit comes with 18 interchangeable pots for growing multiple varieties and pre-assembled drip irrigation that’s ready to be connected to a garden hose. Sung believes her product makes gardening easier and accessible for everyone.
With the top 14 selected, Lowe’s will continue to evaluate and narrow down the entrepreneur pool even more. In late October, the company will announce the Top 5 finalists and the Fan Favorite.
