SCALING SUCCESS, ONE SCREEN AT A TIME
to the West Virginia Capital Access Program( WVCAP)— managed by the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust( WVJIT)— and WVCAP program partner Michele O’ Connor, director of INNOVA Commercialization Group. WVCAP matched their $ 100,000 investment.
McLain explains that working with WVCAP was invaluable in navigating the funding process while trying to run a business.
“ Michele made what could have been a complex, overwhelming process feel completely manageable, guiding us through every phase and making sure we had what we needed every step of the way,” he says.“ Without that introduction and her support, we may never have known this opportunity existed”
Whether it be daily specials, new menu items or current deals, restaurants almost always have a promotion they need to communicate with their guests. In the past, this was made more difficult due to information having to be printed on paper and constantly changed to reflect new information. This issue sparked the creation of PluginOS, a product that takes advantage of the digital age to make bar and restaurant promotion easier than ever.
PluginOS, managed by Plug-In Promotions, Inc., offers two devices that can run multiple promotions at once and be easily updated at any time. The first is the Digital Table Tent, a display sitting on the tabletop where guests are already focusing their attention. The second, the PluginOS TV Stick, can turn any TV in the establishment into a similar digital display.
PluginOS products eliminate the need for paper table tents, replacing tabletop clutter and reducing waste from printing and re-printing. This makes the guest experience cleaner and reduces costs for the venue.
“ Together, these devices give restaurants and bars a complete solution for communicating their promotions throughout their entire space, from the tabletop to the wall,” says Seth McLain, co-founder of Plug-In Promotions.
Once the idea was conceptualized and a product was made, Plug-In Promotions needed capital. The founders— Seth McLain, Connor Briggs and Sumesh Ramasamy— first sought funding from the Vantage Ventures Accelerator Program, through which they received a $ 100,000 SAFE investment. However, Vantage Ventures then introduced them
With the investment from WVCAP, Plug-In Promotions was able to complete essential steps to running its new business such as acquiring inventory, making critical hires and having the time to find the product market fit. With the help of WVCAP, the company has now grown from 90 units deployed to more than 550 and increased from 36 venues to 120. Cofounders are also now supported by sales representatives who help drive growth even more.
“ INNOVA Commercialization was hands-on from day one,” McLain says.“ They helped us navigate the entire process, made sure the right people were in our corner and never stepped back once we got going. Michele in particular has been a standout resource, continuing to serve on our board and providing critical
moconnor @ wvhtf. org | wvhtf. org / innova-commercialization-group( 304) 333-6828 | 1000 Galliher Drive, Fairmont, WV 26554
seth @ pluginpromotions. com |( 304) 412-7415 | pluginpromotions. com