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Community Corner
Glen Ellyn-based Line + Cleat was a finalist in SCORE's 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition.
Katalinas Communications, Community Contributor
Amanda Horan may have married into a nautical life, but accepting lackluster sun-safe clothing and life jackets was not a harbor where she chose to dock.
“I was not interested in caricatures or eyesore colors,” said Horan, a Glen Ellyn entrepreneur and owner of Line + Cleat. “I wanted more of a simplistic, curated, preppy style.”
When she couldn’t find a style that resonated with her family’s “leisure boater” personality, she created it, launching her collection in 2023. Horan quickly discovered that, similar to the old adage, if you make it, they will sell.
“It’s been with minimal marketing efforts, and it’s been very, very successful and very sought after,” she said.
Line + Cleat creates U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, which come in navy, green, and pink, as well as skiffs and sun-safe clothing. Items are available direct to the consumer with several boutique stores in Palm Beach, Fla., and Nantucket, Mass., carrying the items. Some larger chain retailers are also looking to get onboard.
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The business grew from a home décor company of the same name that Horan and her husband began in 2019. By 2021, Horan said she had a lightbulb moment which resulted in the business pivot. The couple initially contemplated changing the business name.
“A lifejacket is what keeps you safe,” Horan said. “A line and cleat are what keeps the boat safe at its dock.”
After completing an owner to CEO program, Horan heard about SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition and entered, ultimately becoming one of 45 finalists. SCORE is a national nonprofit that supports small businesses with free mentoring.
More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in the five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders. Leading up to the competition, participants were matched with a SCORE mentor to help refine their pitch, strengthen their presentation, and hone their business plan.
Horan teamed with Rajeev Jain, a mentor with the SCORE Fox Valley Chapter, who helped her see the “blind spots” of potential questions that she had not contemplated.
“He reviewed it and sent me back 30 ideas and questions and things to get my mind rolling on how to present this. When you’re doing it and you’re living it, you’re doing it in a vacuum,” Horan said of running a business. “I took every single piece of his advice and folded it into the new pitch.”
Jain, who has more than 45 years of experience managing both small and large companies, specializes in business planning and strategy. He gave Horan some points to contemplate in refining her pitch.
“What stops your neighbor from starting a similar business?” Jain asked.
In addition to Jain’s help, Horan appreciated being introduced to other business owners and hearing their pitches.
“The opportunity to talk about your business in that setting was the biggest takeaway,” she said. “That is a gift in and of itself.”
She also fielded questions from judges highlighting points for her next pitch competition.
For now, Horan is focused on building her business and growing her customer base while “staying true to that high-touch customer service.” Line + Cleat will be releasing limited-edition colors in addition to their current core hues to offer “different looks for different outdoor activities.”
“We are so grateful for the reception that we’ve received and so grateful to SCORE for the professional development that I received going through the pitch competition,” Horan said. “We have strong plans in place for 2025.”
To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit score.org.
About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit SCORE at score.org.
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