Restaurant CollectiveAllison Bugg entered the Top Tank contest as a way to seize upon an opportunity to be a part of something in downtown Topeka that would also benefit other aspiring entrepreneurs.

WHO
Allison Bugg

THE PITCH
The Restaurant Collective would bring dining and drinks
to the downtown area at the same time as it encouraged
entrepreneurship and gave area restaurant owners the
opportunity to test the market before opening a store.

Allison Bugg is acquainted with many people who love to cook and want to start their own restaurants, but the process and the cost has always prevented them from doing so. She entered the Top Tank contest as a way to seize upon an opportunity to be a part of something in downtown Topeka that would also benefit other aspiring entrepreneurs.

Through the Top Tank application process, Allison said she learned more than she could have ever imagined, from how to research business models, compare markets, identify the ideal customer, to writing a business plan, and more.

“It was a massive undertaking that taught me so much,” Allison said. “But it wasn’t just the information—I also learned a lot about myself.”

“It gave me permission to imagine a different
life for myself and my family.”

Allison says the Restaurant Collective concept is simmering for now. She is continuing to brainstorm ways to bring this idea to fruition in a more affordable and efficient manner.