the pitch: Brista Robinson

the entrepreneur Brista Robinson Senior, Washburn University

the consultants Christina Forman LeighAnn Defendorf

"I thought, 'why can't I have sweet and salty with every bite?' And that's when I decided to make my own."- Brista Robinson

brista2

How did you come up with the idea? For as long as I can remember I have dipped my French fries in my frosties from Wendy’s. I don’t remember the exact moment it struck me, but I thought, ‘Why can’t I have sweet and salty with every bite?” And that’s when I decided to make my own.

What was the most difficult part of designing your product?The most difficult part was designing a mold that would bake the cones to the perfect crispness while not burning them. I had gone through several different designs before coming up with the perfect mold.

Do you plan to patent, produce and sell your product? I do plan to get patents for the baking molds and eventually the baking process. The cone itself, I don’t believe, is patentable. I will be using the maker stations at 712 Innovation to produce a 3D model of the mold, which I will then print and cast in plaster. By using the maker stations, I can save hundreds of dollars by not having to go to a metal manufacturer. Since patents are expensive, I will be setting up GoFundMe and Kickstarter crowdfunding accounts in order to raise the rest of the money needed.

Who inspires you? My late grandfather is my inspiration. He loved eating potato chips with everything. He would put them in his sandwich and surround his bowl of ice-cream with them while using them as a spoon. He is the reason I dipped my first French fry in my frosty.

the pitch

Kristen KoglDurable and Environmentally Friendly Dental Floss Holder

Brista RobinsonPotato Chip Ice Cream Cone

Mark Feuerborn & Kaleb MarconettePersonalized Cigar Box Guitars

Photos by David Vincent