HSN /Good Housekeeping Mag Announce Finalists Of Annual Entrepreneur Search

NEW YORK and ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading entertainment and lifestyle retailer, HSN, and Good Housekeeping magazine have selected five finalists from hundreds of qualified submissions in their search to find America’s next great entrepreneur and game-changing consumer product. The finalists and their products will appear in the December issue of Good Housekeeping, on newsstands November 14 and live on HSN on Monday, December 4 from 6 to 7 p.m. EST. The selected product will be considered to receive the coveted Good Housekeeping Seal.

Building on HSN’s American Dreams initiative — a program designed to tap into the joy and excitement of discovering new entrepreneurs, while collaborating with strategic partners to find, educate and train inventors as they bring their products to market— HSN, which broadcasts to approximately 90 million homes and Good Housekeeping, which reaches an audience of more than 30 million, launched the second annual nationwide search to find a passionate entrepreneur with a new and unique product. In June, a day long judging event at HSN’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, FL brought dynamic entrepreneurs from all over the country before a powerful panel of judges for the chance to be selected as one of five finalists to appear on HSN.  Consumers can learn about the five finalists, watch them make their pitches and vote for their favorite to be considered for the HSN Customer Choice Award on HSN’s American Dreams page, beginning November 10^th through  December 31^st.  On December 4^th, consumers can shop the show when the finalists present their products live on HSN.

“Inspiring and cultivating entrepreneurs to reach their full potential is what HSN is all about,” said Bill Brand, President, HSN. “We are thrilled to partner with Good Housekeeping again to help these entrepreneurs realize their American Dream.”

“We are thrilled to team up with HSN once again on the exciting search for America’s next great entrepreneur,” said Jane Francisco, Editor in Chief, Good Housekeeping. “Our mission at Good Housekeeping is to provide readers with products that will improve their daily lives, and that’s exactly what these finalists have done—created clever, problem-solving inventions, from laundry savers to headache soothers, and more.”

The five finalists are:

• Myrf Bowry and Leah Dodge (Richmond, VA), who created Dip-A-Di-Do-Da, available in 10 colors, these bowls each have a hole in the bottom that lets you easily drop in a store-bought container like salsa or hummus to make entertaining more stylish and clean up a breeze.
• Olga Elder (Burlington, NC), who created Stoney Mountain Dryer Balls, 100% made in the USA dryer balls that reduce drying time, static and wrinkles through a healthy, non-toxic alternative while also providing a positive social impact through the cottage industry of women who make the product.
• Susan McCusker-Short and Kelsey Short (Boston, MA), who created DecZ Rain Boots, customizable rain boots with decorative inserts to go with any outfit.
• Angela Horevitz (Fort Lauderdale, FL), who created the Bakers Sto N Go, a U.S. made plastic container with adjustable shelves that lets you stash and carry different sizes of baked goods without crushing or smearing them.
• Sherrl Pulie (Easton, CT), who created the Headache Hat, an adjustable head wrap with individual frozen inserts to provide cooling therapy that’s easy to wear and mess-free.

Each of the finalists’ products were tested in the Good Housekeeping Institute to be considered for the Good Housekeeping Seal, which the selected product will earn for one year if selected. The Seal, introduced in 1909, is among the most recognized consumer icons in the world and is also backed by a limited warranty that provides a replacement or refund for up to $2,000 if a product proves defective within two years of purchase.

The panel of judges was comprised of members from  Good Housekeeping  and HSN, including: Good Housekeeping  Editor-in-Chief Jane Francisco; Rachel Rothman, Chief Technologist, Good Housekeeping Institute; Laurie Jennings, Director, Good Housekeeping Institute; Dara Trujillo, VP, Merchandise New Business Development, HSN; Heather Holdsworth, VP, Merchandise Planning, HSN; Adam Marland, Senior Buyer, Culinary, HSN; Brandi Mercado, Director of Fashion, HSN; Robert Anaya, Beauty Buyer, HSN; Chris Nicola, SVP Home, Org., Outdoor and Cleaning, HSN and Gordie Daniels, Talent, HSN.

HSN and Good Housekeeping will determine the recipient based on ingenuity, quality and public response of the product. The recipient will appear in Good Housekeeping’s April 2018 issue, along with the HSN Customer Choice Award Winner and both will be invited to sell their products back on-air at HSN following the issue release in the spring.

For more information about HSN and American Dreams please visit http://www.hsn.com/ and follow our social channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HSN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsn/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/hsn.

For more information about Good Housekeeping, please visit: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/ and follow our social channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GOODHOUSEKEEPING Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodhousekeeping and Twitter:  https://twitter.com/goodhousemag.