Local business receives National recognition
Giggles & Gab earns "American Small Business Champion" from SCORE and Sam’s Club

[May 04, 2016]  LINCOLN - Local business, Giggles & Gab, owned by Erin Alsup-Soloman of Lincoln, has been chosen as a winner of The American Small Business Championship hosted by SCORE, a national nonprofit dedicated to mentoring small business owners, and generously supported by Sam’s Club, a leading U.S. membership club serving small businesses since 1983.

The Championship awarded the title to 103 small businesses for their dedication to the success of their businesses. The American Small Business Champions will each receive a $1,000 Sam's Club gift card, an all-expense-paid trip to a regional training event, SCORE mentoring for one year and publicity throughout the year.

Giggles & Gab earned the title of American Small Business Champion by submitting an online application answering the question “What dream would you be able to achieve if you were to win this Championship?” Nominations which garnered at least 100 votes were then presented to a judging panel of small business experts that determined 103 winners including Giggles & Gab.

Giggles & Gab is a small, customized gift service that creates custom made gifts for any holiday or occasion to fit any budget!

“I entered this contest with the hope of realizing my dream of opening a shop in downtown Lincoln; where as a little girl I shopped with my mom, grandma and sister in all the unique stores that filled the square. I am so grateful to receive this recognition as a small business. Thank you to the wonderful community of family, friends and customers both locally and online for your support and for helping me succeed. This would not have been possible without you.” says Alsup-Soloman.

“We are honored to work with Sam’s Club for the second year in a row to recognize these Champions’ efforts,” said Ken Yancey, CEO of SCORE. “Our hope is that winning the American Small Business Championship will help them envision and achieve the next dream for their companies. These Champions embody the passion, determination and drive of America’s small business owners.”

“Each Champion represents the passion and dedication it takes to own and manage a small business. We saw stories from wide variety of businesses and each one was truly unique and inspiring – from bakery owners to photographers to financial advisors,” said Tracey Brown, Senior Vice President and Chief Member Officer for Sam’s Club. “Sam’s Club is committed to helping small business owners overcome obstacles by providing resources and helping them save money and time. We look forward to seeing all of the Champions take their business to the next level so they can grow and realize their dreams.”

Giggles & Gab is also eligible to win an additional $25,000 grand prize by being named Grand Champion. A judging panel of small business experts will select one Grand Champion from the group of Small Business Champions this summer. Selection is based on how effectively Champions utilize the Sam’s Club gift card and the SCORE regional training events to grow business revenue, as well as how effectively the winners promoted the Championship in the media and social media.

To learn more about The American Small Business Championship and to view the complete list of Champions, visit www.championship.score.org.

About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE’s 10,000+ volunteer business experts provide free and low-cost small business mentoring, workshops and education to 500,000+ clients in more than 300 chapters. In 2015, SCORE volunteers provided 2.2+ million hours to help create over 45,000 jobs and 55,000 small businesses.


For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800-634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Visit SCORE at www.score.org.  Connect with SCORE at www.facebook.com/SCOREMentors  and www.twitter.com/SCOREMentors.

About SAM'S CLUB

Sam's Club, the nation's eighth largest retailer and a leading U.S. membership club, offers savings and surprises to millions of members in 653 U.S. club locations and at SamsClub.com. The Sam's Club Giving Program, established by the Walmart Foundation in 2008, is dedicated to micro- and small business prosperity. Sam's Club and The Sam's Club Giving Program have invested more than $11 million in national and local programs dedicated to improved training, education and increased access to capital for small business owners. For more information on national or local giving by Sam's Club or The Sam's Club Giving Program, visit SamsClub.com/giving.

[SCORE release provided by Erin Alsup-Soloman]