Soda Drop came out with a novel approach to pitching their business plan and walked away a winner at the 2025 Mandan Business Pitch Challenge on October 15. The Soda Drop duo of Kimberly and Darren Hertz walked away with a second-place finish in the overall competition. They also won the highly coveted People’s Choice award. The People’s Choice award was given to the team with the best pitch as voted on by the in-person audience.
True to their brand identity during the competition, and putting it on display before the audience, they pitched their business idea, Soda Drop, in a mock newscast format. One presenter provided in-depth analysis while the other mainly dished out well-timed anecdotes and puns.
Soda Drop mock newscast
If you’re curious what exactly the mock newscast/presentation looked like, here’s a sneak peek from their opening segment. For clarity, Darren’s lines are denoted with a “D.” Kimberly’s lines are denoted with a “K.”
(D) “Hello and welcome to Soda Drop News. Where we drop the news…”
(K) “Filled with our insight and views.”
(D) “I’m your co-host, Darren Hertz.”
(K) “And I’m also your co-host Kimberly Hertz.”
(D) “Thank you for joining us today!” (Darren adjusts large stack of papers.)
(K) “I must ask, what’s with all the papers, Darren? That’s way more than I have.”
(D) “Oh these?! Most of these papers are just for show. See blank… But the rest are here to tell our viewing audience what Soda Drop has to offer this ‘excellently’ attentive community gathered before us tonight.”
(D) “So, let’s get right into it with the question everyone is asking, at least everyone here tonight: What is Soda Drop?”
(K) “Soda Drop is a fast-casual beverage company specializing in customizable sodas, often called ‘dirty sodas’ because of their use of creams, syrups, purees and other mix-ins.”
(D) “Well, that statement certainly makes a statement! I know I’m excited about it. But other than me, why would someone in this region buy a custom soda from Soda Drop? Hasn’t soda already achieved the pinnacle of its innovative existence with the creation of the can?”
(K) “Not to give a CANNED answer, but Soda Drop’s dirty sodas customize the soda experience well beyond anything that can be provided in a can…”
The presentation style was unconventional for sure but was highly enjoyable. It was certainly a rewarding experience well beyond any awards or prizes won during the competition. To quote the presentation team directly, “The Business Pitch Challenge was a memorable experience. One where we’d highly encourage others to participate to both gain expert insight into their business plan and garner public exposure. Especially for a new business looking to establish and build a loyal following in their community.”
Acknowledgements
The Soda Drop team couldn’t have accomplished what they did without the help provided by several community organizations. A big THANK YOU to the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC, the City of Mandan Business Development & Communications Department, and Tyler DeMars from the North Dakota Small Business Development Center. They are part of the network of valuable resources in our community. Resources who provide expert guidance and technical assistance to burgeoning small businesses.
Finally, we’d like to commend our fellow competitors who joined Soda Drop in sharing their business dreams during the Business Pitch Challenge. Whether or not you won the competition, like the much-deserved group of individuals at Pronto Chore did, remember you gave it your all. When you reflect back on your life, you do so knowing that on October 15, 2025, you took your opportunity to reach for the stars.