Angela and Brady Rogers are the co-founders of The Rogerie in Kelowna, BC. The Rogerie reduces our environmental impact by creating everyday products from everyday waste.

After a challenging climb, six companies, including The Rogerie, are now moving onward and upward to the 2022 OKGN Angel Summit Finale on March 16th. We connected with each of the finalists to learn what they would do with the investment, why they think they are the right choice for the investors and hear their insights on the Summit program.

What problem were you trying to solve when you started The Rogerie?

Plastic pollution. The problem is simple: it’s cheaper to make new plastic products than it is to recycle old ones. It’s a problem we’ve known about for decades and it can be fixed, we just have to get some perspective and stop pinching pennies for a moment. We need to redesign manufacturing itself so that recycled plastic actually makes sense, and modern technology allows us to do that.

What makes you and your team the best ones to solve this problem?

You need engineers that can design systems that work reliably on a viable budget. You need some innovative marketing talent that can reach mainstream consumers who may not even understand the problem. On top of that, it’s a competitive industry and all of this needs to happen without compromising your strength as a company. You need people with vision and a depth of knowledge to give it legs, and that’s who we are.

Why should the investors be interested in The Rogerie?

Pick a reason. Our concept is operating in the wild, we’re profitable, and we’re ready to grow. If you’re a pragmatist looking for a strong investment, stop by our store. If you’re looking for something with a cause, something that can impact the world in some way, we do that too. We have a new way to manufacture plastic that’s actually sustainable.

What do you feel has contributed most to you reaching the Top 6?

When we participated in the 2021 Summit and lost in the quarter finals, our biggest mistake was not truly understanding what we were offering or what we wanted. We had a good idea and tried to give it a good face but that wasn’t enough. Since then, we’ve become much more aware of what we can give investors and what we want from them. That changes your posture from trying to convince someone to give you money into having a conversation about the mutual benefit.

What are key learnings that you’ve taken away from the experience?

Investment isn’t a gift, it’s an exchange. To many people, the core concept of getting investment may seem obvious; you try to get money from wealthy people. But that’s not entirely accurate. For a start-up, money is a tool for growth. Of course, investors offer money but most of them want more than a simple guaranteed return. Each person has their own aspirations and goals, their own personalities and their own competencies.

What advice would you give to the participants of next year’s Summit?

Putting together a great pitch is a huge amount of work, but you shouldn’t have to force it. The foundation of a pitch should be a proposition that has real value to investors. If your business truly has something to offer, 90% of the work is done and you just need to explain it concisely.

If you are just learning about our OKGN Angel Summit, it is a 10-week program where accredited investors and startup founders are introduced to the world of angel investing through a guided, hands-on process with multiple pitch events and training activities. This process provides participating companies with a chance to learn how businesses are vetted, complete due diligence, and make improvements to their pitch. At the end of the program, during a live public pitch event on March 16th, the investors will decide which company receives the $150K investment from the fund.

SEE THE FULL SUMMIT SCHEDULE

Who will take home the big investment? Find out at the 2022 OKGN Angel Summit Finale on March 16! You can register for the Finale now on Eventbrite. Tickets are free for students and members of Accelerate Okanagan.