Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration for Deal Pal came from watching my mom drive from store to store looking for clearance deals and constantly texting friends to share what she found. She was already doing the work of a deal‑sharing community on her own, and I remember thinking there had to be a better way. Deal Pal was inspired by those moments — creating a simple way for people to help each other find clearance deals, save time and money, and feel connected in a difficult economy.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by hearing the stories of how Deal Pal is starting to help people save money and feel a little less financial stress in their daily lives. That motivation is especially personal when I see how much time it also saves my mom, who was my inspiration for the app. Knowing that Deal Pal can make a real difference in people's lives helps me push through the inevitable challenges of maintaining an app and keeps me moving forward.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest the $25,000 into expanding retailer partnerships and piloting Deal Pal in more communities. This would include outreach to local and national retailers, onboarding support, and targeted awareness campaigns to help stores move clearance inventory more efficiently while helping customers save time and money through real‑time clearance deal discovery.