Nazareth Agency Casts Talent for Reality Show

They gathered inside the lobby of the Heyman Talent agency in Nazareth Saturday -- 30 contestants hoping that their 10-minute pitches before judges will help them live the American Dream.

Billy Kounoupis, owner of Billy's Downtown Diner in Bethlehem, is the one who can make that dream come true.

A casting call was held Saturday for the new reality show "Start Me Up," in which Kounoupis has teamed up with Heyman Talent to select one person who will receive $20,000 for start-up costs and eight weeks of mentorship from Kounoupis to get their small business up and running.

"This isn't like 'Shark Tank' or 'The Apprentice.' Our focus is on small business. We will show someone how to handle everything from A to Z and will follow the progress of the business. This will take viewers on a journey," Kounoupis said.

Michael Owen, director of Heyman Talent, said two to three TV networks are interested in the show, which would be slated for the fall television season.

Owen said his agency received 662 applications for business ideas and narrowed them down to 120 contestants. The studio is interviewing those candidates over a three-week period, which concludes next weekend.

Erika Nicole Hoffmaster, a Hellertown resident and model, played the part of Ryan Seacrest Saturday, getting the back story of some of the contestants before they went in to make their pitch before Kounoupis and four judges.

"It's awesome to do a reality show," said Hoffmaster, who interviewed Kounoupis about his book, "Billy Cooks Like a Mother: A Guide to Starting Your Own Business by Someone Who's Been There and Done That." It was released by Star City Publishing of Bethlehem last fall. "This is so exciting."

Kounoupis came up with the reality show concept using his book as a template. Speaking before contestants, Kounoupis told them that "there's nothing more important than embracing your entrepreneurship. I hope one of you has the 'It' factor. I was where you were at 15 years ago. I never thought that I would be here."

Neither did Melissa Kearn Velazquez of Nazareth, who was pitching a line of clothing for children with special needs.

The mother of four, including one special needs child, said she hopes to create a clothing line that would be beneficial for parents who have trouble finding the right apparel for special needs children.

Renae Salasky of Bethlehem was pitching a bakery. When she started bringing in baked goods to work, everyone raved about them and wanted her to create special items just for them. So she decided a bakery would be ideal.

Taryn Gilbert of Easton and her sisters have hopes for a dinner theater in Bethlehem that wouldn't charge such hefty prices.

George Kavelidze of Bethlehem went before judges Daniel Dougherty, a lawyer from Whitehall; Keith Bachman, an accountant from Allentown; Nick Satkovich, a marketing consultant from Bethlehem; and Angela Lutzi, a licensed professional counselor from Nazareth.

He's seeking to start a smoothie business somewhere around Lehigh University.

The judges poked away at his business plan, asking if he knew about rent costs, whether he wanted to franchise his business and even what kind of logo it should have.

The series is being shot by filmmaker Ken Stachnik of Emmaus, who has done casting for NBC's "The Voice."

Owen said that after a winner is selected, more shooting will begin in mid April to follow the business during its first eight weeks.

"We are here to find a contestant and help make their dreams come true," Kounoupis said.