By Staff Writer – Boonsri Dickinson (@boonspoon)

It was refreshing to be on the 3rd floor of Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant with a room full of motivated and happy entrepreneurs. At the Startup One Stop happy hour, most of the small business owners were eager to deliver their elevator pitch.

Ironically, the best place to film was in the elevator. How appropriate.

Lower Manhattan’s co-working space, Hive at 55, sponsored this event. I spoke with a Wall Street-guy-turned-small business owner of the company called YouLayAway. Another woman is playing matchmaker. She’s helping people with ideas hook up with companies that need their ideas. A young Russian lady is creating an online tool and support system to help people achieve their dreams.

I don’t mean to be vague about who these people are, but I want to keep some air of mystery. The exact details are in their elevator pitch video interview.

Mind you, the elevator was a bit dodgy and the sensors only worked some of the time. Only one person actually got caught in the door of the elevator. Opps.

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