Two Richmond inventors are finalists in the Home Shopping Network’s American Dreams Contest. Myrf Bowry and Leah Dodge, the duo behind the interior design firm Decorum, created Dipadidoda, a decorative container for store bought dips that caught the attention of contest organizers. In conjunction with Good House Keeping magazine, the winner of the American Dreams Contest will receive the coveted Good Housekeeping Seal along with a feature in the publication.

Bowry and Dodge submitted their product to Good Housekeeping in May and advanced to the semi-finals at the HSN studio in June. Bowry and Doge then pitched their product to a panel of judges, competing against 32 semi-finalists. The local business owners are now in the final round featuring five contestants competing for the HSN and Good Housekeeping honor.

Dodge and Bowry created Dipadidoda as a way to entertain in style. Available in ten colors and four patterns, their product makes it easier to go from store shelf to table to refrigerator, encouraging less waste and more quality time. As a finalists, their product will be featured in Good Housekeeping magazine. In addition, readers can vote for a Customer Choice Award on the HSN website, www.hsn.com/content/AmericanDreams/250, through December 31. The same contestants can win both awards, giving Richmonders an opportunity to support the local inventors in a number of ways this fall.

Dodge and Bowry credit Thrive, a mentorship program for small business owners by Chamber RVA, for their success. “Mentors such as Sarah Choi and Lindsay Grant really helped us understand marketing, social media, and sales,” says Bowry. “Our online presence improved greatly with their advice and Sarah helped us develop the pitch for HSN.”

Winners of the contest will be announced in early 2018.