SALISBURY, Md., December 8, 2022 – On November 16, 2022 Project OpportunitySM conducted its Third Annual Business Pitch Competition for graduates of our program. We are pleased to announce the winners of the competition:
Early Start-Up Category:
- Lindsay Kinslow – CEO Optimal Business Solutions – $5000.00 Award
- Mollie Nelson – CEO Wilde Lake Botanicals LLC – $2500.00 Award
- Krystal Waters-Howard – CEO Sky Krystal Krafts $500.00 Award
Established Business Category:
- Samuel Acquah – CEO A.B. Consulting, LLC – $15,000.00 Award
- Adrienne Somerville – CEO Somerville Consulting Group – $6,000.00 Award
- Victoria Buggs – CEO Center for Health Education and Safety Specialists LLC – $2000.00 Award
- Danielle Johnson – CEO The Platinum Gallery, LLC – $500.00 Award
We would like to acknowledge and thank the Business Pitch Competition Judges:
- Carlene Cassidy – CEO Philip and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation.
- Ryan Del Gallo – Business Consultant, Maryland Small Business Development Center, Northern Region.
- Tim Wilson – Vice President, Finance Think Consulting
- Tiffany Davis – Owner, Washington Accounting Services, Inc., and Project OpportunitySM Facilitator for Southern Maryland and Prince George’s County.
- Joel C. Bakal, Chief Financial office, H&M Wagner and Sons Foodservice
Project OpportunitySM has formed an Educational Partnership with Pitch Creator to provide the Pitch Creator Foundation Course to program graduates to assist them in preparing for the Project OpportunitySM Annual Business Pitch Competition. Business pitch participants were provided the Pitch Creator Foundation Course at no charge along with eight (8) hours of individual coaching/mentoring by our facilitators. Special thanks to our Business Pitch Coaches:
- Brenda Dilts, Owner Next Step LLC and Senior Project OpportunitySM Facilitator for Anne Arundel and Howard Counties.
- Patricia Newby, President Strategic Business Partnership and Project OpportunitySM Precentor for classes in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, and Howard Counties.
- Warline Bryant, Chief Executive Officer, BHL Group, LLC. and Project OpportunitySM Facilitator for Harford County
- Elizabeth Doubleday, President Doubleday Concepts, LLC and Project OpportunitySM Presenter for Classes in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties
Funding for the Business Pitch Competition was provided by the Philip E and Carol R Ratcliffe Foundation. The Ratcliffe Foundation is based in Annapolis Maryland and operates as a charitable organization designed to encourage and reward entrepreneurship, create jobs and expand economic opportunities.
To learn more, visit the Ratcliffe Foundation at https://www.ratcliffefoundation.com/
In this episode, Joe Giordano, retired Army Master Sergeant and founder of Project Opportunity- a free ten-week entrepreneurship training program for veterans based in Salisbury, Maryland shares the challenges to overcome to become a successful veteran entrepreneur. In a world where entrepreneurship is COOL, to be a true success it goes deeper than just an idea. We discuss things like, business plans and the components of them i.e. market research, financial modeling, SWOT analysis, and competitor analysis. Along with how to test your assumptions of product market fit and forecasted revenue growth and fundraising.
By the end of this one Ambitious VET, you will understand what it takes to be a TRUE veteran entrepreneur and why it’s important to take programs like Project OpportunitySM to ensure you aren’t wasting your time or resources on a pathway with no GOLD at the end of the tunnel!