ST. PETERSBURG – Following a competitive round of business pitches last Wednesday, September 18, a panel of judges selected six local entrepreneurs to join the NLUA Trade Mission to the Motherland visiting Ghana.
Awarding $21,000 in sponsorships ranging from $2,500 to $4,500, the pitch competition was a step towards heading to Ghana, one of Africa’s fastest growing economies.
The mission is an initiative of Pinellas County Urban League’s Next Level Urban Alliance (NLUA), a network of entrepreneurs, professionals, and development leaders collaborating to expand the equity-focused entrepreneurial ecosystem (E3) of Pinellas County.
The goal of the Alliance is to strengthen entrepreneurship as a vital pathway to economic growth for African Americans. The 8-day trade mission was conceived as a way to connect local entrepreneurs and business leaders with international opportunities in sectors including technology, agriculture, trade, and tourism.
Entrepreneurs selected from the pitch night would be invited to join the trip via a scholarship award, allowing them to expand their relationships and knowledge while interfacing with Ghanaian entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials.
Eligibility requirements included being 18 years or older, living within the 33705, 33711 and 33712 area codes, and being a member of Next Level Urban Alliance.
On Thursday, September 19, NLUA released the results of the PCUL Next Level Urban Alliance Pitch Competition. Invited judges included Nicole Phillip, Lisa Brody, Kenneth Jones, Gloria Campbell, and Corey Mccaster.
“This has been a journey filled with remarkable talent, innovative ideas, and a deep commitment to business excellence from every participant,” shared Marshae M. Brown, MBA, PCUL’s Entrepreneurship Center Manager. Brown described the competition as “intense.”
After a rigorous evaluation based on a scoring matrix, six businesses were selected to receive scholarships to join the trade mission to Ghana.
The six selected businesses/entrepreneurs are:
- – i Coach – Tanille Williams | Score: 485 | Scholarship: $4,500
- – St. Pete Youth Farm – Carla Bristol | Score: 456 | Scholarship: $4,500
- – Boss Lady Construction – Celeste Collins | Score: 424 | Scholarship: $4,500
- – Black on the Scene – Tamia Kennedy | Score: 410 | Scholarship: $2,500
- – Terra 3D Tech – Bo Countryman | Score: 408 | Scholarship: $2,500
- – Saturday Shoppes – Renee Edwards | Score: 406 | Scholarship: $2,500 Saturday Shoppes – Renee Edwards
Brown noted that these businesses excelled based on key criteria including innovation, market potential, and overall impact.
Tamia Kennedy, the founder of the media production company Black on the Scene, shared, “I mean it still feels unreal. Traveling to Africa was definitely on my bucket list but I figured it would be years down the line. But that just goes to show that God’s plans are much better than ours. I’m really looking forward to documenting this journey and sharing it with everyone, in true BOTS fashion. Thank you again PCUL, I’m beyond grateful!”
The St. Pete Youth Farm’s director Carla Bristol noted, “It’s exciting to know that the impact of the work being done by teens here in South St. Pete can provide a pivotal solution to challenges in Ghana.” She added that she was excited for the selected teams, whose work would now have “global reach.”
To all the participants, Marshae Brown shared, “While we can only select six businesses for this mission, every participant brought something truly special to the competition. Your dedication, passion, and bold ideas made this process inspiring, and we are confident that your businesses will continue to thrive. We encourage you to stay engaged, as this is just one opportunity of many!”
Since NLUA’s inception, through the collective contributions of over 100 organizations, the partners have created over 30 new business development programs that have helped over 840 entrepreneurs to learn, launch or grow their enterprises. PCUL NLUA community partners include the Equity Institute, Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation, Deuces Live, and One Community.
The initiative is funded by the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg | Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital.
Learn more about the Next Level Urban Alliance at https://www.pcul.org/nextlevelurbanalliance.
