A pitch competition has been added to Staunton’s African-American Heritage & Multicultural Festival activities. The festival takes place Sept. 20-21 at the Gypsy Hill Park bandstand.
A collaborative effort between the Staunton Black Business Collective and the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, the pitch competition will be held at the bandstand from 5-6 p.m. on Sept. 21. It’s a judged competition for investment dollars in the business.
It’s a judged competition for investment dollars in the business.
Keisha Nicholson, Danielle McEwen and Sabrina Burress are part of a collaborative effort between the Staunton Black Business Collective and the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund at the African American Heritage & Multicultural Festival’s pitch competition in Staunton.
For Sabrina Burress, director of the Staunton Black Business Collective, tying the event to the annual festival is important.
“Our work is not just about helping businesses find their voice, it’s about making sure the community hears that voice, or in this case, pitch,” Burress said. “We hope to build lasting connections and networks for business owners.”
The businesses that were confirmed to participate include Simone & Tuesday LLC, Nolia’s Lemonade, Charlotte’s Kitchenette, Coushatta’s Creations and Heard the Store.
A panel of judges will determine the first, second and third-place winners. The award for first place is $1,000. The second-place winner will receive $500, and the third-place winner will receive $250.
Additionally, there will be a fan favorite vote.
Each contestant will have a jar. Each dollar put in the entrepreneur’s individual jar represents a vote. The founder with the highest dollar amount wins the fan favorite contest, with all contestants getting to keep the dollars collected in their jars.
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The event is one of several initiatives that the SBBC and SCCF have partnered on together.
To Ryan Hall, executive director of Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, the relationship between the two organizations just makes sense.
“The Shenandoah Community Capital Fund is proud to support the Staunton Black Business Collective in creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to share their ideas and grow their businesses,” Hall said. “We’re excited to see the impact this pitch competition will have on our region’s vibrant business community.”
The Staunton Black Business Collective was created to support current Black and Brown businesses, and to encourage entrepreneurship in the historically marginalized communities.
The Staunton Black Business Collective is open to all aspiring or established entrepreneurs seeking business help. The organization hopes to fill a similar role to the B Cubed organization in Harrisonburg.
Burress believes that a flourishing minority business sector plays a key role in a flourishing community business sector.
“When we build together, we grow together,” Burress said. “I believe that anytime we can work together with the community, we have a greater chance of exposure for business owners and entrepreneurs. The African-American Heritage & Multicultural Festival is such an integral part of our community, and it’s an honor to work alongside them to bring something meaningful to the forefront.”
The City of Staunton, including Staunton Parks & Recreation, is a major sponsor of the festival, providing the location, a financial contribution and event-day support for the festival. A partnership with Staunton City Schools and Waynesboro Public Schools will continue as the school divisions co-sponsor the festival to share and celebrate customs from students and families of various cultural backgrounds in their schools.
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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Pitch competition part of African American Heritage & Multicultural Festival