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"Small Business Matters!" Supports and Encourages Aspiring Entrepreneurs
BOSTON (July 30, 2011) -- Sleek and stylish head wraps, and an online platform that rewards high- performing students in their communities were the prize-winning ideas at the Small Business Matters! Pitch Contest at the National Urban League Conference in Boston.
"Innovation and ambition are the defining qualities of a successful entrepreneur, and I'm proud that the National Urban League is encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship through programs like Small Business Matters!" said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League.
The winners of two prizes of $10,000 in financing were Veronica Chapman's pitch for "My Crowning Jewel," wraps that protect women's hairstyles while they sleep, and adorn their heads during the day, and Kofi Frimpong-'s pitch for GZPoints, an online platform that rewards middle school and high school students with discounts to local and national businesses based on their grades in school and the community service they perform.
"Partnering up with NUL at the 2011 Conference for the 100UE live pitch event was a great honor for us," said Magnus Greaves, Co-Founder of 100 Urban Entrepreneurs, which sponsored the Pitch Contest along with Babson College. "We share many objectives and goals with the National Urban League, so the chance to bring our organization and present this great opportunity to the local entrepreneurs in Boston is something we were keen to do. Our focus is to provide entrepreneurial opportunities and jobs to urban communities which in-turn, will only work to strengthen our economy. We work hard to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge they may otherwise not have access to, with the long-term hopes of creating the minority business leaders of tomorrow."
100 Urban Entrepreneurs is the nonprofit foundation of TheCASHFLOW, which supports minority entrepreneurship by offering $10,000 start-up financing grants, eight weeks of intensive business mentoring and access to a vast professional network to promising entrepreneurs across the country. More information can be found at http://www.100UrbanEntrepreneurs.org
The Pitch Contest was a highlight of the one-day conference-within-a-conference, which featured workshops and networking opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Maggie Anderson, CEO of The Empowerment Experiment, was the luncheon speaker.
"With over one million small business customers, we at Pitney Bowes understand that small businesses deliver big opportunities for our economy and our communities," said Neil Rader, Vice President & General Manager, Small & Medium Business at Pitney Bowes, which sponsored Small Business Matters along with Wells Fargo. "We are proud to sponsor the inaugural Small Business Matters! Summit, providing the practical information that small business owners and entrepreneurs need to take their organization to the next level. We are pleased to share our expertise in helping businesses use physical and digital communications to build stronger ties and more profitable relationships with their customers."
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The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.
