Chloe Cain, C’18, and Lyndsey Saunders, C’20, earned the second place prize of $2,000 with Personal Brand-in-Box, personalized branding packages to fit an individual’s personality, abilities and talents. Services include videography, photography, media development, cosmetic care and fashion consultation. Le-Roy Battle, C’19, received the third place prize of $1,000 for EMPOWER, a website-based community for supporting and mentoring young black adults.
In the six-week period before the competition, Christine Adamow, director of the Palmieri Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), offered semi-finalists several professional development opportunities to polish their proposals, including a boot camp. “These ideas have been hatching and incubating for months or even years,” said Christine Adamow. “Our entrepreneurs are excited to share them and receive valuable feedback from our distinguished panel of judges.”
In addition to intently listening to the budding entrepreneurs’ presentations, the five judges also asked astute questions and offered targeted advice for each finalist. Judges were:
- Taitia Elliott – Senior vice president, commercial lending, Frederick County Bank
- Mark Greathouse – Managing director, Mid-Atlantic Angels
- Paul Palmieri, C'92 – Managing partner, Grit Capital
- Carol Phelan-Marsh, C'81 – Entrepreneur, angel investor
- Joe Scali – Boston-based start-up consultant, financial analyst
All contestants expressed thanks to PCE for its support and to the judges for their feedback and advice. The Idea Pitch has led to additional opportunities for several contestants. One week after the Idea Pitch, Chloe Cain and Lyndsey Saunders pitched Personal Brand-in-Box to Mid-Atlantic Angels at Miles & Stockbridge in Frederick.