By Stephanie Smith, Building Kentucky
On October 26, Republic Bank partnered with Bellarmine University for its Women of Color Entrepreneurs-Leadership Program Pitch Competition. Winners included:
First Place – Crashonda Duncan, psychotherapist and integrative health practitioner, Therapy Lounge and Wellness Boutique, $10,000
Second Place – Michelle Young, founder and chief executive officer, Health Careers Training Institute, $5,000
Third Place – Janan Sarwar, founder and chief executive officer, Global Bookshelves International, $2,500
Fourth Place – Consuela Santillan, founder and chief executive officer, Aki, $1,500
“This was my first pitch competition; this means a lot to me and my business going forward with a new revenue model,” Duncan said. “Through this program, I met a dynamic group of women and learned things about running my business I never knew before.”
Dr. Patricia Carver, founding director of the Women of Color Entrepreneurs-Leadership Certificate Program and professor at Bellarmine, said, “When we started this program in 2021, I had just finished my doctoral degree about women of color. One of the things our research uncovered is that while women of color are the highest growing number of entrepreneurs in the city, they receive the lowest amount of funding.”
Carver added, “Thanks to our sponsors, including Republic Bank, our staunchest partner and contributor, we are able to host this competition annually. We accept 10 out of more than 80 applicants per year to go through our innovative program.”
Since 2021, Republic Bank, an inaugural sponsor, has partnered with Women of Color Entrepreneurs-Leadership Program through financial support totaling more than $60,000 and involvement of Republic executives. Bellarmine designed the program to help women of color develop their business acumen through six modules, including this capstone experience that includes developing and presenting a business model. Diane James and Vissionaireum also sponsor the program.
Ashley Duncan, Republic Bank vice president or inclusion & diversity and one of the competition judges, said, “Through this partnership, we have found a way to bring banking relationships to women entrepreneurs. We’ve brought together not only folks from Republic, but subject matter experts throughout our community to help them.
Duncan added, “Through the program, women learn about marketing, brand awareness, competitive advantage and how to ensure they are leveraging that to grow their business. Our involvement mirrors our commitment to diversity and inclusivity.”
Participants who complete six educational modules receive a certificate, along with valuable mentorship and skill development. Instructors include a combination of women faculty from the Rubel School of Business, minority women entrepreneurs, senior leaders from Republic Bank and others representing the business and non-profit communities.
