LOUISVILLE — Four 2024 cohort participants in Bellarmine University’s Women of Color Entrepreneurs-Leadership Program won seed money Saturday at a pitch competition that concluded the fourth six-month certificate program.
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
Republic Bank partnered with Bellarmine for the pitch competition, which took place on campus at Hilary’s Hall.
“This was my first pitch competition,” Duncan said. “This means a lot to me and my business going forward with a new revenue model. Through this program, I met a dynamic group of women and learned things about running my business I never knew before.”
Dr. Patricia Carver, Bellarmine professor and founding director of the Women of Color Entrepreneur Leadership Certificate Program, described how the program came about.
“When we started this program in 2021, I had just finished my doctoral degree about women of color,” Carver said. “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.”
Since 2021, Republic Bank, an inaugural sponsor, has partnered with Women of Color Entrepreneurs 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 sponsored the program.
Participants completing 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.
“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,” Carver said.
Ashley Duncan, vice president, inclusion & diversity, Republic Bank and one of the competition judges, says, “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.
“Through the program, women learn about marketing, brand awareness, competitive advantage and how to ensure they are leveraging that to grow their business,” Duncan said. “Our involvement mirrors our commitment to diversity and inclusivity.”
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