Buffalo entrepreneurs awarded at She Means Business pitch competition

Three local female entrepreneurs were recognized for their business ideas at the ‘She Means Business’ pitch competition hosted by The Enterprise Center at PathStone and Citizens. The winners received a total of $10,000 in prize money to help take their businesses to the next level.

The She Means Business program is offered annually by The Enterprise Center at PathStone with support from Citizens to assist women entrepreneurs with the steps and processes needed to succeed in business, going from ideation to launch, from recession to expansion, and job creation. After successfully completing the She Means Business virtual 7-week intensive program, the winners showcased their expertise in a pitch competition held on May 14.

“Empowering the participants of the She Means Business pitch competition by providing access to resources and training helps propel early-stage businesses to new heights,” said President and Executive Director Javier E. Zapata of The Enterprise Center at PathStone. “For the past four years, we have helped break down the financial barriers faced by minority entrepreneurs, empowering them to find success in their endeavors and adding to the collective prosperity of our communities. We remain thankful for all of our partners, sponsors and the participants who make this possible.”

Taking first place is Janna Willoughby-Lohr of Buffalo, who won $5,000 for her business Papercraft Miracles. The sustainable handmade stationery and paper art business has been in operation for 18 years. For the pitch competition, Willoughby-Lohr focused on one of the several products her company offers and was able to identify her team's capacity for development and the potential revenue from development.

When asked what she got out of the course, Willoughby-Lohr said “It made me realize that I have a lot of knowledge, and that it’s valuable to share with other women entrepreneurs. It’s inspired me to do more mentorship and to build a course to help other women do this kind of thing in the future.”

Securing second place is Jess Kent of Buffalo, who won $3,000 for Clark Mediation. The confidential negotiation and mediation services provider has been in operation for three years. “I feel really connected to Western New York from this program in a way that I didn’t before,” said Kent.

In third place is Kara Oliver-Pérez of Buffalo, who won $2,000 for Native Pens Collaborative Publishing. The children’s book publishing, consulting and coaching company is centered around diverse storytelling and increasing access to culturally relevant literature. “I’ve done pitch competitions before, but this is one of the ones where I actually felt like I was growing consistently,” said Oliver-Pérez.

“The She Means Business program is helping expand access to the funding, training and network of support needed for local female entrepreneurs to thrive,” said Ted Smith, president of the Upstate New York region at Citizens. “Citizens is honored to support PathStone and help these three inspiring business owners grow and scale their businesses and contribute to our local communities.”

“The She Means Business course has been an incredible journey of growth and empowerment for these talented women entrepreneurs,” said Kimberly Mitchell, owner of Ujoozi and facilitator of the competition. “Over the past seven weeks, they have not only gained a comprehensive understanding of business ownership but have also developed the skills and confidence to turn their vision into thriving enterprises. I am proud of all the participants and extend my heartfelt congratulations to the three outstanding pitch winners. This program has demonstrated the immense potential of women entrepreneurs and the transformative impact of targeted education and support. I look forward to seeing these businesses flourish and make a lasting impact in their communities.”