Event Organizer
ZaLonya Allen, PhD
President/CEO of National Entrepreneurs Association
Dr. ZaLonya Allen is President/CEO of the National Entrepreneurs Association and has 20 years experience in entrepreneurship. As a Leadership Development Speaker and Trainer she has delivered presentations for organizations throughout the country and coached professionals in a variety of industries. In recent years her coaching practice has focused on helping entrepreneurs breakthrough mental barriers. Dr. Allen earned a Bachelors in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Michigan, a Masters in Industrial Relations from Wayne State University and a Doctorate in Psychology from North Central University.
Pitch Contest Judges
Joy Patterson
Business Development Analyst
Dell for Start Ups
Tom Oehmler
SVP, President
Comerica Trust
Ross Sanders
Director of Industry
Partnerships & Entrepreneurship
Lawrence Technological University
Tisha Hammond
Small Business Cheerleader and
2021 NEA Dell National Virtual Pitch
Contest II Popular Vote Winner
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Portia Lockett
Dr. Portia Lockett is a true lover of people and will love you into loving yourself. As an Inspirational speaker, Corporate Trainer, Missionary, and Grief Recover Specialist, she has touched the lives of individual's in organizations such as Good Will Industries, Detroit Rescue Mission, Detroit Medical Center and McDonalds. She has received numerous awards that include but not limited to: The Career Master Spirit Award, Spirit Of Detroit Award, and The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network's Power of One Award. In addition, she has graced the stage with Mikki Taylor (formerly of Essence), Tina Lifford from Queen Sugar and Psalmist Regina Belle. Lockett has experienced diverse settings in her travels as a missionary to support women of Japan, Barbados, Italy, and Jamaica just to name a few. After spending a few moments in her presence you will begin to experience your personal: 'Celebration of Elevation' of evolving. Topic: Evolving
Prize Packages
First place winner will receive a $3000 cash prize, a free Dell computer and a one year membership to the National Entrepreneurs Association! (judges choice)
Second place winner will receive a $1000 cash prize, a free Dell computer and a one year membership to the National Entrepreneurs Association! (judges choice)
Third place winner will receive a $500 cash prize, a free Dell computer and a one year membership to the National Entrepreneurs Association. (audience choice)
Top 10 National Finalists
AnTonia Jackson, Founder/Creator
Accountability Money Box, LLC in Fort Stewart Georgia
AnTonia Jackson is a military spouse and an Atlanta native. She is also a college student pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship, 5x Published Author, Spoken Word Artist, Business Consultant and the Owner of Catch My Vibe Photography. Additionally, she is the creator and founder of Accountability Money Box—a tabletop game that reflects lessons she learned as a homeless youth. As talented an individual as she is, Antonia has won various accolades, amongst them the Hank Stewart Foundation, Omega Psi Phi, Therrell High Talent Show, SCLC Youth Oratorical Contest, and the RTB Virtual Talent Show. Moreover, she has given electrifying performances at various events such as Juneteenth, ATL Back to School Bash, More Than Music ATL, and Kwanzaa events. As an avid author and spoken word artist, Antonia has been featured on numerous radio stations and in the Bold Favor Magazine. To learn more visit www.accountabilitymoneybox.games
3rd Place / Popular Vote Winner
Monica Morgan, Founder
Monica Morgan Photography, LLC in Detroit Michigan
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Morgan earned her communications degree from Wayne State University, where she had a full academic scholarship. During her college years she interned with both WDIV and WQBH. After college she landed a job as a public relations coordinator in the Adult Education Department for Detroit Public Schools. Later, she held a position as the Promotional Tools Coordinator at Domino’s Pizza Corporate, where she promoted The Classic Car Collection, The Pizza Ponies and baseball legend, Al Kaline. From there she began taking photographs to go along with freelance articles she was writing for news and publicity including for the Detroit News and Michigan Chronicle. By 1990 photography was her full-time passion and profession. Although writing was no longer her means of delivery the focus on journalism was still there, as she began telling vivid and compelling stories with her camera. For over three decades, Monica Morgan has been Living Life Though The Lens of a Camera as an International Photojournalist traveling the world, documenting historical events, icons and celebrities such as Prince Charles, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Aretha Franklin, Prince, Sophia Loren, Barack Obama, Muammar Ghadhaffi, Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisolm, Thurgood Marshall, Bishop TuTu… and now she’s also speaking about it, motivating and sharing lessons learned. Visit www.MonicaMorganPhotography.com
Alexandria Rosa, Founder
Alexandria Rosa, LLC in St. Lorain Ohio
Ms. Alexandria Rosa, BSN is the creator and founder of the SPICE for Life programs, SPICE Body, and Concierge Nursing with SPICE. As an educator and holistic nurse who is currently completing her Doctoral degree in nursing—while also managing a family and a full time job—she knows how hard it can be to stay in balance, take care of yourself, and still get things done. Alex helps other caring professionals and educators who seek to live more balanced lives. She provides tools, strategies, and support so they can learn to live with ease, experience less stress, and take lots of things off their to-do list. To learn more visit https://getyourspice.net
Akriti Srivastava, Founder
Daycare Owl in Clearlake Oaks, California
CEO & CO-Founder, Daycare Owl. We are on a mission to make an early childhood education more accessible to all parents and young children. Daycare Owl, helps child care facilities segment their weekly rates in recurring daily and hourly care, or drop-in. This is child care for the modern day world.
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Owner and employer at Lil Buds Daycare, Est 2015
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Creator of Innovate child care series
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Marketing professional in the Salesforce CRM and Oracle BI space.
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Previous Start-ups: Deft Force, Economical Pack
To learn more visit the website at www.daycareowl.com
Kristin Ostrander, Founder
Tailgate Toilet in Lake Orion, Michigan
Kristin Ostrander is an author, serial entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and eCommerce expert. She founded MommyIncome.com and hosts a weekly podcast, The Amazon Files, where she helps others start and grow businesses online. Her grit, hard work, and business savvy have changed her life in ways she never thought possible. From the emotional low of foreclosure to scaling a seven-figure business while starting another, she is determined to make an impact in the lives of others by sharing what she learned along the way. With her new book Dream Big, Step Small she desires to inspire women all over the world to find their purpose, follow their dreams, and take small steps to get everything they ever wanted. To learn more visit www.tailgatetoilet.com
Calista Phair Tucker, Founder
Calista Phair, LLC in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Calista Phair is your Talent Fairy Godmother making Magic for businesses to keep and retain the best talent. Her services includes talent consulting, training and development in talent management via best practices, six points of diversity (Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Faith, Age and Neurodiversity/Disabilities/Mental Health), and recruitment. Through execution strategies, conducting full-cycle implementation, Calista has helped companies increase Black, LatinX, Women and LGBTQIA+ talent with highly qualified candidates for companies by over 60%. Calista has over 10+ years of corporate expertise, in leading talent acquisition for programming within the City of Miami, Microsoft, UBS Bank, Wells Fargo Corporate, Department of Defense just to name a few. Calista is a graduate of Bennett College (HBCU), Women Entrepreneurship Certification from Cornell University and Bank of America, selected as 2021 For(bes) The Culture Member, member of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity and resides with her husband and two year old son Dillon. To learn more visit https://www.calistaphair.com
2nd Place Winner
John Matthews, Founder/CEO
Prothymos Technologies in Baltimore, Maryland
John Matthews is the CEO/Co-Founder of both Prothymos Innovations and Prothymos Technologies located in Baltimore, Mayland. John is the creator of the first ever P2P Payment & Event Planning App called E-Bless (available on both Play Stores). John is also the creator of the “Barrage,” the patented 360-degree impact and weather effects simulator designed for increasing the immersive experience in video gaming and movies (Available in Q4 of 2020). John will receive his certification in Fintech from the Harvard VPAL Business School in the Fall of 2020. In his personal life, John is a devoted husband, a proud father, a community leader and he currently serves as the Assistant Pastor of Manifested Glory Worship Center, a Non-denominational Church in Towson, MD commissioned to bring economic change and empowerment to his community. Learn more at https://barrage4d.com
Brittni Abiolu, Founder
Venture Hue in Detroit, Michigan
Brittni Abiolu is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and Founder & CEO of VentureHue, a tech-enabled resource center that specializes in helping startups and small businesses get more customers, capital, and build wealth. Founded in 2013, the company’s mission is to help businesses scale and increase their valuation by getting more funding and leads that turn into sales on a regular basis. Brittni has 16 years of experience helping aspiring entrepreneurs start new businesses, obtain capital, acquire new customers, and get connected to the resources they need to grow and thrive. She also spent time working at top management consulting and marketing and advertising agencies such as Accenture, CDK Global, and Campbell Ewald. She has helped small, mid-size, and large companies in the finance, insurance, and automotive industries with digital marketing, lead generation, business planning, capital sourcing, and overall business development. She has a Bachelor of Science in Computer & Information Systems from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Master of Entrepreneurial Transactions from Central Michigan University. She also has certificates in SEO, social media management, business plan writing, business loan packaging, and credit building as well as a life insurance agent license in Michigan. To learn more visit venturehue.com
Gray Alexander Cash, Founder/CEO
Cash Electronic Designs Inc in Bloomington, California
Mr. Cash became a patented inventor creating the technology used to launch Cash Electronic Designs Inc. Mr. Cash also possesses a skillset in product designing and patenting IP, Which includes A to Z design capability and improving on product user experience. Mr. Cash has skillsets within the manufacturing arena. This includes upholding product tolerances, proper tooling for CNC manufacturing, CAD product design, Materials acquisition, and testing. Mr. Cash has worked with all materials, including various precious metals (e.g.) aluminum, carbide, diamond, steel, etc. Mr. Cash’s vision for Cash Electronic Designs Inc is to create world changing technology with real impact and world-changing possibilities. Learn more at https://cashelectronicdesigns.com
1st Place Winner
Brandon Feinstien, Founder/CEO
Fit Oven in Delroy Beach, Florida
Fit Oven saves busy individuals time and money by utilizing a custom-built state-of-the-art intelligent vending machine that refrigerates, heats up, and dispenses hot and healthy meals to the consumer in 90 seconds or less at an affordable price point. Founder and CEO Brandon Feinstein graduated with honors from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelors of business administration degree in entrepreneurial and small business operations and has won several competitions for his entrepreneurial ventures. To learn more visit https://fitoven.com
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