Part of the 2024 National Urban League Conference, the summit provided a dynamic, interactive resource hub for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking the next level of business success.
(NEW ORLEANS) AUGUST 8, 2024 – Julie Vaucresson, owner and operator of Creole Made Easy, LLC, took top honors at the National Urban League Pitch Competition at the Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit.
Creole Made Easy is a complimentary entity of Vaucresson’s Sausage Company, a 122-year-old family business located in the heart of New Orleans’ Creole Seventh Ward commercial corridor.
The Pitch Competition, presented in partnership with First Horizon Bank, was a highlight of the Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit held in conjunction with the National Urban League Conference. Ambitious entrepreneurs competed for monetary prizes to help propel their businesses forward.
The other 2024 winners are:
- 2nd Place: Jenna Wright – Southern Soul Yoga of Chattanooga, Tennessee ● 3rd Place: Trevor Hoover – Wingopolis of Los Angeles, California
The National Urban League hosted the Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit on Saturday, July 27, during their 2024 national conference. The free one-day event held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans was designed to support and elevate small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs through education, networking, and competitive opportunities.
Kicking off with a Networking Breakfast, the Summit featured a Connection Zone filled with public and private sector resources; a lineup of insightful workshops and sessions centered on the areas of money, management and marketing; and their centerpiece event, the Small Business Matters Pitch Competition.
After a spirited welcome from National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial, and an inspiring keynote address from Reta Jo Lewis, President & Chair, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Pitch Competition host, Jodi Brockington (NIARA Consulting and BLENDiD) took over and gave each contestant two minutes to pitch their businesses and outline how they would utilize the prize money to a panel of judges. At the end of each pitch, the judges asked clarifying questions that helped to unpack the viability of each contestant’s business needs, which then helped to make their winning decisions.
The 2024 judges were:
- Tony Adams – New Orleans Market President, First Horizon Bank
- Keith Ellison – Director, Entrepreneurship Center, Urban League of Philadelphia ● Cy Richardson – Senior Vice President for Economics and Housing Programs, National Urban League
- Jo Ann Lawrence – Deputy Director, Louisiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
- Michelle McDaniel – President & CEO, Elite Image Professional Services
Kent Mills, Manager of Entrepreneurship and Business Development at the National Urban League, presented the checks to the winners.
The Small Business Matters Pitch Competition proved to be a critical support mechanism for new businesses poised to make an impact; thus, making the event a true testament to the organization’s commitment to economic empowerment and the growth of diverse entrepreneurial talent across the nation.
To learn more about the mission and goals of the National Urban League’s entrepreneurship division, visit https://nul.org/program/entrepreneurship.
