So You Want to Pitch...

We did it y'all! We held our very first conference.

In January, I had the crazy idea to put together a conference to help other business owners learn how to pitch their businesses for funding. I had been getting so many calls and questions about my pitch journey and requests to help other businesses do what I had done...and I felt so bad that I wasn't able to help everyone. My schedule is crazy! So, with my crazy self, I thought that having a conference

would be the best way to go. And, within 48 hours of having the idea, I had secured a venue, date, and speakers and it was off to the races.

Now, I am not going to lie, it was one of the craziest things that I have done. I mean, who in the world plans and hosts an entire conference in 60 days. ME! But it was a huge success.

We had 6 amazing workshops that attendees could chose from, a light breakfast, a networking lunch where attendees had the opportunity to meet with funders, and (at the last minute) I was able to secure an opportunity for attendees to pitch their businesses for a chance to be entered in to an upcoming pitch competition. It was phenomenal!! Thank you to all the amazing business owners who came out. We truly appreciate you. Thank you so much!!

I couldn't have done any of this without the amazing workshop facilitators that gave so freely of their time and energy to pour in to the businesses in attendance. Thank you so much to William Honablew of the Greater Baltimore Urban League, Aneka Winstead Owner of Watt Business Solutions, Mac Conwell of TEDCO, and Chenire Carter Owner of Memory Maker, Inc.

In addition, thank you to the amazing funding organizations that came out on a Saturday to speak with attendees about funding opportunities within their organizations. Thank you Shelly Bell from Black Girl Ventures, Will Holmen Director of Open Works, Jim Peterson from the Small Business Resource Center, and Mac Conwell of TEDCO (he did double duty).

And...to the real MVP's! The Women that held me down. The ones who were there when I had moments of self doubt. The Ladies who listened to me as I worried about ticket sales. The ones who know all the ups and downs, the ins and outs, my fears, my missteps, my failures...and who love me any way! Thank you so much for showing up! Thank you so much for believing in me even when I don't believe in myself. Thanks for doing all the things that you did and continue to do! I LOVE Y'all so much! From left to right: Team Accessmatized Member Brittany, Team Accessmatized Member Teacher, my daughter Cayla, Me, my #1 Lady (My Mom), my daughter Cache, and last, but certainly not least, my bestest Friend of over 25 years...My COO...Rashanna!

Stay tuned...we will be announcing the winner of the pitch contest this Friday at Noon and we will be sending out the save the date for the 2019 So You Want to Pitch Retreat soon!!!

To check out more pictures from our amazing inaugural conference, click on the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yKUORkB_lD8XTAQnKoFVOOxj93dXO_Wo?usp=sharing

It's all LOVE...