WE Fellowship Big Pitch Event

Congratulations to this year’s Woman Entrepreneur Fellow, Sydni Raymond, Founder and CEO of Bomb Ass Fro.

Bomb Ass Fro is a natural hair care company based out of New Orleans with a mission to empower women to rock their natural curls without the hassle. Our Curl Defining Jelly is a multi-use hair gel that reduces the never-ending steps of layering styling products to achieve the perfect curly hair style. Apply our Curl Defining Jelly after washing and conditioning your hair to small sections, let it dry, and you’re out of the door! Whether you prefer to wear a wash and go or twist out, Bomb Ass Fro promises zero flaking, zero crunch, ultra-definition and just enough hold to make your style last through the week.

Thank you to Fidelity Bank Power for making this grant possible.

Judges

Christa Cotton

Christa Cotton, owner, El Guapo Bitters – While studying at Auburn University, Christa Cotton helped her parents open Thirteenth Colony Distilleries, Georgia’s first legal distillery since prohibition. After a stint in advertising in New Orleans, Christa purchased the El Guapo trademark. Specializing in zero-proof bitters, El Guapo has expanded into syrups and mixers and is Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified as a woman owned business. Christa is a 6x Good Food Award winner, LEE Initiative mentor, Les Dames d’Escoffier Legacy Award: Fine Spirits recipient, and a Fellow in both the Tory Burch Foundation and the James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. She’s successfully raised seven figures in investment capital and is currently in the process of opening a bitters brewery, the first of its kind in America.

Artemis Antippas

Artemis Antippas, owner, Greek Girls Rice Pudding – Artemis Antippas is the Owner + Founder of Greek Girls Rice Pudding, a business proudly born and based in her beloved hometown, New Orleans, Louisiana. Greek Girls is an authentically delicious Greek treat prepared using an ancient family recipe that has been passed down by the women in her family for 200 years. Produced using only a handful of straightforward, natural ingredients, you can find her family’s rice pudding on shelves throughout the Southwest region.  Greek Girls Rice Pudding is also the winner of the 2018 WE Fellowship.  Artemis is also a visual artist and exhibits her work in galleries and museums nationally.

Michelle Johnston on March 10, 2022.

Michelle Johnston

Michelle Johnston, Gaston Chair of Business Loyola University New Orleans and Author of The Seismic Shift in Leadership – Dr. Michelle K. Johnston is a management professor, executive coach, and leadership expert helping leaders achieve results through meaningful connection. She is an award-winning professor studying leadership and business communication, and her research has shown a clear link between a team’s effective communication and its positive financial performance.  Michelle is a celebrated keynote speaker presenting at conferences and events nationwide.  She received her Ph.D in Communication from Louisiana State University, and she was named to the prestigious 100 Coaches group, which consists of the top executive coaches around the world.  Michelle serves as the Gaston Chair of Business at Loyola University New Orleans where she teaches in the graduate and undergraduate programs in the College of Business.  She lives in her beloved city of New Orleans, Louisiana, with her daughter, Elizabeth.  The Seismic Shift inLeadershipis her first book.

Finalists

Citronola is 100% dedicated to providing caffeine-free, alcohol-free, unsweetened, or lightly sweetened alternative refreshments you can enjoy guilt-free.
A Low Profit Limited Liability Company with a mission to provide intervention and academic support to students with mild/ moderate learning differences in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana
We have a line of sauces focused on making healthful eating easy and delicious.  Every sauce is packed with vegetables and nutrient-dense ingredients.  They are ready to eat and can be enjoyed as a dip, dressing or sauce for your meal.
Bomb Ass Fro is a natural hair care company based out of New Orleans with a mission to empower women to rock their natural curls without the hassle. Our Curl Defining Jelly is a multi-use hair gel that reduces the never-ending steps of layering styling products to achieve the perfect curly hair style. Apply our Curl Defining Jelly after washing and conditioning your hair to small sections, let it dry, and you’re out of the door! Whether you prefer to wear a wash and go or twist out, Bomb Ass Fro promises zero flaking, zero crunch, ultra-definition and just enough hold to make your style last through the week.
Dr. Reed has been a licensed pharmacist for almost two decades and has seen first-hand how self-care impacts health in the community. The World Health Organization defines self-care as: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.” The FLY Pharmacist acts as an advocate to empower and educate her community to make self-care a priority in their lives. As a Self-Care Strategist, Dr. Reed provides the tools and training necessary to create a successful self-care plan. Launching her very own self-care product makes it even easier to practice self-care at home.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO WATCH THE BIG PITCH EVENT ON APRIL 5th!

 

THANK YOU TO OUR 2022 SPONSORS!