Rising Tide Capital Announces Their Start Something Challenge Winners

By Afaf Muhammad

A special Thank You to Alex Forrester, for inviting HudInfoNews to share a very special Rising Tide Capital event, the announcement of the winners of the Start Something Challenge.  The challenge provides the opportunity for small business owners and entrepreneurs to pitch their services and ideas to local business and government leaders for a piece of $25,000 in grants and gifts.  The Start Something Challenge will help build a stronger business foundation and strengthen the economy for New Jersey through the support and investments in small businesses and entrepreneurs.

On Thursday, July 28, in Saint Peter’s College’s Pope Lecture Hall Rising Tide Capital, with support from J.P.Morgan Chase and Blackstone Charitable Foundation, proudly presented ten finalist of their 2016 Start Something Challenge. Each participant displayed one final, five minute long presentation of their business venture before the audience and a panel of judges. The judges’ panel consisted of local business owners and government leaders; Scott A. Blow  of Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, Deanna Collins of Whole Foods Market, Bruce Davis of The NAACP State Committee on Economic Development, Nana Duncan of TD+Partners, Anthony Frasier  of Newark Venture Partners, Brian Platt of Jersey City office of Innovation, Rob Polishnook, MA, CPC of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group, Sonia Schnee of JerseyIndie.com, and Tracey D. Syphax of Phax Group Construction Design, LLC and Phax Group Real Estate, LLC.

The $25,000 pool of grants and prizes was shared among the entrepreneurs with third place winning $5,000, second place, $7,500, first place $10,000, and finalist each winning an iPad.

The ten, all female, finalist were able to display their business ideas from catering and home services by Charnelle Bain of Simply Elegant Events, Djenaba Johnson Jones of Hudson Kitchen, and Ingri Lucia Torello of Ingrid’s Home Services; to inspirational jewelry and science as art by Natasha Dzurny of Technochic , and second place winner, Tina Tang of Iron Strong Jewelry; to fitness and nutrition by third place winner, Racquel Clarke of FitFund, Pamela Roundtree of New Body. New Mind. New Living, and first place winner Denise Woodard of Vivi’s Life; to women’s self esteem and well-being to strengthening the family and marital bond by Vernesa Everett of Velvet Rope Boudoir Photography, and Nia Reid Allen of Myrtle&Flossie.

Vernesa Everett – Velvet Rope Boudoir Photography

Pamela Roundtree – New Body. New Mind. New Living

Charnelle Bain – Simply Elegant Events

Djenaba Houston – Hudson Kitchen

Natasha Dzuny – Technochic

Tina Tang founder – Iron Strong Jewelry

Nia Reid Allen-Myrtle&Flossie

Denise Woodard-Vivi’s Life

Racquel Clarke-FitFund

Ingri Lucia Torello – Ingri’s Cleaning Service

Alfa Demmellash – CEO Co-founder of Rising Tide Capital (left) Rev. Reginald McCrae – Chief of Diversity and Inclusion, City of Jersey City

Iron Strong jewelry display at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something Challenge event

Jay Sulvich – Managing Director of Programs, Rising Tide Capital

Winners are announced at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Myrtle&Flossie display at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Flower light by Technochic

Natasha Dzuny samples her science as art designs

Ingri Lucia Torello’s display of mini causa bites at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Hudson Kitchen display at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Pamela Roudtree (left) of New Body.New Mind.NewLiving, and Racquel Clarke of FitFund at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Simply Elegant Events display at Rising Tide Capital’s event

Vivi’s Life display at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event

Velvet Rope Boudoir Photography display at Rising Tide Capital’s Start Something event