SCORE Announces Winners of 60th Anniversary Small Business Virtual Pitch Contest

SCORE has announced the winners of its 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition. Held from September 17-19, the virtual event is part of a series of five tournaments taking place across the country to mark SCORE’s milestone. The competition allows entrepreneurs to demonstrate their business skills to industry experts, win funding, and receive valuable training at no cost. More than 2,200 small business owners have applied to participate.

The winners of the virtual pitch competition are:

Starting point:

• Helen Ianniello – Stockmen’s Drug (Gordon, NE) Stockmen’s Drug, an independent pharmacy in rural Nebraska, has grown exponentially since it was founded by Helen Ianniello, a registered nurse. Ianniello introduced new systems, expanded the service area, and introduced new services such as a pharmacy and a mobile vaccination clinic. The pharmacy also offers long-term care facilities and partners with local hospitals. Ianniello won the top prize of $20,000they plan to use it to fund a mobile immunization clinic for the underserved and those living at home.

Second place:

• Christina VanDam – Zeal Aerial Fitness (Grand Rapids, MI) Zeal Aerial Fitness offers a variety of aerial and other fitness classes, including aerial silks, hoop, pole, hammock, and bungee, for both adults and children. The studio also hosts private events such as birthday parties and bachelorette parties. VanDam accepted $10,000 to increase his donations and buy more equipment for Zeal’s new location.

Third Place:

• Vanessa Sanchez – bonnee | clothes changing app (Miami Beach, FL) Bonnee is a mobile app that facilitates the exchange of clothing, antiques, and accessories. Users earn credits for posting items and can easily change them. Launched in January 2024, the app promotes sustainable fashion trends by making clothing replacements accessible. Sanchez won $5,000they plan to invest it in social media marketing, influencer engagement, and app development.

SCORE CEO Bridget Weston congratulated the winners, saying, “These outstanding entrepreneurs exemplify the creativity, dedication, and perseverance needed to turn small business dreams into reality. We are honored to support them with value and resources, continuing the legacy of helping more than 17 million entrepreneurs over the past sixty years.”

Judgment and Conditions

Contestants are matched with SCORE volunteer business mentors to help them prepare and deliver their scores. Judging criteria included launch effectiveness, product identity, product differentiation, business performance, scalability, sustainability, and financial strength.

Shellie Peters, Head of Benefits and Giving at Global Atlantic, congratulated the winners and emphasized the importance of developing entrepreneurial talent. Global Atlantic was the main sponsor of the event.

More Winners

The virtual pitch competition also recognized the following winners:

• Monica Cody – Farmstead 1868 (Cazenovia, NY)
• Amanda and Collin Horan – Line + Cleat (Glen Ellyn, IL)
• Anweli Okpue – Wani Cakes LLC (Dearborn, MI)
• Katie Roering – Fontana Candle Company, LLC (Lancaster, PA)
• Amber Waldeier – Zipplicity Un-Luggage (Lancaster, PA)
• Victoria Freeman – Ironmatik LLC (Liberty, MO)
• Yemisi Anderson – The JAY Effect (Carbondale, IL)
• Malgorzata (Mal) Klesna-Blat – Fruitful Wicked, LLC (Upton, MA)
• Kimberly St Clair – MyDocDash (Saint Louis, MO)
• Tania Kottoor – WEST X EAST (Brooklyn, NY)
• Michael Heisman – Tansect (Appleton, WI)
• Zakayla Riley – Pawpin’ Pawz Luxury Mobile Grooming (Cincinnati, OH)
• Jannea Wolff – Reclaiming Our Lives (Miramar, FL)
• Tanya Shadley – TRS Kids Foundation (Virginia Beach, VA)
• Eden-Reneé Hayes – Pluralism Solutions (Wayland, MA)
• Mandi Hawke – Proud Empowerment Business Solutions (Boynton Beach, FL)
• Katherine Osborn – Nowhere Collective (Chicago, IL)

The virtual pitch competition is one of five events being held across the country in celebration of SCORE’s 60th anniversary. Upcoming regional tournaments will be held in Los Angeles (Sept. 26) and Houston (Oct. 3).

For more information or to view a recording of the virtual competition, visit the SCORE web library or the 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition page on SCORE.org.