Earlier this month in Cleveland,
Bad Girl Ventures celebrated nine finalists in its business plan competition during its spring 2013 graduation ceremony at
The Galleries at CSU, announcing the winner of its $25,000 BGV loan and other awards.
Jewels Johnson, owner of the
Sugar Plum Cake Company, earned the $25,000 loan for her custom cake bakery. She plans to use the loan to open and expand her new physical store and offices, as well as develop her Devour! Gourmet Baking Mixes line.
“We were very impressed with her approach and creativity,” says Reka Barabas, director of BGV Cleveland. “Jewels was super-energetic during the entire course. She went the extra mile and followed up.”
The nine women-owned businesses spent nine weeks in BGV’s business course, hashing out their business plans and tweaking their businesses. The class culminated with the participants giving a 60-second pitch to a selection committee.
In addition to the grand prize, Su Nimon of
Journey Art Gallery and Kelli Handley of
The Agrarian Collective each received $5,000 loans from a private giving circle. It was also announced that Jillian Davis of
Toast Wine Bar, a BGV Fall 2012 finalist, received a loan from BGV partner the
Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI).
“All of the finalists are impressive because of their huge passion in what they do,” says Barabas. BGV will continue to work with its partners in the upcoming weeks to help the other finalists secure business loans.
BGV will be accepting applications for its fall business class from June 1 through Sept. 1.
Source: Reka Barabas
Writer: Karin Connelly