ECNETNews proudly reports the winners of the 60th Anniversary Virtual Pitch Competition, held from September 17-19. This prestigious event is part of a national series celebrating SCORE’s milestone anniversary, providing a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their skills, secure funding, and gain invaluable mentorship—all at no cost. The competition drew an impressive 2,200 applications from small business owners across the country.
The winners are as follows:
First Place:
- Helen Ianniello – Stockmen’s Drug (Gordon, NE) has transformed this independent pharmacy in rural Nebraska significantly since taking ownership. Under her leadership, new systems have been implemented, service areas expanded, and innovative services such as telepharmacy and mobile vaccine clinics launched. Ianniello has been awarded $20,000 to further develop her mobile vaccine initiative aimed at underserved and homebound individuals.
Second Place:
- Christina VanDam – Zeal Aerial Fitness (Grand Rapids, MI) offers diverse aerial and alternative fitness classes for all ages. With the $10,000 prize money, VanDam plans to enhance her product offerings and acquire new equipment for a new studio location.
Third Place:
- Vanessa Sanchez – bonnee | the clothing swap app (Miami Beach, FL) launched a mobile platform that encourages clothing swapping to promote sustainable fashion practices. Sanchez earned $5,000 for app development, influencer partnerships, and social media marketing.
The CEO of SCORE commended the winners, stating, “These innovative entrepreneurs exemplify the persistence and creativity that drive small business success. Our mission continues to support entrepreneurs with essential resources and mentorship, impacting over 17 million individuals over the past 60 years.”
Judging and Criteria
Participants collaborated with experienced mentors to prepare their pitches. Judging was based on criteria including presentation clarity, brand strength, product originality, and financial potential.
Additional Finalists
The competition also honored several finalists:
- Monica Cody – Farmstead 1868 (Cazenovia, NY)
- Amanda and Collin Horan – Line + Cleat (Glen Ellyn, IL)
- Anwelli 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 – Wicked Fruitful, 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 Wellness (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)
This virtual pitch competition is part of a series marking SCORE’s 60th anniversary, with upcoming events scheduled for Los Angeles on September 26 and Houston on October 3.
