Kellie Mumphrey, a Navy veteran and founder and CEO of Garland-based MilkSpace, was the big winner at the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center 4BUSINESSRECOVERY pitch Wednesday.
Mumphrey’s startup addresses the gap in outdoor breastfeeding amenity solutions. To help nursing moms, MilkSpace provides pop-up canopy “lactation spaces” to outdoor public space operators and event organizers. Mumphrey won the $20,000 first prize for her pitch, and the $3,000 Audience Choice Award as well.
“Thank you God for giving [VWEC Founder and CEO] VR Small the vision to change lives!” Mumphrey wrote on her LinkedIn page after winning the pitch. “VR Small is a tough cookie. She will push you into your greatness.”
Debra Moore (far right), founder of Grand Prairie-based Mama Moore’s Gourmet Popcorn, with her “kernels” [Photo: Mama Moore’s]
Mama Moore’s Gourmet Popcorn wins second place
Coming in at second place at the pitch was Debra Moore, founder and owner of Mama Moore’s Gourmet Popcorn. (She’s shown at far right above with her “kernels.”) Moore won $10,000 from the VWEC.
Mama Moore’s has a physical store location at 5244 S Hwy 360 in Grand Prairie—and an e-commerce website as well. You can check out its Facebook page here.
Semper Fi Bar and Grille owners Carrie Roeger and Ralph Roeger [Photo: Semper Fi Bar and Grille]
Woodstock, Georgia, bar and grill wins third place
Carrie Roeger, co-owner of the Semper Fi Bar and Grille in Woodstock, Georgia, won third place and $5,000 for her pitch. The bar and grill is dedicated to veterans and first responders, and decorated with memorabilia from veterans’ wartime service.
$2,000 in supplemental prizes of $250 each was given to all the other veteran women entrepreneurs who participated in the pitch.
Supporting military-associated women in hospitality/retail industries
The VWEC’s pitch platform was designed to provide support to entrepreneur women associated with the military in the hospitality/retail industries nationwide. The $40,000 in prizes was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Co., second-year sponsor 7-Eleven, longstanding three-year partner/sponsor DISD/Minority & Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE), and Frost Bank.
Other finalists at the pitch included:
And I Like It, Founder, Ericka McKim, Dallas, TX
Baskets and Beads Kenya, Founder, Eldonna Fernandez, Irvine, CA
Donya’s Florals, Owner, Donya Lewis, Columbus, OH
Jus Sandwiches, Founder, Karen Roberts, Chicago, IL
Semper Fi Bar and Grille, Owner, Carrie Roeger, Woodstock, GA
Words Unite Bookstore, Owner, Ashley Booker-Knight, Killeen, TX
Get on the list.
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