Purse Pitch Competition Celebrates Women Entrepreneurs, Awards Cash Prizes to Three Winners

The Forward Women’s Leadership Forum recently announced the winners of its annual Purse Pitch Competition, a signature initiative designed to elevate women-owned businesses and early-stage startups through visibility, constructive feedback, and direct financial support. The annual competition is open to Maryland residents, providing a statewide platform for women entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and advance their ventures.

This year’s competition featured seven contestants, each given five minutes to pitch their business concept, followed by three minutes of questioning from a panel of judges. After thoughtful deliberation, three entrepreneurs were selected as winners and awarded cash prizes:

• Kiara Scott, Free Money Meister — $1,000
• Alexandria Brown, Folake — $500
• Charlena Hayes, Resilient Workforce Solutions — $250

Judging was conducted by a distinguished panel representing entrepreneurship, media, and business leadership:

• Glenna Cush, Founder of Maker to Mogul
• Harold Booker, Founder of DrewJenk Consulting
• Stephanie Thornton, Founder of Nheala

Over the past five years, the Purse Pitch Competition has awarded more than $10,000 to women entrepreneurs across Maryland, reinforcing its role as a meaningful on-ramp for founders seeking to grow, refine, and scale their businesses.

Beyond the financial awards, participants consistently highlight the value of mentorship, feedback, and encouragement embedded throughout the experience. One participant described the competition as transformative, noting that it significantly strengthened her confidence and business readiness. Reflecting on the closing guidance offered by competition leadership and the New Start Program, she shared, “If the program had ended with just that experience, it still would have been worth it.”

The success of the Purse Pitch Competition would not be possible without the generosity of donors, partners, and volunteers who believe in the power of women-led businesses. A special thank you is extended to Iris Drayton-Spann, Managing Director at Stanton Chase, for her generosity and continued support. Appreciation is also shared with Erica Roberts and Bryan Roberts of the New Start Program for their valued partnership and commitment to community advancement.

“The Purse Pitch is more than a competition—it’s a platform,” said Colette Colclough, Founder and Executive Director of Forward Women’s Leadership Forum. “It creates space for women to be seen, heard, and supported as they move their ideas forward.”

The Purse Pitch Competition is a long-standing program of the Forward Women’s Leadership Forum, a Baltimore-based nonprofit committed to advancing women through its four pillars: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Health & Wellness. The organization serves thousands of women annually across Maryland and the surrounding region.

The Baltimore Times is proud to serve as a promotional partner of the Forward Women’s Leadership Forum, supporting its mission to uplift women entrepreneurs and amplify stories of leadership, innovation, and economic empowerment throughout the region.

Women interested in advancing their business or career are encouraged to join the Forward Women’s Leadership Forum community by registering for free at forwardwlf.org. The organization also invites the public to attend its 8th Annual Forward Women’s Leadership Forum, an upcoming convening focused on leadership, economic empowerment, and community impact.

The Forward Women’s Leadership Forum congratulates all contestants and celebrates the continued success of this year’s Purse Pitch winners.