Baltimore County, MD (February 7, 2025) – Community College of Baltimore County’s Center for Business Innovation & Trades hosted its 12th Annual Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony and Alumni Showcase on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
The event featured the top 10 pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs, all of whom are CCBC students or alumni. The winners shared a total of $62,500 in seed money to be used as start-up capital for their new or growing businesses.
Prize money was made possible by the generous support of the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, which has awarded more than $2 million in grant funding to expand the Center for Business Innovation over the last eight years. In addition to the start-up capital to support entrepreneurs, the grant provides instructional support to develop new courses and workshops to strengthen the business acumen for those interested in starting a new business.
“It has been truly inspiring to work alongside each finalist as they transform their passion into a strategic business plan and present their vision with confidence to the judges,” said Dennis Sullivan, executive director of CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation & Trades. “While we can only award seed money to a few, every finalist has demonstrated incredible potential. We look forward to watching these entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses in the years ahead.”
Competition winners:
Joyson BaLisamore, Jay’s Watermelonade, Owings Mills, Md. First Place ($20,000)
Jay’s Watermelonade, LLC is dedicated to providing a heart-healthy alternative to sugary drinks, promoting hydration and healthier beverage choices within Baltimore communities.
Lindsy Liu, Happy Little Paper Co. (Baltimore, MD). Second place ($15,000)
Happy Little Paper Co. is an illustration and stationery business founded by self-taught artist Lindsy Liu, an AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) entrepreneur. Based in Maryland, Happy Little Paper Co focuses on creating whimsical, cheerful designs that promote joy, inclusivity and kindness.
Madelin Martinez, MiNest (Baltimore, MD). Third place ($10,000)
MiNest offers bilingual property management services, specializing in assisting both property owners and tenants with a focus on seamless communication and reliable service.
Latesha Reid, Ready, Set, Prep Early Learning Center (Gwynn Oak, MD). Fourth place ($7,500)
Ready, Set, Prep Early Learning Center provides high-quality childcare for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years, with a focus on fostering school readiness, social-emotional growth and a love for learning.
John & Kimberly Fishback, PartyPix DJ, LLC (Middle River, MD). Runner-up ($5,000)
PartyPix DJ, LLC specializes in DJ services, photo booth rentals, decor, and catering in Maryland, with plans to expand its territory.
Chanel Waller, Herway Expedited Logistics (Baltimore, MD). Runner-up ($5,000)
Herway Expedited Logistics is a last-mile courier company providing reliable, time-sensitive delivery services tailored to the legal, financial and medical sectors.
Since 2013, CCBC’s Annual Business Plan Competition has helped launch 59 new businesses and distributed nearly $500,000 in seed money. Over the last 10 years, more than 5,000 people have engaged with CBI’s business programs, and more than 2,900 people have earned college and continuing education credits in a variety of entrepreneurial courses and workshops. The finalists in this year’s competition were among more than 85 businesses participating in workshops leading up to the competition.
Judges for this year’s competition included:The finalists also had the opportunity to work with mentors and coaches to help them craft their business plans and final pitches before the judges.
The CCBC Center for Business Innovation & Trades is dedicated to serving CCBC students and alumni who are interested in learning how to turn their ideas for new products, services, businesses, and organizations into sustainable entities. Entrepreneurial-minded students and alumni are mentored by CCBC faculty and local business owners.
For more information, visit www.ccbcmd.edu/innovation.
Since 1957, CCBC has opened the doors to accessible, affordable, high-quality education empowering generations of area residents to transform their lives and the lives of others. Each year, over 50,000 students enroll at the college’s main campuses, extension centers and online to make their starts, earn degrees, launch and build careers. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workplace certification programs that prepare students for transfer, job entry and career advancement in such industries as business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction, and transportation. Designated as the “Best Community College” among the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Reader Rankings, CCBC is also nationally recognized as a leader in innovative learning strategies and among the nation’s top associate degree producers.