Tutoring service Above the Limit was the big winner in the Elevate Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition on Wednesday.
The business, owned by Karen Dugas, won a $5,000 prize out of the eight finalists. Other winners were Nina Creole, owned by Nina Charles, and BeLuxxe Health and Wellness, owned by Raquel McCorvey.
Eight contestants were given four minutes to pitch their businesses to three judges. The pitches covered their marketing strategies, plans with the prize money and how they size up to their competitors.
Judges then had three minutes to ask questions and discuss business strategies with each business owner.
Dugas plans on using the funds to create a computer lab at her tutoring center, 105 Independence Blvd., Suite 3. Lots of ACT prep and schoolwork is now online, so being able to provide computers is the next step, she said.
“I’m looking forward to helping the families we serve,” Dugas said. “I’m excited to share the mission of Above the Limit. I feel trapped sometimes in social media, but I’m glad I got to spread the word in person.”
Charles, who appeared on the Netflix show "Is It Cake?" after becoming popular on social media, owns Nina Creole, a creole style food truck. She offers vegetarian, vegan and kid-friendly options. She plans to use the prize money for shipping and stocking her establishment.
“It feels amazing and relieving,” Charles said. “I was nervous and I don’t normally do things like this, but I’m so glad I did.”
The second-place prize was $2,500, and the third-place prize was $1,000.
The competition was sponsored by Opportunity Machine, Lafayette Economic Development Authority and the LEED Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as part of an ongoing effort to support small and minority-owned businesses.