HerStory Luncheon Celebrates Women-Owned Small Businesses and Startups

Last week, we hosted winners from our HerStory Pitch Competition for a luncheon at the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation headquarters!   

We celebrated the hard work and accomplishments of each of our pitch competition participants with a delicious lunch catered by Mike’s Deli, home to some of the best sandwiches in Los Angeles. Our HerStory winners also received their cash prizes from the competition. Here’s a primer on our outstanding HerStory participants:  

Startup Winners:  

First Place and Audience Choice Winner, with a prize of $2,000: Liberated Eyewear, Inc. – Crystal Crawford – Liberated Eyewear, Inc. was created in 2022 by Crystal Crawford, a Senior Cancer Research Professional and Black Woman Entrepreneur. Less than 3% of designer eyewear companies are Black-owned. Over 161 million adults require corrective vision, while over 70% of consumers will choose a pair of eyewear based on style. Crystal Crawford’s ethos behind Liberated Eyewear: “There is real power in the presence of just being yourself so throw on ya shades, do you, and block out the bs.” Shop Liberated Eyewear: https://www.liberatedeyewear.com/pages/about-us and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liberated__eyewear/.  

Second Place, with a prize of $1,000: Events by DAB, LLC – Desiree Ashe Bradford. Events By DAB, LLC is a full service planning and production agency with your brand, vision, and mission in mind. Desiree Ashe Bradford has worked with a long list of celebrity clients, brands, and Fortune 500 companies to bring their visions to life and create truly impactful moments and long lasting memories for their audiences. Formerly serving in house to some of the biggest nightlife brands including Tao Group Hospitality, as their Director of Events, and The Ainsworth, Desiree started Events By DAB with the mission to expand the way people think about events. Events By DAB’s services include weddings, branded activations, live performances, red carpet events, and proposal planning. Book Events By DAB here: https://eventsbydab.com/ and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsbydab/.  

Third Place, with a prize of $500: MODEFYWear – Melissa Scott. MODEFYwear is equalizing the playing field for all women who want to participate in sports. MODEFYWear designs and manufactures (at their downtown Los Angeles studio) active and swim wear for women who dress modestly. MODEFYWear designed the world’s first athletic hijab for the digital era. MODEFYWear designs for total inclusivity for Muslims, Jewish, Pentecostal and Mormons as well as plus size individuals and those who want more sun protection coverage. They will continue to make it possible for all women to participate in sports regardless of their religions or cultural background. Shop MODEFYWear at their site: https://modefywear.com/ and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modefywear/. 

Small Business Winners:  

First Place, with a prize of $1,500: 4Hunnid Logistics, LLC – Jana Johnson. 4Hunnid Logistics, a freight transport company, guarantees 400% effort 400 times out of 400.  4Hunnid Logistics is based close to the Los Angeles/Long Beach port, one of the busiest ports in the world and they are familiar with LA, Long Beach, Oakland, Houston, and Galveston Port requirements. 4Hunnid Logistics is MBE/WBE Certified by the CIty of Los Angeles. Learn more about 4Hunnid Logistics at their website: https://4hunnidlogisticsllc.com/. 

Second Place, with a prize of $1,000: B3 Media Solutions, Inc. – Myra Francois Bell. B3 Media Solutions, Inc. was founded as an agency to harness the power of social and video intelligence data to provide brands insights for their toughest digital/social analytic problems. The social media analytics market is growing rapidly because of the transition from traditional Business Intelligence (BI) techniques to advanced analytics techniques and the massive surge in the number of social media users. B3 Media Solutions, Inc. is your trusted partner to handle this transition and partner with your business to translate your social and web data into actionable insights brands can act upon. Collectively, B3 Media Solutions has over 25 years of market research, social media, and enterprise level client experience. Learn more about B3 Media Solutions at their website: https://www.b3mediasolutions.com/ and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b3mediasolutions/. 

Third Place, with a prize of $500: Tracey Ambrose W.R.A.P. (With Revelation and Purpose) – Tracey Sykes Ambrose. Tracey Ambrose W.R.A.P. accessories and wearable fashions are created with traditional talents and modern visions. 98% of Tracey Ambrose W.R.A.P. hand-crocheted accessories and wearable fashions are free-hand (not crocheted from a pattern). Ambrose obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business management and business administration but had no idea that she would become an entrepreneur as a crochet designer and as a fiber fashion artist. Custom, made-to-order designs are a huge part of Ambrose’s business. Shop Tracey Ambrose W.R.A.P. at her website: https://www.shoptraceyambrosewrap.com/ and follow Tracey Ambrose W.R.A.P. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceyambrosewrap/?igshid=a1jv93d16vmw.