WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS CELEBRATED AT 5TH ANNUAL S.H.E. PITCH COMPETITION

$14,500 awarded to local women-owned businesses during S.H.E. Week

FREDERICK, Md., Aug. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The energy in the Hood College Hodson Auditorium was electric as six women entrepreneurs took the stage for the fifth annual S.H.E. Pitch competition. Held during the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce's S.H.E. Week, the event showcased women owned business ventures in both their idea and growth stages, offering them a platform for recognition, financial support, and valuable exposure.

Winners of the 2025 SHE Pitch competition include:

Idea Stage Winner ($5,000): Ngoc Chau, NCE BIM Consulting
Growth Stage Winner ($5,000): Michelle Bryan, Sweet Maddie's – Cookies on Demand People's Choice Award ($500): Michelle Bryan, Sweet Maddie's – Cookies on Demand
She's Rising Award ($500): Inga James, Nonprofit Growth Strategies of Maryland
Pitch Creator Hustle Award ($500): Holly Nelson, The Play Café

All finalists received $500 thanks to generous community partners. The complete list of finalists includes:
Ngoc Chau, NCE BIM Consulting
Michelle Bryan, Sweet Maddie's
Mari Millard, Two Maids Frederick
Holly Nelson, The Play Café
Jarena Griffin-Price, Box 154
Inga James, Nonprofit Growth Strategies of Maryland

"S.H.E. Pitch is about more than business plans and prize money. It's about showing women that their ideas are worth investing in and that there is a community here that believes in their potential," said Shelby Maly, Director of Marketing for the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. "These finalists have been on their S.H.E. Pitch journey since April, refining their investment summaries, building their confidence, and preparing to tell their stories. Every one of them brought strength and momentum to the stage. We were honored to celebrate them."

In addition to cash prizes, finalists were awarded a range of in-kind support designed to fuel their business growth in Frederick County. These included coworking memberships from SHIFT Work + Play, print vouchers from Print @ Hood, QuickBooks training and consulting from Details Matter Bookkeeping & Advising, professional headshots by Ak's GraFix & Photography, an advertising package from Sass Magazine, and media exposure through a feature on Good Morning Frederick with Dani Gurrie.

About the Women in Business Committee
The Women in Business committee's mission is to empower and develop women through education, networking, mentoring and partnerships and to promote opportunities for all women throughout Frederick County. Women in Business committee members develop programs that provide opportunities for women to learn and network as well as share their expertise with each other and to address the unique issues of women in business.

About the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce
The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice of business and provides strategic leadership and engagement in building the future of business and the community through information, collaboration, advocacy and services on behalf of the employers in our community.

*Photo of the competitors, emcees, and judges. From left to right, Shelby Maly, Amber Smith, Jamie Fisher, Dr. Mahesh Joshi, Inga James, Mary Ford-Naill, Karen Kalantzis, Holly Nelson, Mari Millard, Karen Sippel, Ngoc Chau, Alan Mullendore, Michelle Bryan, Emily Dorr, Beth Woodring, Helen Propheter, Casey Beins, Jarena Griffin-Price. Photo credit: Acacia Bowens, AK's GraFix & Photography

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SOURCE Frederick County Chamber of Commerce