Meet Our Entrepreneurs
Kenya Adams
PANTYBUDDY
As part of National Business Women’s Week 2021, we’ll be featuring some of our Academy Alumna and their stories on this blog page. First up is Kenya Adams, owner and founder of PantyBuddy and our recent first-place winner of the Lipscomb BAM x Corner to Corner Pitch Contest.
Kenya signed up for The Academy in February 2020 with only an idea. “The facilitators in my class literally pushed me every step of the way to turn my idea into a reality. They encouraged me to officially establish PantyBuddy as an LLC, to get a website, secure social media handles, and helped me to gather my thoughts around my product pitch. I always say that signing up for the Academy was the best thing I ever did because it not only gave me the knowledge and the tools I needed to become an entrepreneur, it gave me the support system I needed.”
Since graduating in May 2020, Kenya has been getting the word out about PantyBuddy and expanding her business. Just this past month, in September of 2021, she participated in the Lipscomb BAM x Corner to Corner Pitch Contest. Alongside six other Academy Alumni businesses, Kenya pitched her business and how it has impacted the community. As our first place winner, she walked away with $5,000, a MacBook, a pair of Air Pod Pros, and a lot of emotions!
“I was proud, surprised, excited, but most of all I was extremely honored. The Pitch Contest featured some of the best and brightest businesses to come out of The Academy, many of whom I personally look up to and really admire. To share the stage with these peers was a complete honor to begin with, and then to come out on top was an extreme confidence booster. It made me feel like ‘Ok Kenya, you can do this!’”
As a woman in business, there are more hurdles to jump through and more obstacles to overcome. Kenya’s biggest tip? Rely on your support system!
“I wear many demanding hats; I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, etc. But as a female business owner, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that it is okay to prioritize my desire to excel in business. Sometimes that means I’m on the road to a trade show on the weekends, or that I’m up late at night, or that I’m taking an evening meeting, and don’t have time to cook dinner. So, when my husband sees I am caught up in PantyBuddy work, instead of asking what’s for dinner, he’s gotten really good at picking up the phone and ordering pizza LOL! Seriously, the biggest lesson I have learned is to lean on my support system and ask for help when I need it.”
We are so honored to have women like Kenya in our Corner to Corner community! To support women in business, invest in entrepreneurs like Kenya; Invest in Corner to Corner.
Follow Kenya’s story
Danielle McGee
BLACK BUSINESS BOOM
As part of National Business Women’s Week 2021, we’ll be featuring some of our Academy Alumna and their stories on this blog page. Let us introduce you to Danielle McGee, owner and founder of the Black Business Boom and our recent second-place winner of the Lipscomb BAM x Corner to Corner Pitch Contest.
Danielle McGee created The Black Business Boom to increase the digital footprint of Black businesses by lending digital marketing resources and education to Black-owned businesses. They also offer social media support to help make businesses more accessible to a wider audience – and they definitely know what they’re talking about! Black Business Boom has over 50k followers on Instagram and *thousands* of likes and follows on Facebook. In addition to supporting and educating businesses in our community, Black Business Boom has also started a cashback rewards program, called The Bloc, for supporting Black-owned businesses.
Before Black Business Boom was a resource for our community though, it was just an idea that Danielle had dreamed up. Enrolling in The Academy helped turn that dream into a money-making reality.
“The Academy helped me to take a step back, get foundational principles and strategize before launching my business. The Academy made me slow down and do things the right way when launching Black Business Boom. The alumni support has also been instrumental in the growth of my business.”
Creating a continued program for support and encouragement for our Academy Alumni is a crucial part of our programming; we believe in showing up for our neighbors time and time again. One of our favorite ways to showcase our alumni and their impact on our community is through Pitch Contests, like the one we put on in tandem with Lipscomb’s BAM Conference. Danielle pitched Black Business Boom to a panel of judges and walked away with second-place, $2,000, and a pair of Air Pod Pros. But it was about more than the cash prize for Danielle.
“My favorite part of the Pitch Contest was stepping on stage and conquering my fear. I have always been scared to pitch my business in a live competition. The pitch competition allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and out of my own way.”
Now that she’s conquered her fear of public pitching, the world better watch out! As a woman in business, Danielle has learned many invaluable lessons. Her advice to other women entrepreneurs and business owners?
“The most important thing I have learned is how important it is to pivot and go with the flow. Things change and that is okay. It’s okay to reinvent yourself and your business, as much as you have to until you get it right. Be committed to adapting until you find the business model that fits your vision and your life.”
Having women role models such as Danielle in our local business community is priceless. When you invest in Corner to Corner, you’re investing in the continued support of role models like Danielle, and the opportunity for others to become role models for the next generation. Invest today.
