San Jac Pitch Day awards $4,750 to local entrepreneurs
Aspiring entrepreneurs from across East Harris County came together for a live business pitch competition at Pitch Day, hosted by The San Jacinto College Center for Entrepreneurship on April 28. Eight competitors vied for $4,750 in cash prizes and business support services by presenting business ideas ranging from sustainable apparel to experiential event planning. Participants also competed for business support services, including a marketing package, office space, and consulting services from local partners.
"The Center for Entrepreneurship is committed to helping students and community members turn ideas into action," said Patricia Wells, Center for Entrepreneurship director. "Events like Pitch Day give aspiring entrepreneurs a platform to build confidence, receive feedback, and take steps toward launching or growing their business."
The event was the finale of The Pitch Lab Series 2026, a multi-week program focused on financial literacy, access to capital, business operations, and pitch strategy.
Kasi Nayles took first place and $1,600 with For the Few Intimates, a sustainable intimate apparel brand focused on body positivity, inclusivity, and eco-consciousness. The business addresses a longstanding issue in the intimate apparel industry through inclusive sizing and skin-tone matching.
San Jac alum Madison Beal placed second, earning $1,400 for The Purse, a concept aimed at restoring hope, dignity, and self-worth for underserved women through a boutique-style experience that provides hygiene, wellness, and beauty products in a purse.
"Placing second meant a lot to me because I wanted the judges to see this was more than an idea – it was a vision with purpose, structure, and long-term impact behind it,” said Beal. “I spent a lot of time thinking through every detail, from operations and financial planning to the experience I want women to have at our events."
Jules Hampton earned third place and $1,000 with ELLA Learning Studio, a virtual, learning studio focused on mastering math, structure, and accountability.
Tyvarion Malone received the $750 Audience Choice Award for Tyed Together Events, a multi-service experiential brand designing events, travel experiences, and environments meant to bring people together.
Also competing were:
- Melissa Burgos, Isabel's Cleaning Service
- San Jac student Abigail Guevara, DWD Christian Jewelry
- San Jac alum Mayrin Herrera, Amen Media
- Nakia Sims, Sims Sisters Singing Telegrams
Sheila R. Simon, San Jac continuing and professional development director, served as a judge and said pitch competitions offer benefits beyond cash prizes.
"For small business owners and emerging entrepreneurs, a pitch competition is not just about the prize money or the win," Simon said. "It is a high-pressure environment that demands strategic focus and critical thinking to prove business viability. It also provides opportunities for visibility, validation, and growth."
The judging panel included:
- Doris Guzman of the Houston-Galveston Area Council
- Tim Jeffcoat, former U.S. Small Business Administration deputy director
- Nathan Narragon, San Jac accounting and general business professor
- Kenneth Wimbley, KNCS Services president and member of the center's entrepreneurship advisory committee
Ashley Brown, a Lake Houston area real estate agent with the Polomsky Team and Red Door Realty and Associates, served as host and emcee.
The Center for Entrepreneurship coordinated the training series with support from the college's continuing and professional development division, the Small Business Development Center, SCORE Business Mentoring, and community partners.
Jean' Austin of Austin Business Strategies and Wimbley, both business owners and mentors to students at the center, provided food and refreshments for the event. Funding came from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship through its Everyday Entrepreneurship Venture Fund, which plans to support a second annual Pitch Day next spring.
"Our goal is to continue building a Center for Entrepreneurship that serves as a resource for students, employees, small business owners, and community partners," Wells said. "This work positions San Jac as a place where ideas can grow."
Learn more about the Center for Entrepreneurship
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020 and 2026. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
