In our third installation of the 2019 nglccNY Biz Pitch,
sponsored by EY on September 24, 2019, we heard from another fantastic round of
LGBTBEs. Similar to the first round held in January and the second round held
in June, two of the four suppliers were selected to advance to the final round
which will be held in December. The grand prize is a full scholarship to attend
the “Building a High-Performing Business” program at Dartmouth College’s TuckSchool of Business.
Joining the previous winners (Translator LLC and Five North Chocolate from the first round and PILOT Coaching and Play Out Apparel from the
second round) Fabio Pereira and Brandan Keaveny of Data Ethics and Jo Schneier
and Doug Krehbiel of Trusty.care will be in the final competition. Both winners
talked with Michael Venturiello, a member of the nglccNY Media &
Communications Committee, to share their experiences. Dwayne Samuels of DS2 Corporate Relocation Services also competed in the third round of Biz Pitch.
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Biz Pitch contestants and EY panel of judges and representatives pose for photo following competition. |
Data Ethics, “your professional data partner,” has been
certified as an LGBTBE with nglccNY since July of 2019. “The support from the
Chamber is great,” Keaveny shared. “It’s the fact that there are these regular
events, and not only for opportunities to network but opportunities to grow.”
In recapping his experience at the most recent round of the Biz Pitch, Keaveny
said that “everyone at EY was incredibly welcoming.” There was also a communal
feeling in the audience and from those competing on stage. “From the previous
networking events and other opportunities, it felt like you were competing with
friends, not against strangers.”
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Brandan Keaveny of Data Ethics. |
Similarly, Trusty.care has felt the positive impacts of the
Chamber within their own business. “Trusty builds health and insurance software
for one of the most overlooked markets, the half of Americans that receive
their insurance from government-sponsored plans,” and with diversity being a
core tenant of his company, Jo Schneier really appreciates the chance to meet
other diverse businesses who are committed to this practice. “I met different
people who I see future partnerships evolving with through the community.” On
sharing his experience with the Biz Pitch, Jo adds, “the Biz Pitch helped frame
what we’re doing in a new way. It helped us see a new perspective on the
business that we hadn’t seen before, which is a critical component to success.”
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Winners of nglccNY Third Round of Biz Pitch pose with TJ Chernick, Executive Director. |
A mutual benefit that both businesses shared was the goal of
ongoing learning and growth within their
businesses. “Everyone wins just by being there,” Keaveny shared. “There is a
continuous learning element, and it is just so powerful to be in a community of
learners. We received expert feedback from a team who has expert subject matter
knowledge.”
The final contest will be held on December 11, 2019. This
event, followed by the last M3 of 2019, is the final Biz Pitch contest with
winners from the previous rounds competing for the grand prize. You will not
want to miss this event!
Michael Venturiello is the founder of Christopher StreetTours, an LGBTQ walking tour company that focuses on making LGBTQ history
accessible to all. He is a proud member of nglccNY and sits on the Media and
Communications committee.
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