The Crown Pitch returned on Juneteenth, featuring six Black woman-owned businesses
Six Black female entrepreneurs competed for the chance to win a $7,500 or $2,500 business grant at The Crown Pitch Competition.
Did you know that Black entrepreneurs receive less than 1 percent of access to capital? Furthermore, 42 percent of the Black population in Knxoville lives in poverty.
The Women and the Shora Foundation believe those two statistics go hand in hand. And, the founders of those organizations, who also happen to be sisters, Tanika and Deidre Harper, are determined to close that gap. Their combined mission and purpose is to open doors for Black Women-owned businesses to thrive in the marketplace.
One avenue they are pursuing to make that happen is the Crown Pitch competition. It’s a highly supportive, uplifting, competitive pitch contest for Balck-Women-Owned Businesses in the Knoxville area.
“Every cheer, every clap, every shout of support fuels the mission,” they said at the opening ceremony on Thursday evening.
Last year’s winner was Jasmine Allmon, of Allmon Artistry. Her company does medical-grade treatments such as permanent makeup, paramedical tattooing for scars and stretch marks, micro-scalp pigmentation for hair loss patients, 3D Areola tattooing for cancer survivors, as well as chemical peels, facials, body treatments, and waxing. About a week ago, Allmon got the keys to her very own brick-and-mortar space in Bearden. She said the Crown Pitch was an integral part of making that happen.
This year’s competition was packed with innovative, creative businesses based in Knoxville.
The winner of the 2025 Crown Pitch and $7,500 was Brianna Best, Breezy’s Plant Powered.
The company is a plant-based culinary experience that introduced people to the power of healthy vegan diets. Best creates recipes with clean ingredients.
Her goal is to use the money to be able to cater to more people, and find a more consistent commercial kitchen to prepare her food.
She said the Black population is the fastest-growing vegan population.
The “Next Best Pitch” award of $2,500 went to Keshadra Tate, the founder of Flower Fire Candle & Tea Making Company. She hosts classes for people to unwind, create candles, and enjoy a relaxing tea experience.
Additionally, she sells hand poured candles, infused with various flowers and oils for skin nutrition.
Tate said each flower helps with a different purpose such as pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, eczema and more.
Other presenters included Alexis Alsup, the founder of Empowered Doula Services, Eboni James, the founder of Kids Cove Drop-In, Contessa Pierre, the founder of Forever Heard, and Sherry Dial, the founder of Dial Services LLC.
The judges for the competition were Dr. Angelique Adams, Kristen Coleman, and Beverly Holland.
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