A packed ballroom in Downtown Brooklyn set the stage for the borough’s next wave of entrepreneurs Tuesday night, as 10 small-business owners stepped into the spotlight to pitch their brands in a high-stakes, “Shark Tank”-style competition hosted by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and its retail initiative, Brooklyn Made.
The Brooklyn spin on the reality TV show — in which entrepreneurs pitch million-dollar ideas to investors in hopes of securing funding — marked the culmination of Ignite Brooklyn Made, a new $400,000 grant-and-pitch competition funded by Wells Fargo. More than 200 Brooklyn-based small businesses applied for the opportunity to receive $25,000 in initial funding and participate in an advisory program focused on growth strategy, financial planning and scaling operations.
Randy Peers, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, told Brooklyn Paper the event, hosted at the BRIC Arts Media Ballroom, aimed to inspire makers to grow their businesses and encourage others in the community to think big and creatively.
“Who you’re going to meet tonight is really 10 of our best, the ones that have really demonstrated growth potential, and we’re here to support that growth potential,” Peers said, calling Brooklyn the creative heart of New York City, if not the world. “We have some of the most incredible makers that really showcase everything that you can imagine, from apparel to packaged food goods to home goods like candles and dish towels to art, jewelry, even pet products and baby products, and they’re all here.”
The 10 finalists vying for additional funding were:
- Alexzandra Denis of Avalah All Natural, a natural beauty brand creating body oils, hair care and skincare products made with plant-based ingredients and inspired by Caribbean self-care traditions.
- Auria Abraham of Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen, which features Malaysian pantry staples — including sambal chili pastes and kaya coconut jam — designed to bring authentic Southeast Asian flavors to home cooks.
- Theresa Berens of Boss Dotty Paper Co., a stationery and gift brand featuring illustrated greeting cards and paper goods inspired by everyday moments.
- Tracey Solomon of Flatbush Granola Company, a food brand creating small-batch granola blends and a candle line that celebrates global flavors and the borough’s cultural diversity.
- Christina Wu and Alex Matos of Kemushi Sauce, a company inspired by Japanese culinary traditions, featuring condiments like spicy mayo, umami soy sauce and unagi sauce.
- Roselyn Shiyenze of Shiynze, a sustainable fashion brand blending African-inspired textiles with contemporary design, rooted in heritage, storytelling and cultural pride.
- Cory Lee of Skool Milk, a clothing brand producing neighborhood-inspired apparel celebrating hometown pride and the identity of New York City communities.
- Khareen Georges of Teazert Tea, a specialty tea company that creates premium loose-leaf teas inspired by classic desserts.
- Charly Uzcátegui of Terrart NYC, a design studio creating low-maintenance, handcrafted and self-sustaining terrariums and moss installations.
- The mother-daughter duo Shanice Black and Patricia Chatrie of Ting A Ling, a food brand producing authentic Jamaican jerk sauces and marinades designed to bring bold Caribbean flavors to everyday home cooking.
The panel of judges included Gustavo E. Perez, vice president of Business Growth Philanthropy at the Wells Fargo Foundation; Sonya Smith, state director of the New York Small Business Development Centers; Kathy Wylde, former president and CEO of Partnership for New York; and Regina Myer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. They evaluated each pitch based on growth strategy, market opportunity and scalability, clarity of capital deployment, operational readiness, and the quality of the presentation and Q&A before selecting the winners.
Khareen Georges of Teazert Tea won first place and $25,000; Theresa Berens of Boss Dotty Paper Co. placed second and took home $15,000; and third-place winner Shanice Black received $10,000.
Georges said winning the grand prize would turn her dream into a reality, noting that Black female representation in the beverage industry is less than 1%.
“This started as a dream that I really never thought would get this big. I’ve only been doing this for four years, and to be a baby and to just be acknowledged in this way, it lets me know that people see my vision and they believe in me,” Georges told Brooklyn Paper.
Her advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs was to overcome the fear of failure and celebrate small accomplishments.
“For me, those two things led me here. It built my confidence, and it helped me really believe in myself,” she said.
Second runner-up Black told Brooklyn Paper she was nervous while presenting her pitch but excited to share her company’s vision with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Brooklyn Made.
“It’s so amazing how much they really try to support Brooklyn founders. Even before we got here, we had, like, very intense, like, coaching sessions. We got to practice our pitch, like we had a speaking coach. Like, it’s not just one-and-done. It’s like they really want us to be our best,” Black said.
Fellow competitors Christina Wu, Roselyn Shiyenze and Tracey Solomon described how they prepared for the contest and praised the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Brooklyn Made for supporting small businesses.
Wu told Brooklyn Paper that “Shark Tank” was her favorite reality TV show and that the Ignite Brooklyn Made Pitch Competition gave her a taste of what it would be like to appear on the show, though she said preparation had been “grueling.”
“We have been practicing with coaches. We’ve been practicing with friends and family. I’ve been developing my sauces and just making sure that everybody who comes to try kamushi walks away in love,” Wu said.
Shiyenze said her father and her team helped her prepare for the pitch.
“I applied in faith, you know? I’m still a young brand, but they gave me a chance,” Shiyenze said.
Solomon said the competition was an opportunity for small businesses to be introduced to the broader Brooklyn community.
“It’s such a really incredible group of businesses that Brooklyn Made Store has curated that I didn’t think I had any better chance than anyone. I was like, well, ‘I’ll put my hat in the ring, and we’ll see what happens.’ You know, if you don’t take the shot, you can’t win,” Solomon told Brooklyn Paper.
Audience member Tenay Fowler, a small-business owner who produces all-natural coconut soy candles with an emphasis on self-love, said she was inspired by the presentations.
“I thought I could get inspired and learn from the other makers,” Fowler told Brooklyn Paper. “I think it is truly incredible, like from the very beginning, the pitches are so inspiring. You can see that everyone put a lot of love and a lot of thought into everything, and the actual products are really great.”.
