See which locals are pitching — and judging — in Stoke’s ‘Shark Tank’-style biz competition

[Image: FlintConf 2023/Will Milne]

BY AMBER GAUDET • NOV 6, 2023

Co-working space Stoke has announced finalists for the second annual Denton Pitch Competition for entrepreneurs, set to take place later this month.

Stoke, in partnership with the city of Denton, will invite 10 Denton-based entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative business ideas in a “Shark Tank-style” competition on Nov. 16. Finalists will pitch in front of a panel of judges and attendees for one of three cash prizes.

The finalists are:

  • Anthony Najera of Colectivo Creative Media

  • Ashley Chisolm of Rhea Lana’s of Denton

  • Danielle Sibley of Speak Easy Speech Therapy

  • Dave Weaver of Goldenroot Gingerbeer

  • Cassidy Fuess of Countryside Montessori

  • Latoya Lawrence of Groovy Chicken and Waffles

  • Lillia Whittington of Denton Sewing School

  • Lois Robertson and Betz Baker of Triptych Coffee Co.

  • Marina Earley of Inner Wilderness Art Studio

  • Taushey Sias of Taushey’s Vocal Lab

The judges who will determine the winners are:

  • Lori Logan, director of the North Texas Small Business Development Center

  • Mark Cieri, co-founder of Storage Defender

  • Pushkula Raman, associate dean of academic affairs and marketing professor at Texas Woman’s University

  • Tracey Long, president of Denton Main Street Association and lender at Worthington Bank

  • Zahmaria Choice, Miss Denton 2024 and community liaison at EverBank

“The Denton Pitch Competition is a celebration of local entrepreneurship,” Stoke Executive Director Heather Gregory said. “We invite the community to come and show their support for these talented individuals who are the lifeblood of our city’s creative economy.”

The event will be held at Sunago Bell from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, and it’s open to the public. A networking happy hour and local entrepreneur expo will begin at 6 p.m. following the conclusion of the competition.

Find more information and RSVP on the Denton Pitch Competition webpage.