The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Orlando has identified eight women entrepreneurs as finalists for its 2025 PropelHER Pitch Competition. This event, part of the Take Flight Women's Business Conference on May 15, 2025, aims to spotlight female founders across NextGen, Emerging, and Established categories, offering over $18,000 in cash prizes and business services.
Among the NextGen finalists are Line Cherrelus, with her Hair Hub mobile app for affordable hair care resources for Black women, and Elaina Dixon, creator of Blossoming to Broadway, a program using drama therapy for youth social-emotional growth. The Emerging category features Janell Borrero of MoneyPOP, a fintech platform with AI-powered financial coaching for beauty professionals, and Daisy Parks of Wellside Health, a telehealth service provider. Established finalists include Julie Kostic of JK Creative, a design agency for small business branding, and Cristina Duncan's Leaders in Training, a youth development program.
The conference will also offer attendees the chance to engage with keynote speakers, expert-led panels on marketing and funding, and networking opportunities with women business leaders and investors. Karen Kurta, PropelHER Committee Chair, and Deanna Novak, Judging Coordinator, praised the finalists for their innovative contributions to Florida's economy and the competition's role in supporting women-owned businesses.
