ER Ministries receives
blessing thanks to ACCION
By Dennis M. Ayotte, Jr.
dayotte@laprensasa.com
Last week ACCION held its fourth annual symposium “Inspire. Pitch. Talk.” at the Pearl Stable. The three finalist were invited to share their idea at the first-ever business pitch competition hosted by ACCION.
All the finalists were deserving and had ideas that were unique and served a purpose in the community. However the winner of the competition was Elisa Riebeling of Elisa Riebeling (ER) Ministries. Riebeling’s mission is to provide a helping hand to those in dire need. From single mothers and fathers struggling to keep food on the table and the lights on, to women who are in abusive relationships, Riebeling looks to help them all. She will take home prizes totally over $5000. Some of the prizes included a SWEB application for her ministry, an editorial offered by NSIDE magazine and a $2500 check.
“Wow,” said Founder of ER Ministries Elisa Riebeling. “It’s a dream come true because of how I was raised and being hopeless at times myself through a failed marriage, being struggling single mother and a battered woman survivor-this truly a dream come true.” Submissions for the competition required applicants to submit a 60-second video to depict the mission and vision of their company, the products and services they offer and where they fit in the market. “The submissions received were truly inspiring,” said Mark Koshnick, Market President for San Antonio, Capital One Bank. “The pride, passion and perseverance that the applicants demonstrated in their business pitches was a true example of San Antonio’s entrepreneurial spirit and Capital One Bank is pleased to sponsor ACCION in their commitment to grow small businesses through this event.”
In addition to ACCION’s Annual Symposium, 28 of San Antonio’s most innovative and established business-owners shared their stories during a roundtable session. Among the successful business and community leaders in attendance were Elaine Wolff, editor of Plaza de Armas, Donna Tuttle of the San Antonio Business Journal and April Ancira. Attendees sat and ate lunch with the speakers to learn about their experiences, lessons learned and shared knowledge on a range of topics.
“Having the right resources is key to business growth,” said Celina Pena, Vice President of Business Support for ACCION Texas. “The purpose of our Annual Business Symposiums is not only to provide aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups the tools they require to grow their business, but with this year’s first Biz Pitch Competition, we’re also inspiring the motivation and networking resources they need as well.”
http://issues.laprensasa.com/downloadable-issues/2011/laprensa/pdf/100211A.pdf
