Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC)

?? Join the Maryland Business Opportunity Center as we celebrate our 2nd Annual Showcase on March 12th, from 10 am- 2 pm at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland ?? Discover how MBOC is helping to transform businesses in your community. - Hear strategic business advice from our Keynote Speaker, Laura Neuman! - Receive a professional headshot (limited to first come first serve!) - Meet the subject matter experts behind our success stories - Watch MBOC's very first live pitch competition - Network and meet other small business owners - Learn how MBOC and our partner programs support YOUR small business objectives! Early Bird Tickets are on sale now until February 21st. Don’t miss out on this $25 sale! Register Here: https://lnkd.in/e99wDq8F #MarylandStrong #MBOC #MBOCShowcase #SmallBusiness #MarylandBusiness

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible panelists who joined us for MBOC’s 2nd Annual Showcase & Pitch Competition! We are so grateful to Cara Johnson-Graves, Troy Stovall, Javier N. Solis, CFE, and Erica Dobbs for sharing their time, insights, and expertise during their panel discussion, "How to Build a Resilient Business." Your thoughtful perspectives and real-world experiences left a lasting impact on everyone in the room. A special thank you to Glenna Cush for expertly moderating the panel and serving as our mistress of ceremonies. Your leadership and energy helped set the tone for an inspiring day. Thank you all for helping us create a space where bold ideas and business resilience take center stage. #MarylandStrong #MBOC

?? Calling all Hispanic-owned businesses! ?? In an effort to expand outreach and support, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is proud to host a free, virtual Spanish-only workshop focused on helping businesses apply for: ? Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) ? Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) ? Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) ? Small Business Enterprise (SBE) ?? Date: April 8, 2025 ?? Time: 10:00 AM ?? Format: Virtual | Spanish Only This is a fantastic opportunity for Spanish-speaking business owners to receive expert guidance and get questions answered in real time — all in Spanish! ?? https://lnkd.in/dDDkY4SU

?? We want to hear from you! ?? Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2nd Annual Showcase & Pitch Competition — your energy, support, and innovation made it unforgettable! Now, we’d love your feedback. ?? Let us know how we did! Your insights will help us make next year’s event even better. Please take a few moments to complete our short survey below: ?? https://lnkd.in/eZTJEGJC #MarylandStrong #MBOC

?? Heels optional - especially for those ??running a startup! ?? Last week Left Knee Patch had the honor of participating at the Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) 2nd Annual Showcase and witness the pitch competition with these exciting new Maryland startups! #MBOC #SBDC #MarylandStrong #MBOCShowcase ?? Congratulations to the winners Revvl, Laundry Basket Delivery, and #TheLightProviders! ?? Thank you Laura Neuman for a month of intense training & pushing us to the max! ?? Shoutout to my fellow founders & their startups: Aalliyeh Clinton - Monneah’s Engineered Materials Laurie Murphy - Juss Rite Creations Alexandra "Lexx" Mills - Revvl Tasandra Benn - #SunshineRoots Claudius Taylor, PMP - Gambix Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP - Laundry Basket Delivery Jose-Luis Gallagher - Rip Current Sports LLC Sabrina Curtis, Ph.D., Dr.-Ing. - Khanjur R&D Ishmael Kamara - #TheLightProviders Khabir Muhammad - Creditfixrr Dymond Jewel - #AffirmationDolls

Congratulations to our very first Pitch Competition cohort! ?? Over the past few months, nearly 20 incredible entrepreneurs participated in MBOC’s 6-week Pitch Competition Course, led by the amazing Laura Neuman. From refining their messaging to building pitch decks and sharpening their delivery, each cohort member showed tremendous resilience, growth, and collaboration. Last Wednesday, six finalists took the stage to deliver their 3-minute pitches — and they absolutely nailed it! ?? 1st Place: Alexandra "Lexx" Mills - Revvl ?? 2nd Place: Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP - The Laundry Basket ?? Audience Choice: Ishmael Kamara – The Light Providers ?? Runner-Ups: ? Jose-Luis Gallagher – RIP Current Sports ? Khabir Muhammad – Creditfixrr ? Sabrina Curtis, Ph.D., Dr.-Ing. – Khanjur R&D We’re so proud of every participant in this first cohort. Your passion, persistence, and pitch power were truly inspiring! A special thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: BALTIMORE COMMUNITY LENDING, Shore United Bank, Meridian Management Group, Inc., Lendistry, Momentus Capital, and Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce. Your support helps empower entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams!

Women's History Month has been nothing short of EPIC! Grateful to have been a panelist at the Maryland Business Opportunity Center's 2nd Annual Showcase & Pitch Competition, where I spoke on the topic "How to Build a Resilient Business." Resilience has been at the heart of our journey with EPIC Everyday — a trailblazing kids' brand on a mission to empower the next generation to be Empowered, Positive, Innovative, and Creative. As a female-founded, family-owned business, we proudly fill a critical gap in the market with vibrant, multicultural products that celebrate diversity and representation. From our Positive Reflection Collection of apparel, accessories, and home goods to our international growth fueled by personal investment and purpose — every piece we create is rooted in self-love, confidence, and joy for children from all walks of life. We believe every child deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and valued. That’s why we stand by our motto: "Never Ordinary, Always EPIC!" Thank you to the Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) for this amazing platform and the opportunity to meet Erica Dobbs Javier N. Solis, CFE Troy Stovall Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP Laura Neuman and Y. Maria M.! Let’s keep building boldly and inspiring the next generation — the EPIC way. #MBOC #SBDC #MarylandStrong #MBOCShowcase #EPICEveryday

Thank you Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) for the invitation to celebrate your accomplishments in helping often-underserved #entrepreneurs! Your awesome team deserves the #MBOCShowcase to highlight the work you've all done this year - bringing capital, jobs, and opportunity through small business support. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Glenn Ivey you have unlocked great work in your state with the support of these programs! Special shoutout to: Lora Brown Omoré Okhomina Jada Riley Virginia Dinzey-Taveras, MBA Nia Pitt Niani McDonald and Jasmine Simms for putting on such a great show to highlight the impacts of your work.

Great pitches and presentations today at the Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) annual showcase!

Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) Delivered BIG at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland The event was packed with powerful insights, real conversations, and game-changing moments. Congratulations to Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP ?? Laura Newman dropped gems on business growth. ?? Erica Dobbs, Cara Johnson-Graves, Javier N. Solis, CFE, and Tory Lemaile-Stovall shared real talk on success. ?? The AI workshop explored the future of innovation. ?? Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP Congratulations on winning $1K in the high-energy pitch competition! ?????? This event was a reminder that when we come together, opportunities happen. A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible! #MBOC #BusinessGrowth #Networking #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #AIInnovation #StrongerTogether