HarborOne Bank Awards $12,500 to Local Entrepreneurs

October 03, 2023 at 08:00 AM EDT

Finalists pitch Business Plans to a Panel of Judges at HarborOne’s Banking & Educational Center in Mansfield.

HarborOne awarded $12,500 to two small business entrepreneurs as part of their 8th annual Small Business “Pitch Contest,” hosted at the Bank’s Mansfield Banking Center. Eight entrepreneurs were selected from a pool of thirty-five applicants to present their business plan to four judges in a competition for prize money to help develop and grow their business.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231002369402/en/

Pictured from left to right: Nick Bodine, VP Digital Lending Officer, HarborOne Bank; Edmund Addai, Stack House; Samantha Putošová, Bee Balm Company (Grand Prize Winner) and Scott Sanborn, EVP & Chief Lending Officer, HarborOne Bank (Photo: Business Wire)

First place and $10,000 prize went to Woburn based Bee Balm Company, a plastic-free, mission-driven lip balm company owned by Samantha Putošová. The balms are handmade and come in 100% compostable packaging. Putošová plans to use the $10,000 to purchase a machine that will increase capacity 10x while lowering costs all while donating 5% of annual profits to pro-pollinator charities.

Second place and $2,500 award went to Stack House based in Kingston, RI. Stack House is a quick service brunch, fried chicken and southern cuisine restaurant whose mission is to provide southern inspired homestyle cuisine and comfort food throughout the New England region and beyond, and do so through the creation of sustainable careers for individuals from disadvantaged communities in an effort to reduce racial disparity and inequity.

“We had a number of extraordinary small business owners participate in our 8^th Annual Pitch Contest,” said Scott Sanborn, EVP & Chief Lending Officer, HarborOne Bank. “It is an honor to recognize and have the ability to support these small business owners who are making positive contributions to our communities and local economy.”

The four-person expert panel of judges included: Manassah Bradley, Sr. Business Advisor, Mass Small Business Development Center; Karim Hill, President, BDC Community Capital Corp.; Ingrid Rodriguez, VP, Business Services Officer, HarborOne Bank; Nick Miller, Founder and President, Clarity Advantage.

The remaining six finalists included: Brockton Beer Company, Faneeks Coney Island, JM Stylist, KrayPlates, OMZE Authentic Tequila, Mezcal and Spirits, Inc., and Terra Fresca Farm

The Bank’s commitment to small businesses extends beyond HarborOne’s suite of business banking services and commercial lending platform. HarborOne’s Voyage Tools for Business is a comprehensive set of resources designed to give small businesses and entrepreneurs a single point entry for accessing expertise in business planning, financing options, cash flow management tools, small business grant programs, short informational videos and more.

About HarborOne Bank

HarborOne Bank, headquartered in Massachusetts, serves the financial needs of consumers, businesses, and municipalities throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island through a network of 30 full-service banking centers as well as commercial loan offices in Providence and Boston. The Bank also provides a range of educational resources through “HarborOne U,” with free digital content, webinars and recordings for small business and personal financial education. HarborOne Mortgage, LLC, a subsidiary of HarborOne Bank, provides mortgage lending services throughout New England and other states.