Equilibria has joined forces with Black Girl Ventures to present a first-of-its-kind national E-commerce and Consumer Packaged Goods pitch competition. Watch and support eight dynamic founders on Thursday, May 13th at 5 pm CST as they compete for funding and resources that will help them take their e-commerce and CPG businesses to another level.

Meet the founders

Corinne Gray – Uncomfortable Revolution

URevolution Inc. is a black, disabled, woman-owned business on a mission to tell better stories about life with chronic illness or disability.

Monisha Edwards – Scent & Fire Candle Company

Scent & Fire Candle Company is a fine home fragrance brand that manufactures all-natural candles, wax melts, loose-leaf teas, and organic room sprays using raw and recycled materials for environmental sustainability. They utilize technology to enhance aromatic experiences through curated music playlists and online community building. With the rise of mental health issues, these products are designed to destress environments and promote self-care for mental wellness.

Ruth Gordon-Martin – Coddle

Coddle is committed to simple, clean, easy to pronounce ingredients. They take a minimalist approach to postpartum care and wellness. You don’t need to buy five bottles to relieve soreness are birth – you need one! All of Coddle’s products are multi-purpose and multi-use. Their products address the mental, emotional and physical aspects of postpartum. All of the ingredients used to honor our ancestor’s healing tradition that puts the focus on mom.

Natasha Brown-Wainwright – Natasha’s Just Brittle

Specializing in artisan brittle, gourmet popcorn, and handcrafted chocolates – female and Black-owned Natasha’s Just Brittle takes pride in using the best ingredients to create the tastiest treats.

Their brittle is slowly cooked with fresh ingredients using a special combination of organic sugar, fresh nuts, salted butter, sea salt, and exclusive spices and extracts. The brittle is fresh-packed, and their recipes are one of a kind. You won’t find any brittle quite like it in your ordinary grocery store!

Melissa Lamarre – Mel’s Butter Blends

Mel’s Butter Blends creates quality personal care products while providing an educational experience about natural ingredients and holistic living. They solve the problem of unnatural products for natural hair.

They use plant-based ingredients to create effective personal care products for men, women, and children of various ethnicities.

Kelley Williams – Curasalve

Curasalve is an organic skincare company that helps caregivers soothe, treat and prevent diaper rash. This company was developed by a parent just like you, whose daughter, Giuliana, had fragile, sensitive skin. Giuliana always needed a dab or two of diaper rash cream because her skin was often irritated, even with hourly diaper changes. In 2016, she experienced extreme diaper rash after a food intolerance and Curasalve was born. 100% organic and 100% effective.

Curasalve’s mission is to give other mothers and caregivers peace of mind in knowing there is a brand that is free of chemicals and harmful ingredients while still working fast.

Symphony Lyricist – Lotus Flower Om

Launched in 2017, and handmade in small batches, each formulation uses natural ingredients with holistic essential oil blends that are sustainable, nut allergy, and cruelty-free.

Inspired by the renewal of the lotus flower and the cleansing breath of the Om to empower consumers in creating a self-care ritual using products that balance the mind and skin so you can Om your mind, body, and soul back to a state of Zen.

Michelle Robinson – DEMIblue Natural Nails, LLC

The DEMIblue Vegan-Friendly Nail Polish Brand was inspired by Michelle’s mom and her experience with cancer. She watched how her mom struggled to find nail polish products that did not have the harsh chemicals and ultimately her inability to express her bubbly personality through her usual nail routine.

With what started as a desire to help her mom through the creation of nail polish brand, “DEMIblue”, They are now disrupting the nail care industry by educating women of these toxic chemicals and offering a safer choice.