Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox Ladies held its first annual Women In Business Pitch Competition, to celebrate and support female entrepreneurship.
Five finalists were chosen from 18 applicants to make their pitches to a panel of three judges on June 28. 
The winner was Latoya Hutchinson of Wicksquisite Candles in Allentown, which offers creative, one-of-a-kind customized candles. She took home a prize of $2,500.
“Our mission is to ignite joy in the lives of our customers by crafting unique candle designs that reflect their individuality and desires,” Hutchinson said in an article published on Penn State Lehigh Valley’s website. “We believe that happiness is the essential ingredient that enhances every aspect of life, and we strive to infuse our candles with this magical essence.”
The runner-up prize of $1,500 was won by Janear Hankerson, owner of Doctor Jay’s Comedy Milieu. Hankerson creates, produces, and performs original trivia and game shows, and teaches an original professional development course for teachers, “Stand-Up and Improv for Teachers!”
“Women-owned businesses still lag behind men, coming in at 40% compared to 60% of startups created by men,” said PSU-LV Chancellor Tina Q. Richardson. “There are challenges to being a woman business owner — most noteworthy among them are equal access to financing, regulations, and sufficient family support. The good news is there is a growing support and resource network for these trailblazers, including women’s angel investment groups, women-focused investment firms, and gender-smart impact investing.”
Located at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus in Center Valley, Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox connects Lehigh Valley entrepreneurs to the support, resources, and facilities they need to build a sustainable and scalable business with a viable plan for growth. The services are free.
One of the components of the LaunchBox program is LaunchBox Ladies, a speaker series hosted by women in business for women in business.
“LaunchBox Ladies helps female business owners get to their next level,” Director Cindy Evans said. “We provide an environment for women founders to overcome network barriers and attract more investment capital to support innovation.”
The five finalists also included:
Habiba Diaby of Nkasso, an Allentown restaurant that specializes in West African dishes.
Ramona Harris of Trinity Senior Solutions, which assists seniors with Medicare plan selection and signup.
Christina Oyola of That Day Company, which connects women first responders and military service members for networking, fellowship, mentoring, and more.
The judges were Carol Obando-Derstine, a design supervisor in the Data Governance group at PPL; Dr. Vasu Singh of Family Medicine in Bethlehem and UPMC Health Plan; and Sally Handlon, founder of Handlon Business Resources LLC.
(Photo courtesy of Penn State Lehigh Valley)