Entrepreneurs in Valley Partners Program Pitch Business Plans

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Ingrid Pinkett operates a property management company in Mahoning County.

Marcie Consiglio founded an organization in Austintown that provides transitional housing to former foster youths, and Rev. Shane Floyd plans to open a grocery co-op on the southwest side of Warren.

They were among 25 participants in Valley Partners’ Business Accounting and Legal Assistance program who pitched their business plans to a group of business and finance professionals Tuesday at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. Tuesday also marked the graduation from the six-week program.

Participants who complete the program receive an $8,000 grant for accounting and legal assistance. The group meets each week for six weeks, and at the end must submit a business plan. Businesses must be located within a Community Development Financial Institutions-designated area and not be older than two years.

Matthew Longmire, business resource manager at Valley Partners, called Tuesday’s event a 60-second fast pitch.

The pitch was to include an overview of the business, the problem being solved, the business’s target audience and unique way of solving the problem and long-term goals. 

Business and financing professionals attorney Brittany Brantley, shareholder at Ogletree Deakins in Cleveland; Mario Nero, director of economic development lending at Valley Partners; John Montgomery, business banking loan officer at Premier Bank; Mindy Wiesensee, assistant vice president and branch manager at Premier Bank; and James Gibbs, loan committee member at Valley Partners, listened to the pitches, asked questions and offered suggestions.

“At Kerrid Properties, we provide full-service property management for residential properties in Mahoning County,” Pinkett said. “We focus on tenant satisfaction and building a community.”

She has 20 years of executive experience and relocated to Youngstown from California. She said new property owners often struggle with high tenant turnover, poor communication and slow maintenance.

“And that leads, of course, to tenant dissatisfaction and income loss,” Pinkett said. “We solve this by offering a proactive, community first approach.”

The company uses technology for communication and faster maintenance, thereby keeping tenants happier.

Consiglio is the founder and executive director of Moab House, located at the Mahoning Valley Campus of Care.

“When foster kids leave the system and turn 18, they lack stable housing and support, which can lead to homelessness, trafficking and abuse,” she said.

Moab House offers former foster youths, ages 18 to 21, safe, loving and productive housing with full-time, live-in house parents.

“This is what makes us unique,” Consiglio said. “We focus on life skills, financial literacy and relationships, ensuring that our young adults are equipped to thrive in independence.

Often, former foster youths don’t qualify to live in apartments or they aren’t welcome there, she said. 

“Our long-term goals include two additional houses over the next three years,” Consiglio said. “And together we can make a difference. They didn’t ask for this life. It’s not their fault.”

In his 60-second pitch, Floyd, who is also the pastor of Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church in Warren, explained that those who live beyond 1 mile of a grocery store are considered in a food insecure area.

His envisioned Pure Plate Community Food Co-Op would help address food insecurity.

“We are gearing up to be a community co-op grocery store,” Floyd said. “A food co-op grocery store primarily is a community-owned grocery store. That’s what separates us from everyone else.”

The business has hired a consultant and plans a feasibility study of southwest Warren, which is its target area.

Other participants’ business plans included a facility for homeless veterans, transportation services, an arts and entertainment space, restaurants, meal services, clothing stores, fitness training, health and wellness companies, behavioral health counseling, automobile detailing, auto sales and repair and a wine depository.

Montgomery, of Premier Bank, referred to information submitted by the new businesses that list access to capital and employee retention as challenges.

“Just because you’re a new business doesn’t mean there’s not an opportunity to access capital,” he said. “Just keep that in mind.”

A business doesn’t have to be 10 years old to be considered seasoned, Montgomery added. Regarding employee retention, small businesses may have a difficult time competing with larger companies in terms of pay and benefits.

“What I’ve seen and what I think can be helpful … it’s almost creating a unique culture right now where there’s some flexibility in their job,” he said. “Maybe they’re part of the decision-making with your business just to make them feel that they’ve got more value.”

For some people, that’s more important than the hourly wage, Montgomery added.

Pictured at top: From left, Marcie Consiglio of Moab House in Mineral Ridge, Rev. Shane Floyd of Pure Plate Community Food Co-op in Warren and Ingrid Pinkett of Kerrid Properties LLC in Youngstown were among the participants at Tuesday’s pitch event.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.