Oakland County Entrepreneurs to Compete for Cash Awards at Oakland THRIVE’s Pitch, Awards & Small Business Spotlight Fundraiser on Oct. 22, 2026, in Southfield, Mi!

Photo courtesy of Oakland THRIVE | Oakland County Executive David Coulter at 2025 Spotlight

Presented by Fifth Third Bank, fourth annual event will also honor small business trailblazers in Oakland County and include pop-up shops by independent retailers.

Pontiac, Mich. –  Oakland THRIVE, a non-profit organization founded in 2023 to help startups and small businesses succeed in Oakland County through mentorship and technical and administrative support, will be holding its fourth annual Spotlight fundraiser on Thursday, Oct. 22. The event will be held at the PEARLS Event Center (26100 Northwestern Highway in Southfield) and, new this year, will incorporate a small business pitch competition between three Oakland County entrepreneurs with a top prize of $5,300 to assist in business development. Alongside the competition, there will be community awards presented to local business leaders, a catered dinner with open bar, shopping with independent vendors and networking opportunities. The event is presented by Fifth Third Bank. For tickets and sponsorships, go to oaklandthrive.org/events.

“Every day, Oakland THRIVE is equipping small businesses in Oakland County with tools to help them succeed,” said Oakland THRIVE CEO Camille Walker Banks. “We provide talented entrepreneurs expert guidance and support to make their business dreams a reality which in turn improves the financial health of the community at large. This year’s exciting Spotlight event will bring together Oakland County’s best and brightest current and future small business leaders.”

The three entrepreneurs in the pitch competition selected from an original pool of 15 are:

• Cynthia Hartness, master clinical herbalist and founder of Wildling Sanctuary, a holistic herbal apothecary, tea shop and community sanctuary in Highland
• Tiana K. Baker, a healthcare and supply chain professional and founder of Lenses of Love Foundation, a nonprofit expanding access to vision care for underserved communities
• Christina “Georgee” George, a marketing graduate and the founder of Yummee Pop Popcorn, premium, small batch popcorn with bold flavors and simple ingredients which is vegan friendly and gluten free

Each participant will make three-minute presentations before a panel of judges made up of local business leaders, who will then question the entrepreneurs for two minutes. The first prize is $5,300, second prize is $2,500 and third prize is $1,500; participants will also receive six hours of consulting help from an Oakland County business professional. The competition judges are Tawnya Rose, Community Development Manager at Fifth Third Bank; Jennifer Burley, Managing Director of Community Development at CIBC Bank; Ann Giese of Highland White Lake Business Association; Jeffrey Watt, Owner of Real World HR Solutions; and Allen Ford, Business Banking Branch Manager at PNC Bank, Pontiac.

In addition to the three pitch competitors, Sujay Panuganti, a 16-year-old high school student, will present his college preparation platform called StriveThru. The platform helps students understand where they stand in the admissions process and next steps. Panuganti will be receiving a stipend from Oakland THRIVE to help support his project.

Oakland THRIVE’s Community Award winners this year are:

• Together We Thrive Award – Highland White Lake Business Association
• Outstanding Small Business Client Award – Cafetal Coffee/Maria Esnoval
• Vibrant Economy Award – Diversified Members Credit Union
• Community Business Award – Angela Powell-Hendley, Pontiac Regional Chamber
• Neighborhood Business Beacon Award – Jason Eddleston, Ray’s Ice Cream
• Rising Star Impact Award – Dom Holmes, Oakland County Economic Development
• Economic Impact Legacy Recognition – Alan Kiriluk, KIRCO

In 2025, Oakland THRIVE served 4,207 businesses, conducted over 8,850 coaching/consulting sessions, hosted 102 workshop trainings, and helped businesses secure approximately $630,000 in grants and $1.3 million in loans.

Oakland THRIVE was recently selected by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Small Business Support Hubs 2.0 initiative to serve Oakland County. It is part of a regional partnership, led by TechTown Detroit, to build a more connected entrepreneurial ecosystem across Southeast Michigan.

About Oakland THRIVE

Oakland THRIVE provides one-on-one consulting, technical assistance, capital and procurement readiness, market intelligence, and strategic connections to startup businesses and small businesses in Oakland County. As a convener and connector, Oakland THRIVE brings together municipalities, corporations, financial institutions, educational partners, nonprofits, and service providers to improve collaboration, coordination, referrals, and resource alignment. With intentional outreach to under-resourced communities, Oakland THRIVE advances business growth, resilience, job creation, capital access, economic mobility, and inclusive prosperity across Oakland County. For more information, go to www.oaklandthrive.org