Erica Watson, the girl behind a hair care firm known as MixxTresses Hair Assortment, has gained the highest prize in M&T Financial institution’s Harlem Multicultural Small Enterprise Lab pitch competitors. Carver Federal Financial savings Financial institution is a accomplice in this system.

The ultimate competitors was held this month on the Harlem Commonwealth Council. Judges included representatives from M&T, Carver, Elevate Digital, and consultancy Covenant Seven. It’s the finale of of six-week which is linked to M&T’s celebration of US. Small Enterprise Month.

Watson’s model—which affords extensions in addition to liquid haircare merchandise—gained $16,000.

She toppped others winners that included a cold-pressed juice firm (Cellful Organics, second prize, $12K) and a group middle known as The Bodega Lounge (third prize, $6K).

In whole, 60 entrepreneurs from the Harlem space participated within the Harlem Multicultural Small Enterprise Lab, the fifth in a sequence of applications launched by M&T Financial institution in Buffalo in 2021 to assist multicultural small companies entry the sources and data wanted to develop. The Harlem Multicultural Small Enterprise Lab helps entrepreneurs deepen their enterprise experience and achieve insights into creating enterprise plans, understanding credit score and the underwriting course of, accessing capital, advertising and marketing, networking and extra.

“The sensation is indescribable; this was such a useful expertise,” mentioned  Watson in an announcement. “I really feel so elated, so motivated, and so able to take my enterprise to the following degree.”