Dr. Bill Winston Welcomed Thousands of Attendees and Awarded Nearly $20,000 to Entrepreneurs at 2024 Business & Leadership Conference

Dr. Bill Winston awards Global Entrepreneur of the Year award to Charles Harrell II. Pictured from left to right, Dave Ramseur, Dean of JBS, Charles Harrell II; and Dr. Bill Winston. Joseph Business School. PRNewsFoto
Dr. Bill Winston awards Global Entrepreneur of the Year award to Charles Harrell II. Pictured from left to right, Dave Ramseur, Dean of JBS, Charles Harrell II; and Dr. Bill Winston. Joseph Business School. PRNewsFoto

Dr. Bill Winston Welcomed Thousands of Attendees and Awarded Nearly $20,000 to Entrepreneurs at 2024 Business & Leadership Conference

The 2024 Business & Leadership Conference Hosted Globally Recognized Speakers and Celebrated 25-Years of The Joseph Business School, In Addition to Awarding Three Entrepreneurs Cash Prizes for Their Business Pitches

CHICAGO, PRNewswire -- Dr. Bill Winston, a globally renowned pastor, entrepreneur, and business leader, presented the 2024 Business & Leadership Conference (BLC) from March 22-23, where thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders gathered in-person and online, to equip themselves with business strategies and tools to create their own economies and dominate their industries. The free, two-day hybrid conference welcomed entrepreneurs, business, and faith leaders from around the world who were empowered to take the lead in areas of influence – business, government, religion, education, media, arts, entertainment, etc. – by receiving professional insights and the tools needed to bring their businesses to fruition.

BLC was hosted by the nationally accredited Joseph Business School (JBS), which celebrated 25 years this year. Founded by Dr. Bill Winston, the school, which has a campus and online program, teaches business leaders and entrepreneurs how to excel in the marketplace using the practical and spiritual principles found in the Bible. JBS is committed to eradicating poverty, creating generational wealth, and closing the wealth gap in Black and brown communities through entrepreneurship and ownership, which creates successful businesses. Since its inception, Joseph Business School has helped develop 48 millionaires.

An annual highlight at the two-day event, the BLC pitch competition, awarded competition winners more than $17,500 in cash, to help launch and take their businesses to the next level. The 2024 BLC pitch competition, with the theme, Next Level Entrepreneurship, asked participants to showcase products and services that have a measurable kingdom impact, as well as the potential for commercialization and scalability, and fill a need that solves real problems in the marketplace, announced three winners on March 22

Alexis Clash with Thespi LLC – an innovative platform that offers a live streaming app that allows theater companies to sell their tickets and host their shows in one virtual location, took home the grand prize of $10,000. This was Alexis' fourth time pitching at the BLC business pitch competition. This time, she had grown her business and refined her pitch to win the grand prize!

Katrina Anderson with CommodiTeas Tea, LLC – a business that provides premium tea and herbal infusions and updated tabletop goods to the urban chic consumer through retail experiences, eCommerce platforms and wholesale partnerships, was awarded $5,000. CommodiTeas serves the needs of urban tea-drinkers and the retailers who serve them, by providing tea consumers with blends that satisfy their palate, and ingredients that support their lifestyle, in an inherently coffee-focused culture.

Arline Gause with GAD Youth Center Inc (GAD) – a faith-based, 501(c)(3) organization offering evening programs, summer camp, and recreational activities to working parents with youth in grades 8–10 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, won $2,500. GAD's programs assist teens in gaining the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed for thriving in all areas of life via academic support, college and career preparation and other enrichment programs.

Additionally, the event highlighted the impact of the Illinois SBDC-ITC at The Joseph Center in creating economic impact within the community through their work advising clients. During the event, Rebecca Wilson, owner of Riveting Wellness Cosmetic Solutions (based in Chicago) was recognized for her work, as a client of the Illinois SBDC-ITC and first-place winner of the OTC Chicago business pitch competition, where she won $10,000 to put towards her business. Rebecca worked closely with her business advisor, Brittney Wallace, to further her business goals and purchase a salon suite in Chicago's prominent Gold Coast neighborhood, near Lake Shore Drive.

Charles Harrell II, CEO of The Information Technology Architect Corporation, was recognized with the Global Entrepreneur of the Year award.

To date, Dr. Bill Winston has invested more than $210,000 in businesses through the pitch competition alone.

In addition to the various awards and recognitions at the 2024 conference, BLC attendees were captivated, inspired and motivated by an impressive roster of globally-recognized business professional including: keynote speaker, Alicia Lyttle, also known as "The Queen of AI," a seasoned entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, certified AI consultant, and digital marketing expert; next level innovation speaker, Phillip Boutte Jr., an award-winning concept artist and artistic director for film, music video, and television with a career that has spanned 16 years and 74 films/projects including Black Panther, Star Trek and Inception; and global speaker, Dr. Sam Adeyemi, teacher, success coach, leadership consultant and pastor. Additional speakers included, Horst Schulze, founder, chairman and CEO of Capella Hotel Group and co-founder and former COO of The Ritz Carlton Hotel Co., Peter O. Estevez, thought leader, entrepreneur, author and partner in Mexico's energy, gas and oil sector, Karla Trotman, Brigitte Daniel-Corbin, Jessica Johnson-Cope, Rick Girven, Skot Welch, and Barbara Welch.

For more information or to view the 2024 speaking engagements, interviews and special events, please visit https://blc.billwinston.org, the JBS YouTube page, or https://jbs.edu/.


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