M&T Bank awarded four local small businesses $15,000 in grants in a pitch contest held in Bridgeport on November 2nd.
The grant is part of M&T Bank’s 8-week Multicultural Small Business Lab, run jointly with the University of Bridgeport.
The course begins in Buffalo, NY and trains racially and ethnically diverse small businesses in topics such as business planning, marketing and branding, networking and pitching.
It will be expanded to five cities and will run again in Bridgeport in 2023.
The program ended on Wednesday, with seven finalists pitching their companies to a panel of judges who awarded grants to four participants.
nurture relationships
Carmen Nieves, who pitched the workforce and business development organization, said she hopes to maximize her business potential through the program.
“I want to grow my business,” she said. “I’ve always helped people find jobs, but I wanted to help more businesses and do my work in a way that made me feel good.”
Nieves said every class was worth it, but the most important thing she gained was having an individual at M&T Bank who believed in her and her cohorts.
“It’s about relationships,” she said.
“A relationship with an individual who believes in you, trusts you to work with, and knows to do what you say.
“And since M&T got here, they’ve really shown they’re putting money in their mouths.”
She didn’t win, but said the lessons she learned from M&T Bank’s program were crucial moving forward.
“This class really helped me hone my message,” said Nieves. “I changed the way I presented my business in every class, right down to the pitch.”
“Building a Community”
For Frank Micalizzi, Regional President of M&T Bank Bridgeport, the lab is a continuation of M&T Bank’s support of small businesses.
“Small businesses are very important to our bank,” he said. “This is the beginning of building a community.”
Micalizzi said the program is one of many that M&T Bank has for small businesses.
He highlighted the company’s M&T Spotlight Shop, which allows businesses to use pop-up spaces in popular areas of the community for two-week segments.
“As far as the economy and jobs are concerned, it really starts with small businesses.”
Frank Micarizzi of M&T Bank
“A lot of them are really hard working people who don’t always have the means through marketing and advertising,” he said.
“It’s been very successful in putting the spotlight on our small business customers and letting them know they may not have the means to do it themselves.”
M&T Bank will continue to support small businesses through programs like the Multicultural Small Business Lab, Micalizzi said.
“We feel they are the economic engine of our success,” he said.
“As far as the economy and jobs are concerned, it really starts with small businesses.”
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