Dr. Stacy Roberts is on a mission to promote children’s literacy in Georgia and beyond, but she needs funding to fulfill that mission.
Roberts – a local business owner, professor, and children’s author – has been selected as a semifinalist in the Sistahs in Business Expo national competition. The organization is based in Newark, New Jersey and promotes itself as the countries’ only multi-city business expo to celebrate and empower entrepreneurial women of color.
If selected as a finalist, she and four other female entrepreneurs will have three minutes each to pitch their businesses virtually on Friday, Nov. 19. To become a finalist, she needs votes. The winner will receive $10,000 for her business. Roberts plans to pitch her children’s book business. “Two-thirds of Georgia third graders aren’t reading on the right grade level,” she says. “If they don’t learn to read now, they will struggle later in life.” If she wins the $10,000 grant, she plans to hold literacy workshops, readings, and other events to help Georgia children improve their literacy skills. “Sometimes schools want to bring me in as an author, but they don’t have the budget,” states Roberts, who has already written and published three children’s books.
Roberts explains the pitch includes many elements, including the business’s goals, vision, profitability, and growth plans. It involves telling the judges “where you started and where you’re going,” she states. Roberts also owns SMR Leadership – a local professional development firm – and teaches business courses, such as salesmanship and entrepreneurship, at Augusta University. Besides trying to win the grant, she also enjoys the challenge of competing against other entrepreneurs. “I get to pitch against four other amazing women,” Roberts adds. “It helps me to hone my skills as a business owner as well.” She also plans to share her experience in the competition with her students.
Roberts eventually hopes to expand her business to help children outside Georgia learn to read. “I would love to work with other independent publishers,” Roberts says. “I want to go to schools all over the world.”
The deadline to vote is Friday, Nov. 12. To vote for Roberts and her business, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TNMHN6B
