ASSETS

Hispanic Heritage Month gives us a chance to celebrate the many contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs in our communities.

They’re opening businesses, growing ideas, creating jobs and bringing something uniquely their own to the communities they serve.

We’re proud to work alongside Hispanic entrepreneurs and celebrate what they’re building, during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year.

Celebrating the winners of the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch!

Last week, a sold-out crowd gathered at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse as five entrepreneurs took the stage to share the businesses they’ve been developing through the ASSETS Idea Incubator.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
1st Place: Malia Burris, The Live Well Experience
2nd Place: Susanna Wurtz, Mountain Laurel Sewing Company
3rd Place: Michael Bradley, Aftercare Compass

The Great Social Enterprise Pitch is made possible through the support of our community. We’re grateful to our Anchor Partner, Northwest Bank, and all of our Community Partners who supported this year’s Pitch.

Take a look through some of our favorite moments from the night and read the full story of the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch:
assetspa.org/celebrating-the-2026-great-social-enterprise-pitch-winners/

📸 Michelle Johnsen Photography

The Great Social Enterprise Pitch is a celebration of big ideas, local talent, and the people who make our community what it is.

On September 10, Sir Dominique Jordan, Courtni Frey of Jam Hot Radio , and Alexander Colon of Ripple Hub will bring music, spoken word, and creativity to this year’s sold-out Pitch.

And you won’t just be watching. Alex and Dominique will host a Sidewalk Session, inviting the crowd to help build a beat together in real time.

We’re looking forward to a full house at Zoetropolis!

A special thank you to RippleHub for helping curate this year’s entertainment and bringing local artists and creative experiences to the Pitch.

Meet this year’s performers and learn more about what they’re bringing to the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch: assetspa.org/great-social-enterprise-pitch-performers-2026/

What a night for our largest Idea Incubator cohort yet!

Last month, 16 entrepreneurs took the stage at Pitch & Brew to share their business ideas with a packed house. This cohort was so large, we ran two pitch rooms at the same time, with eight entrepreneurs pitching in each.

Following the pitches, our judges selected five finalists to move on to the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch on September 10th.

But Pitch & Brew was about all 16 entrepreneurs who stepped up, shared their ideas and put weeks of hard work into practice.

Take a look back at a few moments from the night.

Meet all 16 entrepreneurs in our 2026 Idea Incubator cohort:
assetspa.org/meet-the-2026-idea-incubator-cohort/

📸 Julie Liz Photography

A year ago, Denzel Kabasele stepped onto the Great Social Enterprise Pitch stage with an idea for SubZero Suit.

Today, that idea is getting closer to market, and a SubZero prototype has already made its way onto the world stage.

As we count down to this year’s Great Social Enterprise Pitch on September 10th, we’re checking in with past participants to see where their businesses are now.

Read the latest update on our blog to see how SubZero Suit has grown since the Pitch and what’s next for Denzel: tinyurl.com/ASSETS-SubZero-Suit

In partnership with Northwest Bank, ASSETS is building opportunities for entrepreneurs in Central PA, brick by brick.

You make the product. Now, let’s talk about the business behind it.

Makers to Market is a new 3-day small-scale manufacturing accelerator from ASSETS designed for local makers and product-based entrepreneurs.

With both morning and evening cohorts available this October, you can choose the option that works best for you.

Registration closes September 25, 2026.

Learn more and choose your cohort:
assetspa.org/makers-to-market-accelerator

The Final Five are here!

After 12 weeks of learning, refining their business models and putting their ideas to the test, five entrepreneurs are moving on to the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch!

Congratulations to this year’s finalists!

Julia Morrell, Custom Clean Commercial Cleaning Services
Malia Burris, The Live Well Experience
Michael Bradley, Aftercare Compass
Sharon Allen-Spann, Coach Sharon
Susanna Wurtz, Mountain Laurel Sewing Company

On September 10, they’ll take the stage at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse to pitch their businesses and compete for cash and prizes.

Get to know the Final Five, the businesses they’re building and the ideas behind their work.

Read the full story on the ASSETS blog: tinyurl.com/ASSETS-GSEP-2026

📸 Michelle Johnsen Photography

What happens when your business is growing, your customers know your value, but your online presence doesn’t tell the same story?

That’s the gap Ariana Garcia is working to close through The Socials Fairy.

After joining the ASSETS Idea Incubator in 2024, Ariana took an idea she wanted to validate and built it into a creative visibility partner helping growing businesses show up online at the level they’re already operating.

Now, she’s preparing for the next chapter of The Socials Fairy.

Read the latest entrepreneur story on our blog to learn more about Ariana’s journey, how The Socials Fairy took shape and what she’s building next.
tinyurl.com/ASSETS-Socials-Fairy

In partnership with TCW-GAV, ASSETS is building opportunities for entrepreneurs in Central PA, brick by brick.

Setting financial goals and knowing how to stay on track are essential to growing your small business.

Join ASSETS and Northwest Bank for Setting Financial Goals & Tracking Progress, a seminar designed to help you set meaningful financial goals and build simple habits for measuring your progress.

You'll learn how to track key financial metrics and make adjustments as your business grows. This session can help you better understand where your business stands and where it’s headed.

Join us Thursday, 8/27, 6pm at Southern Market Lancaster. Register today at tinyurl.com/ASSETS-Financial-Goals