EYE 2025 Program

Congratulations to the Pitch Competition Winners!

• 1st Place: Alexandra “Lexx” Mills – Stursi
• 2nd Place: Tyla-Simone Crayton – Sienna Sauce
• 3rd Place: Kevin Mobolade – Swipe Credit AI

Congratulations to the Pitch Competition Finalists!

• Alexandra “Lexx” Mills – Stursi
• Brett Parson – Preeminent Professional Services
• Crystal McLean – Crystal Clear Consulting Group LLC
• Kevin Mobolade – Swipe Credit AI
• Tyla-Simone Crayton – Sienna Sauce

Current Calendar – add these dates below to your calendar. Look in each topics modules for the Zoom info for the live calls.

Join us in the EYE group to celebrate our wins and add your own so we can celebrate you!

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2025 Cohort Calendar

Onboarding

3/11 EYE Orientation (12pm – 2pm ET)
3/12 Initial Survey Due
3/26 EYE Connection (12pm – 1pm ET)
3/31 Business Accelerator Assessment Due

Business Review

4/2 Development Session (12pm – 2pm ET) Maximizing the Value of Certification – Kiana Williams and Shalayna Williams, NMSDC
4/10 Defining Your Business Model – Dr. Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
4/17 Financial Hackathon (12:30pm – 2:30pm) – IFEL

Pitch Readiness

4/23 Understanding the DNA of Your Brand – Dr. Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
5/5-5/9 Capability Statement Review
5/8 Development Session (11am – 1pm ET) Build a Better Brand Story and Your Pitch Deck
5/13 Capital Pitch Hackathon (12:30pm-2:30pm ET)
5/19 Connect Session – mandatory Program Q&A (12pm-12:30pm)
5/29 NMSDC EYE 2025 Certification Q and A (12pm – 1pm)
5/30 Self-Led Industry Calls

Finances

6/6 Build a Better Brand Story and Your Pitch Deck Pt 1 -Jayne Agency (10am-12:30pm ET)
6/11 Producing a Profit & Knowing Your Numbers – Dr. Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
6/12 NMSDC Certification Working Session (1:30pm ET)
6/13 Build a Better Brand Story and Your Pitch Deck Pt 2 – Jayne Agency (10am-12:30pm ET)
6/15-6/30 EYE Participant Feedback Survey 1
6/16 NMSDC Certification Submitted/Interview Scheduled
6/16 Connect Call – MANDATORY to discuss the NMSDC conference (12pm-1pm ET)
6/27 Self-Led Industry Calls

Operations

7/9 Measuring Success: Metrics & Data Driven Decision Making – Dr Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
7/25 Self-Led Industry Calls
8/6 Process & Procedures-Using Artificial Intelligence and Other Technology to Automate Operations – Dr Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
8/21 EYE Certification Quarterly Q and A (12pm-1pm ET)
8/22 EYE Pitch Video Due
8/27 EYE Champion Sessions: Responding to RFPs (12-1:30pm ET) – Dr. Tyra
8/29 Self-Led Industry Calls
8/31 EYE Participant Feedback Survey 2 Due

HR

9/3 HR for Small Business (12-1:30pm ET) – LaSonya
9/17 EYE Champion Sessions: Agreements: Partnership, SOW, Services (12-1:30p, ET) – Dr. Tyra
9/25 Pitch Feedback Session and Announce top 5 (12pm-1pm ET)
9/26 Self-Led Industry Calls

Sales And Marketing

10/1 From Digital to Dollars: Using Digital Marketing to Acquire Customers – Dr. Graham (12pm-2pm ET)
10/2 EYE Connect Call October (12pm-1pm ET)
10/7-10/9 Top 5 Pitch Finalists get individual sessions
10/15 Deadline for Quarterly Feedback Survey
10/22 EYE Champion Sessions: Cost/Pricing (12-1:30p, ET) – Dr. Tyra
10/24 Self-Led Industry Calls

Conference

10/28 Know Before you Go – LaSonya Berry (11am-12pm ET)
11/2 – 11/5 Conference (Onsite in Miami) and Pitch Competition
11/3 Pitch Prep
11/10 EYE Participant Feedback Survey 3 post-conference survey 
11/19 (RESCHEDULING) Full cohort feedback session for pitches from competition (11am-12pm ET)
11/28 Self-Led Industry Calls

Leadership

12/3 Strategic Planning – LaSonya Berry (11am-1pm ET)
12/17 Risk Management – BASF (12pm-1:30pm)
12/26 Self-Led Industry Calls
1/28/26 Connect Session plus Program Feedback Focus Group – LaSonya (12pm-1pm ET)

Graduation

2/18 Presentations Due (12pm ET)
2/25 Graduation (12pm – 1pm ET)