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Famous Amos Pays Tribute to Late Founder, Awards $150K In Capital And Resources To 3 Black Entrepreneurs

Famous Amos, the beloved cookie brand founded by the late Wally Amos, is keeping his legacy alive by championing the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. 

In honor of its founder, the company has announced the winners of the 2024 Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative (IFS)—a program designed to uplift and support early-stage Black-owned businesses. 

This year’s initiative is especially poignant, as it follows the passing of Wally Amos at the age of 88, just one month prior to the announcement. Known for turning his homemade cookie recipe into a nationwide sensation in the 1970s, Amos became a symbol of entrepreneurial spirit. 

Today, Famous Amos continues to celebrate his life and work by offering $150,000 in capital and invaluable business resources to three deserving entrepreneurs.

The 2024 Ingredients for Success awardees were selected from a pool of over 2,800 applicants, all vying for the opportunity to take their business to the next level. From this competitive field, ten finalists were chosen, with the top three emerging as the grand prize winners. 

Each will receive $50,000 in funding, along with a membership to the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC)—providing mentorship, education, and networking to help them grow their businesses.

The winners of this year’s IFS initiative include:

– Adrienne Gadling, founder of 10 City Spa in Stone Mountain, Georgia, is redefining the VIP experience in beauty with her full-service nail salon.

– Corry Banks, founder of ModBap Modular, leads the way in electronic music equipment manufacturing, bringing cutting-edge innovation to an international market.

– Elizabeth Rene, founder of PO’UP! Card Game, has created a nostalgic party game that celebrates Black excellence through the lens of the Black collegiate experience.

Rachna Patel, VP of Marketing for Famous Amos states: “The Ingredients for Success program is a way for the Famous Amos brand to pay tribute to our history while championing rising entrepreneurs with much-needed capital and mentorship. Ingredients for Success has so far awarded $600,000 to twelve Black-owned businesses across the country and we look forward to seeing all of their future accomplishments.”

While the top three finalists receive the grand prize, all participants of the Ingredients for Success program are welcomed into the alumni network, which offers long-term support, training, and engagement opportunities. 

The program has already seen impressive success stories from past winners. In 2023, Emir Horton’s Eartha Watch Company, Steffanie Rivers’ TCB Drones, and Londyn Jackson’s The Language Arc all scaled their businesses significantly after winning, with Horton’s company hitting six-figure sales for a new product launch.

Steve Canal, a program judge, reflected on the impact of the initiative saying: “We’ve seen remarkable accomplishments from our alumni network over the years. We’re eager to see what Ingredients for Success alumni achieve next.”

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