Fort Worth Business Plan Competition Finals — October 16, 2026

The City of Fort Worth Economic Development Department and Frost Bank hosted the 15th annual Fort Worth Business Plan Competition finals on the evening of October 16, 2026, at The Modern. Eight finalist businesses delivered three-minute pitches followed by judge Q&A, competing for cash and in-kind prizes. Mayor Mattie Parker and Frost regional president Hadley Warner attended, and former competition winner Shauna Murphy served as MC. The transcript references 20 applicants and six weeks of workshops, with an internal inconsistency between top 10 and top eight; eight companies actually presented.

Competition Overview

• Winners were determined by the highest combined score of the written business plan and the live pitch.
• Frost Bank was the presenting sponsor; Shannon Watt and Hadley Warner spoke on behalf of Frost.
• Councilmember Michael Crane from District 3 was recognized; Mayor Mattie Parker arrived later in the evening.
• Judges included Richard Chance, Michael Doss, Erica Hirsch, Dustin Logan, Caitlin McMinn, and Sawyer Williams.
• Mentor organizations acknowledged included Accelerate Fort Worth, Ensemble Coworking, Foundations EDC, SCORE Fort Worth, Tech Fort Worth, and TEI Consulting.
• Prizes were first place $10,000, second place $6,000, third place $4,000, and the audience-voted Perfect Pitch prize of $500 in credits from Printed Threads.

Business Pitches

• Articulate Your Value — Jeremy pitched a for-profit career readiness and workforce development firm. He said it started in 2021, shifted from a national focus to hyper-local Fort Worth work, partners with Workforce Solutions and Tarrant County College, and won a bid through C2 Global to provide staff training at Tarrant County workforce centers. He would split contest funds between rebranding and marketing and attending industry events.
• DMG Notaries — Michelle Gannott pitched a notary signing service for title companies and estate planning firms. She said DMG has served in 13 states and India via remote online notarization; capturing just 1% of the 900 title offices in DFW would triple annual revenue. Funds would support technology, marketing, and industry memberships.
• Iconier — Rish Sharma pitched an AI-visibility and digital marketing agency with monthly plans starting at $499. He said the team of 22 serves 81 businesses, clients rate them 4.9 stars, and Tarrant County has 47,000 small businesses. He reported that four of five clients from January were still with the company, about 80% retention. Funds would support a local ambassador and workshops, with a goal of 20 Fort Worth clients by the end of 2027.
• MLK Prearrangements — Lena Killian pitched pre-need funeral planning, including burials, cremations, veterans and VA benefits, cemetery property, headstones, and away-from-home coverage. She said she works with more than 40 funeral homes and relies mainly on word of mouth.
• Open Minded Counseling — Katie Stone pitched the Open Minded Wellness training division. She cited that 25% of adults deal with a mental health issue, 50% of those people do not get the care they need, and 50% of providers report burnout. She said five cohorts and 15 clinicians across Texas have been trained and that business has grown 30%. Funds are earmarked for marketing, staff, and 2027 training facilities.
• Panther City Eye Care — Dr. Julie Irvin pitched an optometry practice with medical and vision exams, optical, specialty contact lenses, and diagnostic testing. She said average revenue is about $300 per patient, capture rate is 63%, and the goal is to double patient encounters in 12 months by adding capacity before adding a second practitioner. Funds would go to SEO, bilingual marketing, and community outreach.
• Centrosium Wellness — The owner pitched an online telemedicine hormone-optimization practice using at-home saliva and urine testing and pharmaceutical-grade products. She said being all-online and not requiring a three-to-six-month wait for an appointment differentiates it from competitors. Funds would support sponsored events, advertisements, and speaking engagements.
• West Wellness and Massage — Chantelle Gardner pitched a combined med spa and massage studio offering massages, facials, IV infusions, peptides, and medical weight loss. She said the business doubled last year’s revenue, tripled memberships, and memberships are currently 18% of revenue; the goal is 100 new members in 12 months to increase membership revenue to 60%. Funds would support advertising, partnerships, and signage.

Mayor and Sponsor Remarks

• Mayor Mattie Parker said Fort Worth is the 10th largest city in the country with over a million people, and that small businesses are the bedrock of the city. She thanked Frost Bank, the economic development team, the judges, and The Modern for hosting.
• Frost regional president Hadley Warner congratulated all participants and announced that Frost would provide every participant who completed the business plan competition a $5,000 five-year term loan and a $200 Visa gift card.

Key Outcomes

• Perfect Pitch Prize: Panther City Eye Care won $500 in credits from Printed Threads.
• Third Place: Open Minded Counseling won $4,000.
• Second Place: A $6,000 prize was announced, but the transcript does not identify the winner’s name.
• First Place: Iconier won the $10,000 grand prize.
• The event closed with a promise to return for the 2027 competition.