They have different goals, different businesses, different backgrounds. But they share a mission: offering resources to make their communities stronger and healthier.
Both Pamela Roundtree and Djenaba Johnson-Jones were among 10 finalists, chosen from 109 entries, for Rising Tide Capital's fifth-annual Start Something Challenge.
The Start Something Challenge is a statewide competition for New Jersey entrepreneurs, funded by Rising Tide Capital, a non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow successful businesses. Since 2012, the Start Something Challenge has empowered 345 New Jersey entrepreneurs to generate 120 million media impressions, said Esther Fraser, Rising Tide's communications director.
Roundtree maintains a NewBody.NewMind.NewLiving fitness studio, launched in 2012, in Jersey City, where she offers personal training sessions, group sessions for families and friends and 'boot camps.'
For Pamela Roundtree, the journey began one day when she looked in the mirror and didn't like what she saw.
Long an athlete with a healthy metabolism that allowed her to eat and drink what she liked, the then-25-year old had a jarring realization. She had become overweight. So she did what any athlete would do: She hit the gym.
One year later, she was 75 pounds lighter.
Along the way, she realized that many people are intimidated by the gym, don't know how to exercise or have "body shame" that keeps them from taking steps to shed unhealthy weight.
That gave her the idea for NewBody.NewMind.NewLiving, a health and fitness business that provides one-on-one support for people who struggle with their weight. They don't have to brave an intimidating gym or figure out a proper diet. Roundtree guides them every step of the way.
"Some overweight people have never set foot in the gym," she said. "They don't know what to do; or they overdo it, get sore and never go back. I lost weight and I wanted to give that feeling back to someone else.''
Roundtree's health and fitness business provides one-on-one support for people who struggle with their weight.
Roundtree maintains a fitness studio, launched in 2012, on Montgomery Street in Jersey City, where she offers personal training sessions, group sessions for families and friends and "boot camps." She helps clients develop nutrition plans and hosts Health and Fitness Days, a free event featuring classes, sessions with trainers and a chef demonstration on preparing healthy food on a budget, with participants enjoying the resulting lunch. She is planning an event this fall -- date not yet determined -- to be held in Barry Lane Park in Jersey City.
"I want to prevent obesity," she said. "That is the main mission behind this business.''
Djenaba Johnson-Jones launched Hudson Kitchen, a finalist in the Rising Tide Capital 2016 Start Something Challenge, to fill the need for commercial kitchen space for startup food entrepreneurs.
Djenaba Johnson-Jones started down one path and ended up somewhere else entirely. The 40-year-old Jersey City resident was ready to open a healthy meals delivery service. She had found a chef, developed a menu and started testing recipes.
She was missing one thing: a kitchen.
Since it is illegal in New Jersey to cook food for sale in a private home, Johnson-Jones thought she would use a commercial kitchen. But there weren't any that fit the bill in the northern New Jersey area.
The idea for Hudson Kitchen was hatched.
"I shifted the focus," Johnson-Jones said. "I've now made it my business to help other businesses get started and grow."
Johnson-Jones expects that Hudson Kitchen will appeal to start-up food vendors, people producing items such as granola and barbecue sauce, as well as caterers, bakers, food truck operators and even some restaurants that may need additional prep and storage.
She plans to open the 24/7 commercial kitchen in the beginning of 2017 with four rent-by-the-hour kitchen work spaces: a prep area; two private kitchens; dry, cold and freezer storage; a studio kitchen for cooking demonstrations, intimate chef dinners and cooking shows; a conference room with access to WiFi; printers; and the Hudson Kitchen address for deliveries.
She expects the kitchen will appeal to start-up food vendors, people producing items such as granola and barbecue sauce, as well as caterers, bakers, food truck operators and even some restaurants that may need additional prep and storage.
"A lot of people here rent churches or a restaurant after hours," said Johnson-Jones, who spent 20 years working in sales and marketing for major magazines before making the leap to social entrepreneur. "It's hard to find space.''
There's more. Johnson-Jones is determined to help people succeed in the food business by providing technical assistance, training and networking events. Her first workshop -- The First 10 Steps to Starting a Food Business -- was standing room only. She also hosts a quarterly networking series, with panel discussions on topics like "How to Market Your Food Business."
The next networking event is set for Sept. 21 and will be "Speed Mentoring," a clever knock-off of speed dating in which participants will spend three to five minutes talking to various food industry experts. Typically, Johnson-Jones charges from $20 to $45 per person for these learning opportunities.
Determined to help people succeed in the food business by providing technical assistance, training and networking, Johnson-Jones' next networking event is set for Sept. 21 with the theme 'Speed Mentoring,'
Tapping into a bank of consultants, Hudson Kitchen also provides assistance in all areas of the food business, including package design, branding and marketing.
"We want to give soup-to-nuts support with the goal of clients moving on to open their own storefronts, find success selling their products and hire employees to help fulfill demand,'' she said.
Roundtree, Johnson-Jones and their fellow contest finalists will be honored at a reception in September and again in November at the 5th Annual Start Something Challenge Gala at the Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City, where each will receive an iPad, and an additional Community Choice grant of $1,000 will be announced.
-- Nancy Parello