08/31/2025
We’re excited to share that on Thursday, EXP Studio® | Experience Studio™ was awarded FIRST PLACE at the 2025 Roc the Pitch Business Competition, organized by the RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship! 🎉
This summer has been full of planning, preparation, refining our pitch, late nights at the Studio, aligning our vision for the future, and rehearsing until we felt confident — all while serving clients and building forward momentum.
🙏 To the organizers, judges, and sponsors — thank you for creating a space where small businesses can grow, connect, and be seen.
Assunta Davidson — Your support and encouragement for every business involved was extraordinary.
Ebony Miller, MBA — Thank you for your consistent encouragement.
Kathleen Borbee — Your clarity and insight in helping us refine our business plan was invaluable.
Judges: Yasmin Mattox, Ryne Raffaelle, James Eilertsen, Bob Cieslica, and Yahaira Zapata — thank you for believing in our vision and potential.
🤝 To our fellow businesses who now feel like family — we’re excited to continue building and collaborating together:
Dr. Mary Bisbee-Burrows — Legacy Drama House
Massie Scott — MindfulWarrior Training
🌟 To the event sponsors — thank you for investing not just in this competition, but in the growth and empowerment of entrepreneurs and communities:
RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship
M&T Bank
Canandaigua National Bank
Rochester Rotary, NY
Barbara J. Burger iZone
St. John Fisher University School of Business
💬 To the broader EXP Studio® community — thank you for cheering us on and for trusting us with your stories, visions, and ideas over the years.
Finally, to our co-founders Alexis Russell, Ace Russell, and Jamal Muhammad Hassan Al-Asad — this win is rooted in the shared vision, effort, and passion that built EXP Studio®’s foundation.
This win is not just ours — it’s a shared win for the community we’re building with. And it’s only the beginning.
If you’d like to learn more or connect with us, book a tour - visit our website at expstudio.org and Let’s Make It Happen!