Julie Kostic Winner at 2025 NAWBO PropelHER Pitch Competition
Julie Kostic, First Place winner at NAWBO Pitch Competition.
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news from JK Creative—our founder and CCO, Julie Kostic, was named the winner of the Established Business category at the 2025 PropelHER Pitch Competition, hosted by NAWBO Orlando! This competition is featured at the Annual Take Flight Business Conference.
This recognition marks a powerful milestone in Julie’s entrepreneurial journey and reflects the growth, creativity, and strategy at the heart of JK Creative.
About PropelHER Pitch Competition
The PropelHER Pitch Competition is one of NAWBO Orlando’s signature annual events, designed to support, spotlight, and fund women entrepreneurs in Central Florida. This dynamic competition offers three tracks: NextGen, Emerging Business and Established Business, giving women the opportunity to showcase their vision, receive expert feedback, and gain visibility in the local business community.
Finalists receive mentorship, participate in pitch prep workshops, and pitch live to a panel of judges at the final event. Winners receive not only financial support but a boost in community exposure and credibility.
Learn more about the program here:
🔗 PropelHER Pitch Competition by NAWBO Orlando
Julie’s Pitch
In her pitch, Julie addressed two key challenges many small businesses face when it comes to branding: overreliance on design templates and budget constraints. While tools like Canva offer a quick solution, they often lead to businesses using the same visuals as their competitors… making it hard to stand out in a crowded market. At the same time, the perception that professional design is financially out of reach keeps many entrepreneurs from seeking out the support they actually need.
Julie’s strategy aims to change that. With PropelHER funding, JK Creative plans to launch a targeted campaign to:
Reach small business owners through advertising and outreach efforts
Provide free educational content on branding and marketing best practices
Build a qualified lead database of business owners ready to grow
Introduce flexible payment options that make professional design more accessible without sacrificing quality
By addressing both awareness and affordability, this initiative positions JK Creative as a creative partner that understands the realities of growing a business—and is ready to help brands break out of the template trap and into a more strategic visual identity.
Julie during her pitch.
The prize package included Southwest tickets!
Julie being presented a check by NAWBO Board members.
A Win for Women in Creative Business
Winning in the Established Business category is more than just a moment of recognition, it’s a celebration of what JK Creative represents: bold design, clear strategy, and the power of storytelling. It also highlights the vital role organizations like NAWBO play in providing support, connection, and opportunity for women-led businesses.
Julie’s win is a testament to her dedication, vision, and the community that’s grown around her since bringing JK Creative to Orlando in 2019.
“This competition was an incredible experience, not just because of the win, but because of the women I got to meet and the mentors who helped me strengthen my message,” said Julie. “I’m honored to be part of a community that lifts each other up.”
A group picture from the 2025 Take Flight Conference.
Let’s Create Something Together
Whether you’re a nonprofit, a corporation, or a small business with big goals, JK Creative helps you stand out with branding, strategy, and design that perform.
📩 Ready to elevate your brand?