5th Annual Teach to Fish Business Summit Invests $100,000 in 20 North Miami Businesses
Final-day pitch competition awards $5,000 grants to 20 entrepreneurs as Kandi Burruss delivers candid lessons on business growth, financial discipline and building lasting success
The 5th annual Teach to Fish North Miami Business Summit concluded with a significant investment in the city’s entrepreneurial community, awarding $100,000 in business grants to 20 entrepreneurs during its live pitch competition Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Each of the 20 recipients received a $5,000 grant, transforming the summit’s mission of economic empowerment into a tangible financial opportunity. The awards marked a defining moment of the three-day conference, demonstrating how access to education, resources and capital can help strengthen North Miami’s small-business community.
Founded by North Miami Vice Mayor Kassandra Timothe, the Teach to Fish Business Summit has evolved into a signature economic development initiative connecting aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners with the knowledge, relationships and opportunities necessary to build sustainable businesses.
“My goal has always been for Teach to Fish to be more than an event. I want it to be a place where businesses grow, relationships begin, opportunities are created and entrepreneurs leave stronger than they came,” said Vice Mayor Timothe.
The $100,000 investment highlighted the second annual Teach to Fish Pitch Competition, which provided entrepreneurs with an opportunity to present their businesses and compete for funding. Building on the inaugural competition in 2025, this year’s awards reinforced the summit’s commitment to helping small businesses overcome barriers to growth.
For an emerging entrepreneur, $5,000 can provide critical resources to purchase equipment, strengthen marketing efforts, invest in technology, improve operations or build capacity. Collectively, the awards represent a direct investment in 20 enterprises with the potential to contribute to local commerce, job creation and North Miami’s long-term economic vitality.
Kandi Burruss Brings Real-World Business Lessons to the Main Stage
The summit’s emphasis on turning ambition into opportunity was reinforced by Grammy Award-winning entertainer and entrepreneur Kandi Burruss, who joined Vice Mayor Timothe for the featured conversation, “Power & Purpose: A Kandid Konversation.”
Known for her success in music, television and business, Burruss offered an unfiltered account of her entrepreneurial journey, including the challenges of building companies, managing money, creating successful partnerships and adapting to change.
During the conversation, Burruss recalled an early turning point when her publicist challenged her for conducting what she described as “million-dollar business on a bootleg budget.” The experience prompted Burruss to examine how she was operating, establish a professional office and build the team necessary to support her expanding ventures.
Her message to entrepreneurs was clear: Business success requires more than talent and ambition. It demands infrastructure, thoughtful financial decisions, strategic relationships and a willingness to invest in long-term growth.
Burruss also spoke candidly about the importance of financial oversight, recounting how her music group lost money through an accountant during her teenage years. The experience, she explained, shaped her approach to protecting business assets and maintaining accountability over financial operations.
“I always used to live below my means and I learned to invest early,” Burruss shared, emphasizing the financial habits that have helped sustain her career.
The discussion moved beyond Burruss’ personal success to practical advice for entrepreneurs navigating their own businesses. She encouraged attendees to strengthen their marketing, establish strategic partnerships, build teams with complementary skills and recognize when business challenges require a new approach rather than abandoning their goals.
“Sometimes it’s just more of a pivot versus a quit,” Burruss advised an entrepreneur who questioned when it might be time to walk away from an underperforming venture.
One of the afternoon’s most meaningful exchanges came when a ninth-grade aspiring entrepreneur asked how to pursue ambitious business goals with limited resources. Burruss encouraged her to research startup costs, use social media to build awareness, demonstrate initiative and seek opportunities to attract support.
“You can get other people to invest in you, but you’re only going to do it if you show initiative,” Burruss told the student.
The advice echoed the summit’s broader purpose and the significance of the $100,000 pitch competition: connecting entrepreneurial ambition with the resources and opportunities that can help turn business ideas into sustainable enterprises.
Burruss also challenged business owners to create their own opportunities rather than waiting for acceptance into established professional circles. “Create your table,” she advised, encouraging entrepreneurs to build their own networks, develop collaborative relationships and establish platforms for visibility.
Building a Stronger Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Presented in collaboration with the City of North Miami and the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA), the summit took place Oct. 4-6, beginning with the Vision & Vibes Networking Derby at NoMi Village and continuing with two days of business education, networking and featured presentations and panel discussions.
This year’s programming brought together entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, industry experts and government representatives for discussions on business development, marketing, artificial intelligence, branding, access to capital, government contracting and strategies for scaling businesses.
The conference emphasized practical business education, providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to learn how to position their companies for growth, compete for contracts, strengthen their brands and build relationships that can lead to new business opportunities.
The $100,000 grant presentation underscored the importance of complementing business education with direct financial support. While participants received professional guidance and access to decision-makers throughout the summit, 20 entrepreneurs concluded the conference with additional capital to invest in their businesses.
The investment also reflected the value of partnerships between local government, economic development organizations and the business community in expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and strengthening North Miami’s economic foundation.
During her conversation with Vice Mayor Timothe, Burruss reflected on the legacy she hopes to build beyond entertainment and commercial success.
“I also want people to be like, ‘She helped a lot of people,'” Burruss said, describing her desire to continue opening doors for others.
That sentiment captured the spirit of the fifth annual Teach to Fish Business Summit. Beyond the keynote conversations, networking opportunities and educational sessions, the event delivered a measurable investment in local entrepreneurship.
As the summit concluded, 20 entrepreneurs left with financial awards to help advance their next chapter. Their success will ultimately be measured by how those resources support business development, operational capacity and future growth.
After five years, Teach to Fish continues to advance a central principle: Economic empowerment is not simply about inspiring entrepreneurs to succeed. It is about providing the knowledge, relationships and resources that make success possible.
