Boston, July 30, 2011: Worth a Thousand Words

All photographs by ALFRED BLAKE

^ Calm Before the Storm: GZpoints’ Kofi Frimpong is about to walk away with $10,000 and eight weeks of business mentoring — yet despite his confident mien, he doesn’t know it yet. Oooh, the anticipation!

^ Now Hear This: Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League (and former mayor of New Orleans, where 100UE hosted a pitch event on July 20, 2011) lays down the ground rules as the judges look on.

^ Assessing the Competition: (From left) 100UE cofounder Magnus Greaves; Nationwide Insurance executive Cassandra Stiff; Jon Love, president of Pitney Bowes Government Solutions; and Wells Fargo senior vice president Cary Yates take stock of one of the hopeful entrepreneurs.

^ Victory Is Sweet: My Crowning Jewel founder Veronica Chapman (right) learns she has been selected for admission into 100UE’s funding-and-mentoring program. GZpoints’ Kofi Frimpong, second from right, is about to get what’s coming to him as well. And we mean that in a good way.