Natasha Knight, GB'20, wins NAWBO student entrepreneur of the year

Natasha Knight, GB’20, was named student entrepreneur of the year by the Richmond chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners Tuesday.

“I can't tell you all how humbled and excited I am,” Knight wrote on her LinkedIn profile of the award.

She and her co-founder, Nanlesta Pilgrim, started Taking it Pro this spring. It’s a professional training and coaching company that helps women of color achieve their career goals by connecting them to new networks and resources in their various industries.

“Growing up as a young Black girl in North Carolina, I didn’t see many women who looked like me or people who looked like me starting their own businesses and being successful in doing so,” Knight said in her submission video. “I’m really excited to be an example for other young women of color who may be considering starting their own businesses and striking out on their own.”

The site offers advice articles on mentorship, career planning, and confidence in the workplace. They also host networking events for women of color.

“Nanlesta and I launched Taking It Pro out of a desire to help other women of color be bold, relentless, and energized in pursuing their career goals,” Knight wrote. “We also want to serve as role models for young women who may have entrepreneurial aspirations and don't know how to get started or are afraid to take that small step to get started. We are just beginning but know the value of helping others along the way.”

Knight is set to complete her Richmond MBA by the end of 2020. She is currently a social scientist and public health researcher at Altria. She is a graduate of Howard University, earned a Master of Public Health at University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.