Three Entrepreneurs. Three Visions. $10,000 Toward What's Next.
Pictured from left to right: Paris Carey, Natisha Saul, Luis Cubero
Entrepreneurship takes vision, strategy, and the willingness to keep growing. On September 11, 2026, Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills (BEFH) celebrated the graduation of Commerce Uplift Cohort 3 and recognized three entrepreneurs whose businesses reflect the innovation and determination driving the Flint Hills business community.
The cohort's pitch competition awarded $5,000 to first-place winner Natisha Saul of Zen Psychiatry & Wellness, $3,000 to second-place winner Luis Cubero of JC Pro Wrestling Training Center, and $2,000 to third-place winner Paris Carey of Changing Effects Studio.
Each entrepreneur brings a distinct vision to their work, from expanding access to mental health care in rural Kansas to developing the next generation of professional wrestlers and creating quality hair care experiences for all textures.
First Place: Natisha Saul | Zen Psychiatry & Wellness
Award: $5,000
Natisha Saul is the founder of Zen Psychiatry & Wellness, a rural Kansas-based outpatient mental health practice committed to accessible, compassionate, and culturally responsive care. Serving individuals ages six and older, the practice provides psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and psychotherapy-informed care, with a focus on addressing barriers to mental health services in underserved communities.
Natisha's vision for growth centers on building a sustainable practice with the structure to serve more patients. Her goals include increasing patient volume, completing insurance credentialing with major payers, establishing consistent monthly revenue, and strengthening the systems that support scheduling, billing, and patient communication.
She also plans to refine her focus on women's mental health and pediatric psychiatry, improve her website and marketing strategy, and transition from part-time operations toward a more structured, scalable practice model.
Her first-place finish recognizes her entrepreneurial vision as she works to strengthen her practice and expand access to individualized mental health care across rural Kansas.
Second Place: Luis Cubero | JC Pro Wrestling Training Center
Award: $3,000
Founded in 2021, JC Pro Wrestling Training Center is the only professional wrestling training center in the area. Through the center, Luis Cubero is working to develop the next generation of professional wrestlers, offering a training program designed to guide aspiring athletes from tryouts to their professional debuts and beyond.
For Luis, growing the business means more than expanding enrollment. He envisions a revitalized training facility that can better support the center's programming, along with stronger marketing efforts to reach aspiring wrestlers and bring more students into the program.
His goals include making strategic facility upgrades, investing in targeted marketing, and growing enrollment to more than 25 long-term students. These priorities reflect his focus on strengthening the center's foundation while building a sustainable path for continued growth.
Luis's second-place finish and $3,000 award recognize his vision for the training center and its role in creating pathways for aspiring professional wrestlers. As he works toward his enrollment and facility goals, JC Pro Wrestling Training Center is positioned to continue developing opportunities for the next generation of talent.
Third Place: Paris Carey | Changing Effects Studio
Award: $2,000
At Changing Effects Studio, Paris Carey is committed to providing quality hair services for clients with all hair textures. Alongside her salon services, she offers an exclusive product line available only through the business, creating another way to serve clients and grow her brand.
Paris's vision for Changing Effects Studio extends beyond its current operations. She hopes to purchase a building of her own, creating an opportunity to expand the salon's capacity, accommodate additional independent contractors, and eventually hire the staff needed to support the business's continued growth.
To help move that vision forward, Paris identified several immediate investment priorities, including updating existing salon equipment, purchasing new equipment, and increasing product inventory. These investments would help strengthen the salon's current offerings while laying groundwork for future expansion.
Her third-place finish and $2,000 award recognize her commitment to growing Changing Effects Studio and building toward a future with greater space, capacity, and opportunity. As she works toward her long-term goals, Paris is focused on strengthening the business she has built while preparing for what's next.
Building What's Next Through Commerce Uplift
Commerce Uplift was developed for entrepreneurs who built active, revenue-generating businesses without necessarily having access to traditional resources or formal business training when they started. The program helps founders strengthen their business foundations, develop more consistent systems, and prepare for intentional growth.
Through this approach, entrepreneurs work toward moving beyond day-to-day survival and building businesses equipped for the next stage of development.
The achievements of Cohort 3's pitch competition winners reflect the range of businesses and ambitions within the entrepreneurial community. From expanding access to essential services to growing specialized training and salon businesses, each entrepreneur is working toward a vision that extends beyond where their business stands today.
Congratulations to Natisha Saul, Luis Cubero, and Paris Carey on their accomplishments! BEFH celebrates their progress and looks forward to seeing what they build next.
