Local Business Woman Named As Finalist for the Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition ™ in San Francisco, CA

Online, November 9, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Business growth program, the Make Mine A Million $ Business Competition selected Gina Cambardella Ragsdale, Owner of Southern Demolition, LLC d/b/a Southern Demolition and Environmental of Atlanta, Georgia as one of the business women finalists to compete for an awards package at the upcoming San Francisco, CA Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition event on November 8, 2010. This exciting event will feature female entrepreneurs from across the nation who will compete for business development packages that include business coaching, PR, and financing assistance to help their businesses grow into million-dollar enterprises. The event also includes educational and networking opportunities in addition to a keynote speech by Count Me In Founder, Nell Merlino.

Described as a cross between "The Apprentice" and "American Idol," the competition provides these finalists with the opportunity to present their business in a 3 minute "elevator pitch" to a panel of business experts and a live audience. 10 prize winners will be chosen by the audience and judges who collaborate on the selection process.

Gina Cambardella Ragsdale founded Southern Demolition and Environmental in 2007. The firm is a woman-owned, demolition and licensed asbestos abatement company, located in the metro Atlanta area. Two subsidiary retail companies, The Deconstructed House and Vintage Bricks serve to retail recycled items from demolition and deconstruction projects. She also serves as Vice President of Operations of HAMEC, LLC, a joint venture with the focus of providing disaster recovery services in Haiti.

Finalists will receive several of the key components of the Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition awards package that will help their businesses break the million-dollar barrier, which includes inspiration, community, and business coaching from a "dream" team of coaches and business experts from Count Me In, and select discounts from national sponsors.

Launched in 2005 by Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence and founding partner American Express OPEN, the Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition was created to help post-start up, women-owned businesses grow to one million dollars in annual revenue. Since its inception, the program has hosted 22 competitions in cities around the country and grown into a nationwide movement. In the history of the program, thousands of women entrepreneurs across the nations have applied.

"We are thrilled by the eagerness of women across the country to grow their businesses, create jobs in their communities, and create stability for their families and the national economy," said Nell Merlino, Founder and President of Count Me In. "The number of applicants mirrors the growth of our entrepreneurs, businesses, and their desire to take them to the million dollar level."

The Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition has garnered support from organizations who are all joining hands in order to make an impact in women's lives and strengthening the US economy. The impressive list of national sponsors includes American Express OPEN, FedEx, WIPP, and Sam's Club. Sponsors provide an array of products and services that serve as invaluable tools for growth.

For more information about how women can grow their businesses please visit www.makemineamillion.org.

About Count Me In
Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence is the leading national not-for-profit provider of resources, business education, and community support for women entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses to million dollar enterprises. Count Me In launched the Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition to inspire one million women entrepreneurs scale their businesses to a million dollars in revenue in the next decade by providing tools, skills, and the support of a nation-wide community of peers.