STANDOUT 2022 ATTRACTS IMPRESSIVE CROWD

The Fourth Annual StandOUT business symposium, held on March 9th, 2022, was a resounding success, with 48 people attending.

The one-day event, designed for Women, Minority and Veteran small business owners, featured a robust agenda with educational presentations from five speakers on topics such as Intellectual Property, tips on Government Contracting and business opportunities with Clemson University, plus networking breaks and a panel discussion.

SC SBDC Procurement Specialist Sherry Pittinger conceived the idea for and organized the symposium, with support from the Clemson Region SBDC team (Andrea Galehouse, Earl Gregorich and Kostas Ioannidis).

Millicent Bolden CEO Yvette’s Kitchen, LLC

Entrepreneurial Pathways is an excellent class that provided me with invaluable information. I am so glad I took the leap of faith and dived into the unknown.

Pathways To Entrepreneurship

Since 2013, the Greenville Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) program has worked to increase the capacity of local, high-potential Minority Business Enterprises. As an advocate and integral partner of the MBA program for more than five years, the SC SBDC provides coaching and mentoring to cohort members.

In 2018, SC SBDC State Director Michele Abraham, SC SBDC Greenville Area Manager Earl Gregorich and MBA Program Administrator, Dr. Nika White designed a separate, customized curriculum enabling socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses to qualify for the MBA program (called Entrepreneurial Pathways or EP).

In 2022, the Columbia and Charleston Chambers began offering the MBA program, and the SC SBDC participated as mentors and conducted the EP program for all three programs. Led by SC SBDC consultants who serve as facilitators, the EP series comprises ten two-hour sessions that cover topics such as marketing, financial management, funding preparation, business planning and regulatory requirements. SC SBDC facilitators enrich the cohort-style learning experience by providing participants oneon-one consultations between sessions and helping them apply what they learn in their businesses. Additionally, the SC SBDC provides participants ongoing support after the MBA concludes.

Since its inception, 45 participants have completed the EP training series, with nearly 20 percent advancing to complete the MBA program.

FASTTRAC© HELPS ENTREPRENEURS THRIVE

FastTrac© GrowthVenture™ teaches early-stage entrepreneurs how to access opportunities and develop growth strategies for their businesses. SC SBDC consultants assist the Lead Facilitator Tom Ledbetter of Midlands Technical College by providing participants access to content, templates, tools and private consultations as they progress through five robust modules. Upon completion, participants have fully developed their visions into viable strategic business plans.

FastTrac GrowthVenture helped me understand that I could help more people and expand my reach by working ON my business rather than just IN my business. The social connections I made while participating have been priceless.