Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead
Training, Coaching, and Consulting Program Overview
Our entrepreneurship and business skills trainings and coaching services are geared toward motivated and creative individuals who want to start, strengthen, or expand a business, enterprise, or organization.
Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship
We want people to advance their economic, financial, business, and entrepreneurship literacy. We provide trainings, consulting, and coaching to help our constituents increase their understanding of household economics, asset development, regional economic and social trends, entrepreneurship, business and organizational development, marketing, financing, stewardship, and sustainability.
Our typical constituents are potential and start-up entrepreneurs, existing business owners, nonprofit organization executives, and social entrepreneurs. Through individual coaching, group trainings, and ongoing support, we help our constituents start enterprises or strengthen or expand their work in these specific sectors and arenas:
- Leadership, business, professional, and organizational development services
- Enterprises rooted in the arts, culture, history, and natural resources
- Sustainable agriculture and the growing good food movement
- Health, wellness, personal, and caregiving services
- Independent retail
- Construction trades
- Nonprofit, faith-based, philanthropic, and community development organizations
Some folks decide not to move forward with a business and instead focus on strengthening their household finances, obtaining more education, striving for better or more meaningful work with advancement opportunities, developing a network for future entrepreneurial ventures, or discovering new ways to serve their community.
Stewardship and Sustainable Development
Beyond our direct services, we connect people to appropriate resources, coach within the service gaps, organize collaborative and group work, and train others how to do what we do. We also nurture services and policies that create opportunities for empowerment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Finally, we also have a goal to strengthen, incubate, and develop collaborative and cooperative enterprises.
We also leverage our experience to strengthen and support entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and collaborative efforts across North Carolina and beyond. Please contact us for more information or to participate in our work, invite us to speak, connect with our network, or consult with us.
For your personal resource library, download the "Starting a small business in NC" guide from the NC Small Business Technology and Development Center.
Download the “Navigating Business Services in NC: Your ‘Where to Go for What’ Guide.”
Download the “Fueling Your Business in North Carolina: A Guide to Financing for Small Businesses”
For business start-up steps in NC and questions about key business decisions, contact the North Carolina Department of Commerce Business ServiCenter at (919) 715-2864 or toll-free (in NC) at (800) 228-8443.
For general management questions, explore the US Small Business Administration.
Check out our resources page.
Through our trainings, coaching, assistance, and support, we aim to help our constituents:
- Increase their knowledge and skills in economics, finances, business, and asset development and protection
- Achieve greater self-reliance
- Create meaningful work for themselves and others
- Provide quality goods, services, and jobs
- Design challenging work, family, and personal goals
- Be good stewards of their talent, time & resources