CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Goodwill announced it will host a new entrepreneurship class with ASPIRE Community Capital to help more people in the Charlotte region create small businesses.
ASPIRE Community Capital is an organization committed to helping business owners in underserved neighborhoods in the Charlotte area reach their full potential. The new partnership with Goodwill is scheduled to launch in September.
"Our purpose here at Goodwill, we say, is to see possibilities, to seize opportunity and to prosper," Goodwill Chief Advancement Officer LaRita Barber said.
Seizing an opportunity is exactly why Taylor Jackson joined the entrepreneurship program. Throughout the 12-week program, Jackson was able to get 1-on-1 business development coaching to help expand her business, POUR Mixology, which is a cocktail catering company.
"I started with ASPIRE because I never really understood my numbers," Jackson said. "I never really understood how to grow and hire employees and grow in business."
Jackson also owns Redd Rose Vodka, a popular flavored vodka brand that's been featured on the national radio show The Breakfast Club.
"Women come to the bar and they always say they want something sweet but they don't want a lox of mixers, they don't want a lot of going on in the glass, so I created a vodka that you can sip over ice," Jackson said.
Classes in the entrepreneurship program are taught by experienced small business owners once a week for three hours. The program also includes courses on tax planning, pre-loan qualification and management skills.
Barber said those courses will help potential business owners understand financial data, marketing plans and how to network to find successful business partners. Jackson said the experience was well worth the time she invested.
"So much so that I've been able to hire employees and gain retention," Jackson said.
The Lowe's Foundation gave ASPIRE Community Capital and Goodwill a $275,000 grant that will support more small business owners. Program leaders said they hope to graduate 65 participants for the next round of classes that start in September. The goal for those who join the program is to grow a business that will last for a long time.
"The biggest thing is to just keep pushing," Jackson said. "Keep striving, you gotta stay with it."
People who are interested in the entrepreneurship program can click here to learn more about enrolling.
Contact Ruby Durham at rdurham@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.