/ Growing a Business

Carolina Small Business Development Fund believes that when small businesses succeed, everyone benefits. They support communities by helping entrepreneurs build the businesses of their dreams, creating economic opportunities across North Carolina. Grow your business with Carolina Small Business Development Fund.

The CLGBTCC is committed to giving growing businesses the support and guidance they need! Through strategic programs, networking events and learning opportunities, the CLGBTCC could become the resource your business needs to take it to the next step!

Prospera specializes in equipping Hispanic business owners with the tools and knowledge they need to expand their growing business. Consulting, along with ongoing seminars and workshops, are available throughout the year and are completely free.

If you’re a woman entrepreneur and are ready to take the next step in growing your business, NAWBO is the only member-based organization designed to serve, support and strengthen women entrepreneurs in Charlotte. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a member of NAWBO Charlotte!

The LACCC is committed to giving growing businesses the support they need! Through guided programs, networking events, and mentoring opportunities, the LACCC might just be the resource your business needs to take it to the next step!

Mecklenburg County is helping growing businesses by giving them the tools they need to grow successfully. If you’re looking for information on growing your business, find out how the County can help!

• Small Business Concierge Program: Designed by Mecklenburg County, the Small Business Concierge program is a FREE mentoring-based service that helps entrepreneurs connect to local resources that will help them grow a business in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. To learn more, email Mark Stewart or call 980.314.2987.
• Existing Industry – Retention & Expansion: Mecklenburg County can connect you with incentives, grants, and training resources to make your existing industry business more competitive locally and globally. Find out more by contacting Gretchen Carson by email, or at 980.314.2758.
• Minority, Women, Small Business Enterprise Program (MWSBE): Are you interested in doing business with Mecklenburg County, obtaining certifications, and/or building your business’s capacity and competitive advantage?  If so, email Jamila R. Davis or call 980.314.2940 to learn more.

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance hosts a variety of events and seminars designed to benefit the growth of your business.

When it’s time to take your business to the next level, the Library can help connect you to the information you need. Use Reference USA to learn more about competitors in your industry and ABI/INFORM to discover industry trends. And with SimplyAnalytics, you can learn more about the demographics in your area or anywhere in the United States.

Charlotte’s growing, and with the City of Charlotte, our business community is growing with it. Find the tools and information you need to grow your business successfully with the City of Charlotte!

When it’s time to expand or relocate your business,Charlotte Works will be there to provide real-time, sector-focused labor market information; grants to train or retrain your workforce; and collaboration with local, state and federal partners.

If you’re a UNC Charlotte entrepreneurial student or faculty member with a big idea, be sure to check out the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Site Program at UNC Charlotte which is operated by Ventureprise, as well as the Ventureprise Launch program. Both of these programs support UNC Charlotte’s students and faculty members by guiding their ideas through the commercialization process. Learn more about commercializing your technology with Ventureprise!

Ventureprise Launch Program – Have a technology concept that you think could make it through the commercialization process? The Ventureprise Launch program is designed to assess opportunities and help innovators through commercialization. A boot camp for innovators, this program will challenge participants at every turn. Find out if you’re eligible and request an application!

SCORE Charlotte helps growing businesses in a variety of ways. In particular, their free, confidential one-on-one mentoring is available for business owners to speak directly to successful entrepreneurs about the greatest challenges of growing a business.

The SBTDC understands the challenges facing growing businesses. With products and services designed to maximize the success of your company, the SBTDC is here to help you grow and succeed!

Are you ready to expand your business? Planning and preparing for new challenges is a crucial step in the process. Find out from the SBA how you can successfully grow your company.

Growing businesses often need capital! The SBA 504 program offered by BEFCOR can finance and refinance real estate, machinery and equipment to help companies increase revenue, productivity, employees and profit. Contact BEFCOR for more details!

Your business is growing, which means your team is growing with it. The Employers Association is available to answer your human resources questions and connect you to resources that will help your business grow.

Central Piedmont’s Small Business Center offers one-on-one business counseling and targeted programs to help your business reach the next level such as a free six-part “What’s Next?” seminar series and an annual growth accelerator program, Get Up and Grow! to help ease the growing pains of any business. Visit https://www.cpcc.edu/sbc to find the help you’ve been looking for!

The Central Piedmont Corporate Learning Center works one-on-one with businesses to develop and meet the training needs of your employees in the following areas: training and development, organization effectiveness and workplace learning. Learn more about group training today!

Charlotte-Mecklenburg BLACK CHAMBER of Commerce

Charlotte-Mecklenburg BLACK CHAMBER of Commerce offers opportunities for you to connect and build the relationships you need to grow your business. Visit the CMBCC online to learn more, or join today

The North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA)is the leading advocate and business resource dedicated to promoting a positive legislative and regulatory environment for the retail industry – enhancing members’ opportunities for success.

Owning a business can be overwhelming. Membership in NCRMA ensures that you have the resources, support and facts you need to make running your business easier and more profitable. The Association has grown to be the go-to source when our members are facing an issue. Not only are we dedicated to our members’ success, we are also working hard every day to ensure that North Carolina is one of the best places in the United States to do business.

We are a nonprofit trade association that was organized in 1902 to improve the business climate for retail merchants in our state. Over 100 years later, NCRMA is still the voice of the retail industry in North Carolina. The Association’s membership includes more than 25,000 stores from across the state, representing 75 percent of North Carolina’s retail sales volume. NCRMA serves both large and small retailers from multi-state chains to independents, and all types of merchants such as antique, apparel, art, automotive, book, carpet, department, drug, electronics, floral, furniture, grocery, hardware, jewelry, paint and variety stores.