A year ago, Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina. Nearly every small business in the region was affected. Today, as recovery continues, these entrepreneurs—our neighbors—are still carrying the weight of those losses. In the aftermath, many of the small businesses that enrich our lives became heroes. They served free meals for neighbors, set up resource…
One year post-Hurricane Helene, Mountain BizWorks is pleased to announce new investments in regional, long-term small business recovery. Gifts of $1.4 million from the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) Disaster Relief Fund, and $180,000 from Appalachian Community Capital, plus a $2 million recovery loan capital from Bank of America will address ongoing small business resilience…
Kwadwo Som-Pimpong of Crafted Glory purchased his first home in 2015. One surprise for the first-time buyer? “It never occurred to me that the furniture wouldn’t come with the house,” he laughed. That realization started his journey to find furniture he loved, and it’s since led to a business that’s growing one handcrafted piece at…
The 2025 Local Business Impact Survey found 93% of small businesses have reopened post-Helene, but needs are emerging around flexible capital, lack of commercial real estate, revenue recovery, and infrastructure restoration. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Mountain BizWorks’ Local Business Impact Survey (LBIS). That’s 3,580 entrepreneurs making their voices heard through their daily…
Last week at a celebratory kick-off, Mountain BizWorks, along with partners Made by Mountains, the Outdoor Business Alliance of WNC and the NC Outdoor Economy Office, welcomed 20 entrepreneurs into the Waypoint Resilience Cohort. The program aims to help outdoor industry businesses rebuild from Helene, problem-solve with peers and experts, and chart a course for…
In a world where change is constant, resilience is the key to long-term success. That’s why Mountain BizWorks created Future Forward, a dynamic small business resilience workshop and coaching series designed for small business owners ready to strengthen their foundations and seize new opportunities. Small Business Resilience Workshops “Future Forward was born out of the…
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