If you’re a minority business leader with great ideas who needs a little help getting those ideas off the ground, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce may have the perfect program for you.
The Greensboro Chamber has opened up applications for the second class of its minority business accelerator called Scale to Excel.
In Guilford County, there are a number of programs focused on helping minority entrepreneurs achieve success including this one, and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the second run of Scale to Excel – a minority business accelerator program that offers executive education, management, and business support systems for small businesses.
The program, which is being led by instructor Channelle James, is open to anyone who’s “CEO and/or a 51 percent owner of an ethnic minority-owned business.”
It’s a joint effort between the national organization Interise, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and Accelerate Greensboro.
It uses Interise’s “StreetWise MBA curriculum” that’s used by more than 80 similar programs across the country – with, according to Interise, an average revenue growth rate of 36 percent for participating businesses, and four times the job creation rate compared to the private sector.
In the press release announcing the program’s new class, Bernard Johnson, the director of Scale to Excel, said this could be the big break some minority entrepreneurs are looking for.
“Scale to Excel has proven to be a game changer for minority owned firms in the Greensboro area,” Johnson stated. “The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Accelerator has created a program and model for businesses to have a pathway for success. Interise is truly excited to partner with the Chamber and looks forward to the second cohort. The opportunities for local minority businesses to connect, build capacity, and to refine strategies are so critical to an inclusive localized economy.”
James, the instructor, is a faculty member in the Bryan School of Business and Economics at UNC Greensboro. She’s also the president and executive director of Community Ventures Inc., a non-profit startup focused on “creating social good in the City of Greensboro through entrepreneurship and social innovation.”
James has published articles and book chapters based on her research in sustainable/social entrepreneurship, diversity and “community support of entrepreneurship for vulnerable communities.”
Valued as an experience worth $10,000 by some accounts, participants in the program pay $199. The remainder of the cost is subsidized by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.
Scholarships for the class will be made available on a limited basis.
Virtual information sessions for interested business owners will be held on Thursday, Jan. 6 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and on Monday, Jan. 10 from 4 p.m. to 5 pm. Registration is now open at greensboro.org/accelerategreensboro/scaletoexcel/. Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Saturday, January 22.
What if I were a young white entrepreneur, trying to get ahead?
You wouldn’t have to face biased lending practices by banks.
You wouldn’t have to face biased education systems
You wouldn’t have to face limited access to business networks (as many in their own community face the same economic barriers)
You would be less likely to have to overcome poverty driven economic barriers
Black men and women make up 13% of the US population but only 4% of small businesses. Programs such as this are working to change that statistic.
Chris obviously you didn’t grow up in the South small WHITE businesses faced all of the problems you mentioned and then some. So from all of us small WHITE business owners KISS OUR BEHINDS blacks are not the only ones to deal with these issues
Oh, you are one of those that denies racism exists because life is hard for everyone. To be clear, it is harder for people of color. For example, many small farmers lost their farms as the Farmers Credit union wouldn’t approve loans needed to keep their farm running. This is just one example I am most familiar with….who denied you a loan because of your skin color even though you qualified?
Call a whaaaambulance to fix Will’s hurt widdle Caucasian fweelings. The predominately white C of C is sponsoring this initiative. If you have a problem, take your cheesy whine up with their membership – which you can find here: https://chamber.greensboro.org/list
Maybe you should open a sheet dry cleaning business to serve your Klan friends.
Maybe the Tuna should grow up.
You sound like a 6 year old.
I disagree. Everyone faces discrimination. Adversity makes us stronger.
Another thing, if black men and women make up 13% of the population; why are they heavily favored in TV commercials, entertainment, the media, ESG & wokie businesses, among other things? Look at the wokie requirements of eligibility for Academy Awards. I went to Verizon for a new phone. Every employee in the building (7) was a black male. They were hired because they were black. By your argument, 5 or 6 of them should have been white. ALL the employees at my Post Office are black. Go downtown and see who is running the Court House.
4% of small business owned by blacks? OK, how many can run it? Some knowledge or marketing, economics, accounting, manufacturing, management, etc. will be necessary. People skills will be most helpful – put a political or religious sign on your door, and you’ll run a lot of business away. Still most private start-ups fail. My first three failed. The problems never were money. So the answer is to learn something, and apply yourself. Anybody can do that, but not on my dime.
So…..your position is that racism doesn’t exist? That all people get a fair chance regardless of their skin color or personal heritage?
Black-owned firms are twice as likely to be rejected for loans. Some of this is due to racism, but also due to lack of intergenerational wealth and “insufficient knowledge” about the banking system are also significant obstacles that exist from a long legacy of racism’s impact many people in the black community.
I understand that the modern conservative ideal is to not have empathy for others. Thankfully others do have empathy and are willing to offer basic assistance to help a long repressed segment of our community.
Sorry chris can’t agree with you on this in today’s America people can succeed if they want to bad enough no matter their color. So when is enough ever going to be enough. You see racism in everything so would you not say programs such as mwbe and any quota that promotes blacks because they are black would be racist
You know this city is like 45% black right?
Oh, I have overcome “poverty driven economic barriers”, mate. We were all coal miners.
But I believe that discriminating between people by their race is wrong, when you’re giving out favours.
Don’t you?
Sure people with white skin have faced barriers to economic growth. We all have to overcome barriers. BUT, the legacy of racism in this country has laid multiple additional layers of barriers against the black community where political, banking, and society actions have worked hard to keep the black community in poverty. Offering that community a boost makes perfect sense.
What barriers did you face strictly because of the color of your skin?
Affirmative Action, Minority & Women Business Enterprise programs, and the subtle discrimination against white males that is now ubiquitous. My son was refused a high achieving program at Guilford College when we know a less academically talented young black man got in.
We all know why.
All the above are examples of anti-white institutionalized racism.
Got it now?
Obviously you have never owned a business downtown. The city gives tax incentives to about 4 developers and grants/loans to demographics. Oh, and they will let people destroy and loot when the police are told to stand down.
Then you receive no help whatsoever because people want you to think that some how you’re magically entitled because of your skin color. Yet I remember growing up where my parents worked and struggled to get by with 4 kids. We didn’t get government help and it was an embarrassment if you had to ask. If we needed more money then either my dad or my mom would take on another job. Hard work pays off not hand outs.
Do you deny racism has had a negative effect on the black community? Do you claim that because all white people didn’t have it on easy street that that nullifies the impact of racism on the black community? Do you believe that all poor are poor because they are lazy?
Most importantly, do you think racism doesn’t exist today?
Racism exists in small minds like yours. People like you try to white guilt others into making exceptions for someone based on skin color. By definition this program is racist in the fact that it promotes only one skin color. If this program was taunted as whites only would you feel so protective? All I’m saying is that people who have been programmed to think that black people aren’t capable are only fanning the flame. As for racism yes it exists but not where you think it does
Well said, Quasi. Chris, it seems, is in favor of racism when it discriminates against whites, but angry and aghast when it discriminates against blacks.
Of course he is. Chris is black.
So Chris takes the position that discriminating against black people is heinous and reprehensible, but discriminating against white people is virtuous and commendable.
TALK ABOUT HYPOCRISY….
What a far Left sheep he is.
PS
Chris is an African-American male.
No wonder he’s in favor of all partisan and arbitrary advantages he can get.
Does the Chamber of Commerce pay for all this wokie discrimination; or are we on the hook for it?
I’ve been self-employed since 1968. The only money I ever was granted were loans that were repaid. I failed at some, did well with others. Ok overall. If I can do it, most anyone can.
Be careful Miller you might get labeled
“ KAREN “ or be accused of using your
“WHITE PRIVILEGE “
“Miller” is code for “Karen”.
RE: Karen
People have always used words to describe others. Those “of a certain age” (myself included) will recall the “cool cat” of the 1950’s, the “hippie” from the 1960’s, and any Harry Potter fan knows that a “muggle” is a non-magical person, but I suppose I am not current on more recent “descriptive words” such as Karen.
Please allow me to share my experience. She was a divorced mother of a son and daughter; she worked two jobs to support her family; she was a kind and decent person; and in 2016 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like thousands of others, she endured chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation and did so without complaint. She was one of the bravest people I have ever known. She died of metastatic breast cancer in 2017. I loved her and miss her every day. She was my sister. Her name was Karen.
Words have influence and power. May they be used wisely and honorably.
It’s regrettable that your dear sister’s name has become a cheap slur used by oafs and boors. It can only exacerbate your loss.
You have my sympathy. She sounds like a wonderful person.
Racism exists in small minds like yours. People like you try to white guilt others into making exceptions for someone based on skin color. By definition this program is racist in the fact that it promotes only one skin color. If this program was taunted as whites only would you feel so protective? All I’m saying is that people who have been programmed to think that black people aren’t capable are only fanning the flame. As for racism yes it exists but not where you think it does
This proves beyond a doubt that ALL people are NOT capable of accomplishing the same level of life and race is the divider. These kinds of adjustments to society are an even more racial divider and will continue until we learn to say ALL PEOPLE when talking about the human race.
So those disadvantaged by racism today should be told what? I use small farmers as a great example where there is ample evidence of biased lending practices that have made it much more difficult to survive as a smaller famer if you are black today.
Do you deny these issues exist? or just deny that they matter?
You do realize that there are very few small farmers today either White or black that’s not due to racism just pure economics.
This administration tried to “forgive” all the loans owed by farmers – but only the NON-WHITE farmers. THAT is racism, and unless you decry that, you are a racist.
It is up to each of us to make our own way. Some are unlucky, but most of us have the opportunity to make it. Those who have to cough it up for those who don’t drags everyone down. Life is not fair. Get over it.
Everyone will have a different outcome. We are all different.
If you believe people in the black community have the SAME opportunity and have always had the SAME opportunity to ‘make it’ as people in the white community, you clearly have your head in the sand or are just highly selfish and lack empathy for those that have been targeted by racist people, policies, and practices for generations.
But you be you.
And your head is up something and it’s not sand enjoy the view
Wow, they actually specify ethnic minority-owned business. Good to know it is not open to all minorities.
And guess what else chris we succeeded without the help of mwbe, quotas or set asides by sheer grit determination hard work and fair business dealings with others who respected our work ethics and work quality. We didn’t ask for handouts. We created our our on. Shove your marxists ideas where you sit
This is also required of folks in the black community. No one is handing them a ready pop-up sucessful business. Just offering some additional help as a means to overcome generations of extra barriers tossed up in front of the black communities ability to be successful inspite of their hard work. Example of past and present racism that has added extra barriers that the white community didn’t have to face….racially biased lending practices, equal access to desirable real-estate, access critical business networks that may not exist in their own communities, etc….
Denying racisms impact on the black community is pathetic. But you be you.
But chris where are their “communities “ I thought those didn’t exist anymore. People black or White can choose today to live where they want. Funny thing about that you never see White people wanting to move into a majority black neighborhood but the opposite can’t be said of black people why do you think that is. Just food for thought
You kind of, in a sick way, make the argument justifying affirmative action programs. Many (not all) majority black communities are low income areas where minorities are very much treated differently than majority white areas. Schools are underfunded and therefore by design education is unlikely to provide equal opportunity to lift people out of poverty. Rental home standards are less likely to be enforced although rent is same as areas with higher standards reducing quality of life and even impacting health. Policing is more aggressive in these areas with a bias for assumed guilt creating anger and resentment in these communities impacting mental health and increased incarceration rates stripping ability to earn future income and provide family support.
These are only a few examples and each community has its own issues. To deny the extra barriers that continue face the minority communities show great ignorance. The same ignorance that feeds modern racism and division in society. Sure, there are far fewer lynchings and no more burning crosses in yards but racial bias is alive and well.
But you be you.
Glad I’m not you chris the chip on your shoulder has to be a heavy weight to carry around every day.
“Schools are underfunded”… What Century are you living in? That might have been true 70 years ago, but not now, and not for a long time. There is a high school near me that consistently rates among the highest performing in the state. The kids are taught in trailers. All the minority schools I see have obviously been lavished with millions of dollars recently. I live near NW Guilford High School. Look for yourself.
And yes, the police DO patrol the minority areas more aggressively. That’s where the crime is. Draw your own conclusion about the people in those areas.