Interest Meetings for Black & Minority Business Owners & Community Members
As part of the Southern Virginia Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative, the SOVA Innovation Hub and Longwood University are co-hosting a series of interest meetings to ensure input from Black people and other people of color is included and prioritized in the development of new entrepreneurship training and related supports for small businesses.
If you are a Black or minority business owner, community leader, or potential future entrepreneur, we invite you to come share your ideas for improving the support system for Black and minority owned businesses.
Choose Location and Date to Register
Farmville Area: Monday, June 14, 2021
Date: Monday, June 14, 2021
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: Prince Edward Community Library, 1303 W 3rd St, Farmville, VA 23901
Registration Link: bit.ly/FarmvilleInterest
Halifax Area: Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: South Boston Library, 509 Broad St, South Boston, VA 24592
Kid-Friendly! If you need to bring your kids, children’s activities will be provided. The library’s children’s area will be open with a movie playing and books available to keep your kids entertained while you are in the meeting.
Registration Link: bit.ly/HalifaxInterest
South Hill Area: TBD
Date: TBD
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: R.T. Arnold Library, 110 E. Danville Street, South Hill, VA, 23970
Registration Link: bit.ly/SouthHillInterest
Brunswick Area: Monday, June 28, 2021
Date: Monday, June 28, 2021
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: Brunswick County Conference Center, 100 Athletic Field Road, Lawrenceville, VA 23868
Registration Link: bit.ly/BrunswickInterest
Patrick County: Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: Reynolds Homestead, 463 Homestead Ln, Critz, VA 24082
Registration Link: bit.ly/PatrickInterest
Virtual Option: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Time: 6pm to 7:30pm
Location: Zoom video call (phone call option available)
Registration Link: bit.ly/virtual
Each of the meetings will follow the same format
Meet & Greet/Networking with light refreshments begins at 5:30pm (feel free to bring your business cards or flyers) for all in-person meetings.
Focused discussion begins at 6pm – everyone will be invited to talk about entrepreneurship and small business ownership: challenges, existing supports, and opportunities
Sharing of upcoming events and training opportunities
*The virtual meeting on June 30th will not include networking/refreshments.
Background
This series of interest meetings is part of the Southern Virginia (SOVA) Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative, which is a joint program of the SOVA Innovation Hub and Longwood University’s Office of Community and Economic Development. It is funded in part by GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries. This initiative is also funded in part by the Longwood SBDC, which is part of the Virginia SBDC and funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, George Mason University, and local host institutions. The Virginia SBDC is nationally accredited by America’s SBDC.