A wide range of small business training and educational resources are available in the High Country to support you while starting a new business or expanding an existing business.
Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council
BREC supports entrepreneurs through the following four focus areas: education, mentoring and networking, communications and capital formation. BREC meets monthly, and provides quarterly opportunities for qualified entrepreneurial businesses to present plans before a group of local investors, the Blue Ridge Angel Investors Network.
Caldwell Community College Small Business Center
The Small Business Center offers a wide variety of seminars and workshops to help small businesses be successful.
Mayland Community College Small Business Center
Provide business owners and prospective owners with information, training, counseling, and referral for service. We can also assist with loans up to $25,000 and provide technical or managerial assistance. Continuing education courses offered.
North Carolina Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (NC REAL),
The NC REAL Mission is to develop entrepreneurial talent through action learning and to foster the creation of sustainable enterprises throughout North Carolina, with special emphasis on rural communities.
Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC)
Business and development services provided include: management counseling and education, business research, government procurement, export financing, and technology commercialization.
SmallBizU
This online university offers a range of courses across all functional areas of small business. Sponsored by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
The Council for Entrepreneurship, Startups24/7
CED's Startups24/7 provides entrepreneurs and members of partnering organizations with access to the best-of-breed content that is created through its 100+ annual forums, conferences, round tables and workshops as well as publications and hands-on business development tools.