The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is hosting its third Small Business Roundtable on Thursday, April 16 at Flex Desk 360 in downtown Henderson. It’s a time, Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson says, for small business owners to come together to talk about challenges, possible solutions to those challenges and celebrate the successes – large and small – that come with business ownership.
“It’s tough to be a small business owner,” Wilkerson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. Events like the upcoming Roundtable provide local business owners the chance to gather and strengthen relationships with one another while brainstorming about common issues like workforce, marketing and customer engagement.
The Roundtable will be from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with a focus on workforce and how small businesses handle workforce challenges.
Lou Grillo and Lisa Holland from NC Works Career Center will be on hand to lead this interactive discussion, Wilkerson said. Vance County Economic Development Director Ferdinand Rouse will also have a role in the program. Grillo is the Workforce Development Director and Holland is the Business Services Manager for the NC Workforce Board.
Small businesses may face particular challenges when it comes to finding employees, Wilkerson said. Sometimes, it’s as basic as getting people to even apply for openings. Small businesses may not be able to offer competitive salary packages or other incentives as larger workplaces can, she said. Employees who go to work for smaller businesses “have to have the heart and soul to do it,” she said.
Resources like NC Works can provide valuable information to business owners when it comes to staffing and identifying potential workers who may fit the bill.
“We need to focus more on the small businesses in our community,” Wilkerson said, reminding that one way to support small businesses in the area is to shop local.
Shopping local is one way to support the area’s economic development, too, and the Chamber’s Tuesday, May 5 “State of” luncheon will address this very timely topic.
Rouse will be the speaker for this event, which will begin at 12 noon at the Henderson Country Club.
Wilkerson said RSVPs are due by April 28 to ensure a spot. Call the Chamber at 252.438.8414 to reserve your spot or email Tanya Wilson at tanya@hendersonvance.org.
“He does his research, he has his facts,” Wilkerson said of Rouse, who’s been the county’s economic development director since July 2024. “It’s going to be an interesting presentation.”
Part of the Chamber’s role is to provide facts about issues that affect the community and Chamber members. “What we try to do is give people an opportunity to understand better…ask questions,” Wilkerson said.
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