Local business owners voice concerns at secretary of state’s roundtable event at SCC
In partnership with Southeastern Community College and its Small Business Center, the North Carolina Secretary of State office hosted the Rural RISE NC Business Roundtable event in the SCC auditorium. N.C. Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall acted as moderator for the roundtable, and she provided feedback to issues facing small business owners.
“The main goal of today’s visit was to let the small business owners of this county know that they have a friend at the Secretary of State’s office,” Marshall said. “The office has easy, accessible resources found online for these small business owners at sosnc.gov/RISE. That’s how you find them.”
Marshall said she learned many new things about Columbus County and the entrepreneurs who live here and the legacy businesses that have endured for many years. She described the roundtable as a therapy session for business owners in the sense of them discussing similar issues they face not just for new business owners but established business owners as well.
“So, first off, they all learned that we’re all in the same boat together, and that workforce preparedness was the key issue in so many cases,” Marshall said. “Being able to find decent employees who have that work ethic, commitment and credentials they need are all common issues.”
To bring solutions to the table, Marshall said her office can provide a checklist, no matter what stage of business activity an owner is in. This checklist covers the short-term future and long-range goals of a business, and it has a resource providers list built in. She said the checklist can prove to be a valuable tool if people will use it.
“My favorite part of today’s visit was meeting the people, hearing the ideas they have and learning how they are developing them,” Marshall said. “This was a great success, I think, and it’s important to shop local because these businesses deserve your support.”
The Secretary of State’s office reached out to SCC’s Small Business Center about the visit, and Nathan Moore, SCC’s Small Business Center Director, worked with the Secretary’s office to identify business owners representing a range of industries across Columbus County.
“I wanted every business owner in that room to recognize that this was more than just another meeting it was a rare opportunity to speak directly with North Carolina’s Secretary of State and help shape the conversation around the future of rural entrepreneurship,” Moore said. “My goal was to ensure their voices were heard, their experiences were shared, and their ideas could help influence solutions that strengthen small businesses across our communities.”
Rural RISE NC Business Roundtable
The Rural RISE NC Business Roundtable event hosted 16 local business owners to discuss challenges they face in operating their business. Marshall gave an introduction and data analysis on small business creation in Columbus County through the Secretary of State’s office. Each business owner introduced themselves, discussed issues they faced, and received guidance on their next steps.
Marshall agreed with many people on stage that businesses are in an insurance cost crisis. Some of the top issues they voiced were:
- finding employees with a driver’s license
- competition from free childcare facilities
- finding qualified workers
- advertising and marketing
- start-up costs
- employee sense of entitlement
- increased cost of insurance
- not being able to offer benefits to employees
- finding drivers with commercial driver’s licenses
- finding workers who can do intense physical labor in the elements
- skilled labor shortage who specializes in equipment operation
- rising energy costs
“The key takeaway from this is understanding where all the challenges are coming from for every small business owner,” said. Dr. Chris English, SCC President. “They may not offer the same product or services, but they all have the same challenges. Whether it’s finding a capable workforce to insurance issues or struggling to make ends meet, these business owners found common ground on key issues.”
English said Southeastern Community College’s Small Business Center serves as the college’s first step in helping entrepreneurs address many of the challenges discussed during the roundtable. He said the center provides one-on-one business counseling, assists with business planning, helps entrepreneurs prepare for funding opportunities, and guides new business owners through the process of establishing an LLC and building a strong foundation for long-term success.
“We also offer classes through workforce development or curriculum that can engage those individuals in whatever it might be that they need,” English said. “It’s for us to know what specific training they need, what resources they need and help guide to obtaining them.”
English explained that there is a regulatory aspect to the Secretary of State office, but their main goal is to help small businesses become successful. He said this roundtable event is where partnerships between the SBC and Secretary of State can help lead to success for local entrepreneurs.
Lunch and downtown tour
Before the roundtable event, Marshall got a small taste of small businesses operating in downtown Whiteville. Moore said Marshall’s visit to downtown Whiteville gave her “a first-hand look at entrepreneurship, downtown investment, revitalization and the impact of small businesses to the downtown business district.” Whiteville city officials, SCC leadership and staff and county economic development staff joined Marshall and her staff at The Chef and the Frog for lunch.
Marshall and everyone on tour made stops at Cocktails Hair Bar & Spa, 710 South Boutique, Mercantile on Main, the future site of Irene’s restaurant, Whiteville Family Pharmacy and Todd’s Clothing. Accompanying Marshall, her staff and Moore on the walking tour were Dr. Chris English, Columbus County Chamber President Joan McPherson, City Manager Sean Martin, downtown Whiteville economic staff members Madison Ward and Emily Cross, Whiteville Mayor Terry Mann, City Councilman Josh Harris and Economic Development Director Dylan Bowen.
Need help with your small business? Connect with SCC’s Small Business Center by clicking here or calling the office at 910-788-6231.
