SCC to host entrepreneur Brian Hamilton for Sept. 21 event focused on business ownership and opportunity
Southeastern Community College will host entrepreneur, philanthropist and business leader Brian Hamilton on Sept. 21 for a special community event focused on entrepreneurship, business ownership and the American Dream.
Titled “The Power of Ownership: Building Your Own Path to the American Dream,” the event will take place from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the SCC Auditorium and is free and open to students, faculty and the public. The program will feature a keynote address and fireside chat with Hamilton and Nathan Moore, director of SCC’s Small Business Center.
The event also marks the official launch of a partnership between Southeastern Community College and the Brian Hamilton Foundation, bringing Starter U, a free online entrepreneurship program, to students and residents throughout Columbus County.
“Southeastern Community College is dedicated to providing our students and local community with tangible pathways to economic independence,” said Dr. Chris English, president of Southeastern Community College. “Brian Hamilton’s lifelong commitment to lifting up aspiring business owners makes him an ideal partner for our mission. Hamilton is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in America. We are excited to partner with him and the Brian Hamilton Foundation as they expand access to opportunity through business ownership.”
Hamilton said entrepreneurship creates opportunities for people from all walks of life.
“Ownership is the most direct path to financial independence and personal freedom,” Hamilton said. “Whether you are a college student, a local worker looking to start a business or someone rebuilding your life, entrepreneurship gives you the power to shape your own future. Southeastern Community College is doing wonderful work to expand opportunities across this region, and we are proud to partner with them to bring Starter U to the entire community.”
Through the new partnership, SCC’s Small Business Center will provide access to Starter U, an on-demand entrepreneurship course developed by the Brian Hamilton Foundation. The free, self-paced program helps participants learn the fundamentals of starting, operating, and growing a business.
Starter U is taught by Hamilton, founder of Sageworks, one of the nation’s first fintech companies, and star of the ABC television series Free Enterprise. Since its launch, the program has served more than 45,000 learners.
Moore said the program provides practical guidance for individuals interested in entrepreneurship, regardless of their background or level of experience.
“Starter U is a free entrepreneurship program from the Brian Hamilton Foundation designed to help people start, build and grow a business,” Moore said. “What I like about it is that it’s practical. You don’t need a business degree or even have everything figured out. It gives aspiring and existing business owners the fundamentals and a place to start.”
Moore said the program can help address a common challenge faced by many talented individuals in Columbus County: knowing how to transform their skills into sustainable business opportunities.
“We have incredibly talented people in Columbus County who know how to cook, build, repair, create, sell and serve,” Moore said. “What they may not know is how to turn that skill into a sustainable business or how to take an existing business to the next level.”
The partnership also creates another connection point between entrepreneurs and the resources available at Southeastern Community College.
“Starter U gives us another way to get people connected to SCC,” Moore said. “For some, that next step may be starting a business. For others, it may be realizing they need additional skills, a credential or even an opportunity to return to school.”
Moore noted that SCC’s Small Business Center serves as more than a training provider. Through confidential business counseling, coaching and referrals, the center helps individuals identify and pursue their next steps.
“The goal isn’t simply to get someone through a class,” he said. “It’s to get them connected, help them discover what’s possible and create a pathway to their next opportunity.”
The partnership carries personal significance for Moore, who said he followed Hamilton’s work long before SCC became a Foundation partner.
“I used to watch Brian Hamilton on Free Enterprise and always respected his work around entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for people,” Moore said. “To go from watching his work on television to partnering with his Foundation, bringing Starter U home to Columbus County and now welcoming Brian to SCC is pretty special.”
While Starter U provides the educational foundation, Moore said SCC’s Small Business Center helps participants determine what comes next, whether that involves business planning, financing resources, additional education or connections to community partners.
“My role isn’t simply to send someone to a class,” Moore said. “I want to help them take what they learn and determine what comes next. Starter U provides the education. We help create the pathway forward.”
According to Moore, entrepreneurship support is needed because many local residents already possess the skills and ideas necessary to succeed but lack access to information, resources or guidance on where to begin.
“Talent isn’t our problem. Sometimes the missing piece is knowing where to start,” he said. “There are people across Columbus County with skills, ideas and entrepreneurial potential who may be one connection, one resource or one opportunity away from starting something.”
Moore views the initiative as part of a larger process that can strengthen the local economy.
“Idea. Education. Support. Action. Business. Jobs. Stronger Columbus County,” Moore said. “If Starter U helps someone move from ‘I’ve always thought about starting a business’ to ‘I’m ready to take the first step,’ then we’ve accomplished something meaningful.”
Jackie Drumm, vice president of communications for the Brian Hamilton Foundation, said the organization is committed to increasing entrepreneurship opportunities through trusted local partners.
“We are working with an incredible coalition of trusted partner organizations across North Carolina to bring Starter U to their communities, with a mission of increasing business ownership and removing socioeconomic barriers statewide,” Drumm said. “We are excited to partner with like-minded organizations who already believe in the power of entrepreneurship to change lives.”
Hamilton is the founder of the Brian Hamilton Foundation, whose mission is to increase business ownership by teaching individuals why and how to start businesses, particularly businesses that can be launched without significant startup capital.
For more information about the Sept. 21 event or Starter U, contact the SCC Small Business Center at 910-788-6231. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.
