Business Education

Local events catered to young entrepreneurs promise to inspire the next generation

By Stephanie Meador, posted 10 months ago

The FTCC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship/Small Business Center in partnership with the Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission is preparing for two exciting events set for Thursday and Friday.

Thursday, May 9, beginning at 10 a.m. Making Dreams a Reality featuring Chris Dixon, a Fayetteville native and Jack Britt graduate who is currently the Senior Footwear Designer for Timberland.

Director of the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Ricardo Murphy explained that by bringing in Chris Dixon to speak to students and community members the hope is that these young aspiring entrepreneurs can be inspired and encouraged by Dixon’s success.

“We wanted to kind of just shine some light and let some of the young entrepreneurs in the area see that it is possible… it’s good when you see it on TV or see it on Instagram, but to see it live in person and to get to talk to them and hear their experiences and stories, I thought it’d be a great platform for the small business center to make a connection with the Fayetteville Next. We just merged together, put our brains together and we thought it’d be a great draw,” shared Murphy.

Register for Thursday’s event here.

On Friday, May 10, the Next Generation Business Summit will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tony Rand Student Center on FTCC’s campus.

The Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission’s mission is to attract, retain and engage Fayetteville residents between the ages of 23 and 39. The Commission is dedicated to improving the quality of life for young adults through targeted event programming and community outreach initiatives. 

“This is our first venture together and it’s been interesting. We have two different kinds of commissions, two different styles. I work with a smaller team. They work with a much bigger team and our pace is a little bit different, but it’s been interesting and I think we have some great collaborations to come forward in the future,” shared Murphy about working with the Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission.  

The goal of the business summit is to assist participants in developing high-level strategies and addressing critical challenges in their business development or job search journeys. The

Next Generation Business Summit will offer attendees the opportunity to interact directly with industry experts, fostering face-to-face discussions that facilitate better understanding of panelists' perspectives and clarification of attendees' own goals and strategies. 

“We just want to kind of shine some light on the new generation as far as how they present themselves, it’s different from our upbringing, and I think it’s good that some of the employers as well as these future employees would come to a common ground,” shared Murphy.  

The panelist includes: 

  • Kwame Molden, SPGBK Watches Co-Founder & President       
  • J'Kwan Fulmore, Er'Body Eatz Owner and Former Pro-Athlete Chef        
  • Chris Dixon, St. Footwear Designer-Timberland Energy Founder         
  • Derrick McArthur, Economic Development Manager with the City of Fayetteville    
  • Eric Anderson, Founding Partner of Black Label Access    
  • Jessica Jones, Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Becoming Counseling Services
  • Adriel Hortiales-Lynch, Opulence Productions Owner & CEO 

To register for the business summit click here.

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
north-carolina-military-business-center trent-ensley headshott

Fayetteville Technical Community College and North Carolina Military Business Center to host Federal Food Symposium April 1-2

Trent Ensley - Federal Business Development Professional, North Carolina Military Business Center
cape-fear-valley-health rachel-thurnher headshott

CFVH introduces volunteer program to provide end-of-life companionship

Rachel Thurnher - Education Coordinator for Cardiac Diagnostics & CVRU, Cape Fear Valley Health
fayetteville-state-university daniel-autrey-phd headshott

FSU introduces new degree program to bolster the state’s manufacturing workforce

Daniel Autrey, PhD - Associate Professor & Chair Department of Chemistry, Physics, & Materials Science at Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology, Fayetteville State University

In The Current Issue

Building her own path: Catherine Warren is using her passion to enhance living spaces by creating clean, safe and functional housing

The transient nature of Fayetteville means that homes are always in demand, and affordable homes can be just a dream. Catherine Warren, contractor and owner of Warren Construction & Demolition LP seeks to fulfill those needs with her company’s services.


PAs pioneering change: New mentorship program promotes a more diverse healthcare workforce

Fayetteville physician associates and local students are participating in a national effort to help diversify the healthcare workforce. The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) is piloting a new program called PAthways to connect mino


Geranium Geospatial Solutions: Fayetteville-based company utilizes geographic information systems to provide "smarter solutions through strategic insight"

Left: GGS can help you camp smarter leveraging geospatial technology to enhance your camping experience by offering custom mapping & route planning, weather & environmental monitoring, resource & accessibility mapping and more! Right: GGS