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

By Stephanie Meador, posted May 8, 2024 on BizFayetteville.com

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.

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.

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