NC Growth has started a new round of fall projects based in Northampton, Halifax, Wayne, Bertie and Beaufort counties.
NC Growth partnered with the Town of Garysburg to conduct a feasibility study for an agricultural center located in an old school building. Students are researching market information, supply and demand, as well as strategies for transitioning longtime tobacco farmers to new crops.
Working in partnership with Cathy Scott, Economic Developer for Halifax County, NC Growth will complete a report on the economic impact of existing business in the county. Scott hopes the research can paint a picture of the importance of retention efforts in Halifax County and in the state. Additionally, students are working in conjunction with Kenan Institute staff to determine the feasibility of a foreign trade zone within the county of Halifax. Students are interviewing manufacturers to determine the benefit of a foreign trade zone to their business.
LSA America is participating in NC Growth’s Entrepreneur Technical Assistance Program (E-TAP). E-TAP will provide the light sport aircraft manufacturer in Littleton, Halifax County assistance in determining the most appropriate inventory system for their company. The light sport aircraft industry is relatively new, with the first U.S. sales starting in 2005 after approval from the FAA. LSA America was the US distributor for the Allegro light sport aircraft until buying the Czech company behind the brand. LSA is ramping up production and set to move out of its space in the Littleton Industrial Building to another facility by the Halifax Regional Airport, hiring 34 workers by the end of 2015.
E-TAP is helping Terra Ceia Farms owner, Carl van Staalduinen, evaluate the growth potential of this family business. Terra Ceia Farms, located in Pantego, Beaufort County, is a nursery and mail-order bulb and cut flower farm, founded by the van Staalduinens family in the 1940s after they immigrated from Holland. During the 1950s, the business was built by selling bulb and cut flowers to northern metropolitan markets. They also pioneered a mail-order business that thrives to this day. Today Terra Ceia is a diversified farm with one grandson of the founder managing the grain and corn acres, another handling 300 acres of bulb and cut flower fields, and a third running the mail-order catalog business.
As part of a new partnership between East Carolina University’s Small Business and Technology Development Center and NC Growth, Kemp Recyclers will get a new HR policy and procedures handbook through E-TAP. Kemp Recyclers is a family owned and operated business with locations in Wayne, Beaufort and Jones counties. They serve the individual scrap metal seller, major manufacturing operations and demolition contractors. As the business has grown rapidly over the past 18 months and hired many new employees they are looking to streamline their hiring process.
Through E-TAP, NC Growth is working with Reverend Vonner Horton’s A Pathway to Independence and Epiphany Cosmetics in Windsor, NC. API opened in May to assist underserved women in Bertie County. They offer programming focused on interpersonal skill development, job readiness and placement, financial counseling, strategies for healthy living, parent training and support services, transitional housing, and youth mentoring. Inspired in part by the Mary Kay model, Epiphany is a complete line of cosmetics for women of color. The company is developing a strong online presence and has been successful at vendor shows and events. As they grow, they hope to hire consultants who have passed through the API program. API and Epiphany Cosmetics strive to nurture and develop women entrepreneurs. Students will work to create Epiphany’s first catalogue and an onboarding training manual for new consultants.