Session 6 - Business Growth & Development

Session 6: Business Growth & Development
Morning Sessions
Our class has made no secret that we enjoy each other’s company, and we proved that again by doing something unprecedented: getting up early and hanging out socially before 8am. Instead of partaking in an after-hours event, we all got together and prepped for the day ahead by enjoying coffee and lattes at Social Coffee, which has become a local favorite for many of us and a small business staple in our community.
After fueling up, our group kicked off the morning at UNCW's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, diving into Wilmington's economic landscape. Dr. Mouhcine Guettabi, from UNCW's Swain Center, painted a compelling picture of our region's growth trajectory and economic future, setting the stage for a day focused on understanding what drives our community's business success.
This was followed by an engaging panel on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Growth featuring Jerry Coleman from CFCC's Small Business Center and Heather McWhorter from UNCW's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, who shared insights on how our region nurtures new ventures and supports entrepreneurs. Kim Hufham from the Wilmington & Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau then highlighted how tourism continues to be a vital economic engine for our area.
The morning's highlight came with hands-on business site tours, where the class split into five groups to experience Wilmington's diverse business ecosystem firsthand – from innovative manufacturers like IKA Works and Eijkelkamp to food and beverage enterprises like Cape Fear Provisions, logistics operations at MegaCorp, tech innovators at Protocase and Vantaca, and creative ventures like End of Days Distillery and Wilmington Grill. Several of our classmates also enjoyed walking tours of the emerging Soda Pop and Cargo Districts, witnessing firsthand the transformation of Wilmington's industrial areas into vibrant business hubs.

 
Afternoon Sessions
Following lunch and our reflections on the morning tours (French vanilla hummus anyone??), we explored the strategic planning behind Wilmington's growth with Linda Painter from the City of Wilmington and Rebekah Roth from New Hanover County, who provided insider perspectives on how our community views new development and the process behind that decision process.
The afternoon continued with a dynamic discussion on economic development recruitment and retention featuring Cliff Pyron from Wilmington Business Development, Christina Haley from Wilmington Downtown Inc., and Josh Hallingse from the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce – each sharing how their organizations work to attract new businesses while supporting existing ones.
The day concluded with an eye-opening presentation on talent attraction, development, and retention, including a demo of the innovative NC Career Coast website by Megan Mullins and insights on Chamber talent pipeline initiatives from Dr. Steven Hill. These sessions underscored a critical challenge: growing businesses need growing talent pools. We wrapped up with committee debriefs and WOW progress reports, energized by a day that showcased both the entrepreneurial spirit and strategic planning that continue to make Wilmington a dynamic and emerging business market.