Fall 2024 Retail Lab Graduates 13 Local Entrepreneurs

On Wednesday, November 20th, thirteen local entrepreneurs celebrated the completion of the Retail Lab Boot Camp. This six-week program provided participants with practical tools and insights for opening and operating a retail business, culminating in the opportunity to pitch for grant funding.

This year’s cohort included a wide range of businesses, from an online marketplace for authors of color to an e-commerce shop offering eco-friendly household essentials. All founders were brought together by a passion for learning and a desire to expand their networks. Okima McRae of Mark and Stamp reflected on her and her husband’s experience in the program: “We’re so thankful to have been part of this program. Even though we haven’t started our business yet, we’ve learned so much that will help us launch with confidence.”

The program is a collaboration between the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and the Flywheel Foundation, made possible with funding from Wells Fargo. Local entrepreneurs and business leaders contribute to the development of the curriculum, which covers topics like business strategy, branding, marketing, e-commerce, point-of-sale, and inventory management.

Graduates of the program receive a 3-month membership to Flywheel Coworking, offering access to the Cabarrus Center’s space and amenities, as well as ongoing support from local entrepreneurial organizations, including the Small Business Center, the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation, and the Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce.

Applications for the next cohort will open in early 2025. For more information about the program, please contact Grant Colgan at the Flywheel Foundation.

Fall 2024 Graduates

• Borinquen Kombucha
  Heriberto Renta*
• Bougie Class Designs
  Nicole Sherrill-Jamison
• Canopy Concord
  Ausu Anaraki
• Did Someone Say Balloons
  Melanie Robinson*
• Good Greene Gardens
  Janea Henderson
• Just 4 GP, LLC – The Print Shop
  Ralietha Ellis
• Mark and Stamp
  Dante and Okima McRae
• Rachel Frank Aesthetics
  Rachel Frank*
• Read & Found Books
  Amanda Raymond*
• Stallings Floral Co LLC
  Nathan Stallings
• Sweet & Happy
  Thais Souza*
• The Sword Life
  Stephanie Wallace

*Indicates venture received micro-grant through the Retail Lab Program