Contact: Beth Smith

Phone: 864.592.6318

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feeding Innovation Spartanburg NxLevel for Food-Based Entrepreneurs

Spartanburg, SC July 21, 2015. Spartanburg Entrepreneur Resource Network (SERN),
Hub City Farmers Market, and the South Carolina Community Loan Fund have
partnered to sponsor an eight-session workshop for entrepreneurs who want to increase
access to healthy food in food deserts or other underserved areas and who need the
business skills to make their business grow.
NxLevel is the national entrepreneur and small business training program that provides
business owners with the framework and skill to develop and grow a small business. Will
Culler (Clemson Agricultural Extension), expert facilitators, and a team of mentors will
utilize an interactive process to help owners create/update their business plans by:
(a) evaluating their business model/strategy, (b) clarifying their market niche, (c) their
pricing structure, and (d) their financial statement health. Class participants will compete
in mid-November by pitching their requests for funding to judges. $12,000 will be
awarded: $6000 to a for-profit business and $6000 to a non-profit organization.
Feeding Innovation Spartanburg will be held at THE GEORGE (USC Upstate Business
College) located at 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306 on Tuesdays,
September 8, 2015 through October 27 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm in Room 170. Parking is
available in the City Parking Garage located behind The George.
Participation is limited to 15 business owners. Please contact Brendan Buttimer at
bbuttimer@hubcityfm.org in order to receive the application to participate in the
program. The application must be completed by August 21 and submitted to
Mr. Buttimer. Final participants will be notified how to register for the program.

The South Carolina SBDC is partially funded under a Cooperative Agreement by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) operates in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The support
given by the U.S. Small Business Administration through such funding does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of the
co-sponsor (s) or participants opinions, products or services. All SBDC programs are nondiscriminatory and available to
individuals with disabilities.
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