May 22, 2009

Nearly 200 Participate in Area's First Small Business Expo

ROCK HILL—Nearly 200 visitors and vendors participated in the Catawba area’s first Small Business Expo held at the Baxter Hood Center on Tuesday evening. Seventy vendor tables lined the Hood Center ballroom as consumers from the three-county area came to sample wares, meet business owners, and discover more about the small business community.

Visitors to the event were invited to evaluate vendors based on marketing appeal, customer service and other attributes, providing valuable feedback to the business owners and an opportunity to win door prizes valued at up to $250 each.

Participants were also invited to take advantage of educational seminars throughout the evening. The variety of presentations provided something for everyone, with topics ranging from estate planning to Facebook 101.

One not-to-be-missed event was the Young Entrepreneur Contest. Students as young as sixth-grade confidently walked to the podium in the Barnes Auditorium and shared their business plans with an audience of expectant parents, nervous contestants, and encouraging supporters.

First place ($500) was awarded to young entrepreneur Anastassia Masters for her pet tooth-cleaning business, Doggie Whites. Second place ($250) was earned by Trevor Hammond for Trevor’s Chicken Farm, an egg and poultry-producing business, and Decked Out Jewelry gained third place ($100) for Mary Culp and Abbey-Grace Reynolds.

The Young Entrepreneur cash awards were generously donated by local businesses.  Charles Parker, owner of Storett of Tega Cay, donated first prize; Dave Oxendine of Red-Line Chemicals donated second prize in honor of Mr. Jim Oxendine, who was the founder of Red-Line Chemicals. James White, owner of Universal Karate Studios, White Martial Arts in Lancaster, donated third prize. Judging was based on a three-page essay submitted by the students. Judges based the decision on the uniqueness of the business, having the target market defined, and the overall composition of the essay.

Sponsors of the Small Business Expo included York Technical College’s Entrepreneur Network, York County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council, and Citi Foundation. Western Associates’ Neat-Stuff-U and Founder’s Federal Credit Union donated customized bags for attendees.

For more information about the Entrepreneur Network go to http://www.yorktech.com/en.

York Technical College ^. 452 S. Anderson Road ^. Rock Hill, SC 29730