Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce opens center for entrepreneurs

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce has created a new Entrepreneur Center to help Charleston-area entrepreneurs develop their skills, find business resources and build community connections.

Located at the chamber’s office at 4500 Leeds Ave., the Entrepreneur Center will offer a series of classes designed to help entrepreneurs through each stage of business development.

Through the FastTracSC program and other training opportunities, the center offers practical hands-on business development courses designed to help entrepreneurs and visionaries hone the skills needed to create, manage and grow successful businesses.

The center also is a great resource for established entrepreneurs. Executives from various backgrounds and industries are available for mentoring opportunities through the SCORE office housed within the Center, and the EXECnetSC program, a bank of retired or semi-retired executives willing to serve in management positions of early stage ventures.

Social and informational events also will be held each month to help entrepreneurs share information, trade business cards and learn about the trends and innovations impacting their businesses.

Laura Williams, entrepreneur services manager, will oversee the chamber’s Entrepreneur Center. Williams comes from Lexington, Ky., where she was program director for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Williams also will manage the New Ideas SC Contest, a state-wide business idea competition, where entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring their best ideas forward and compete for seed funding, training and mentoring.