Businesses in Brunswick County are gaining momentum.
Over the past several years, partnerships with RISE Collaborative, the SOVA Innovation Hub and the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) have spurred entrepreneurship and development in a county that had previously been known mainly for timber harvesting.
Brunswick’s Director of Economic Development and GO Virginia Region 3 Council Member Alfreda Reynolds has worked hard to build these partnerships alongside her colleagues at the Brunswick County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), Executive Director Mike Dotti and Administrative Services Coordinator LaVern Dillard.
Dotti shares that partnerships and collaboration have been key to Brunswick’s success.
“We have good relationships,” Dotti said. “Everyone is rowing in the same direction. We’ve worked hard to increase and improve communication.”
Rebranding Brunswick’s image as a county open for business development and bridging the gap between Richmond, Virginia and Brunswick have been the main focuses for Reynolds and her team as they market the county to attract opportunity.
“We have niches,” Reynolds said. “We have great attributes. Our bloodlines run deep in agriculture. We’ve done great work, but what else are we good for? We’re looking at our business and our trade sectors, looking at what is our niche outside of agritourism, outside of agriculture, outside of forestry. How can we be relevant to the needs of a larger industry?”
“We have good relationships. Everyone is rowing in the same direction. We’ve worked hard to increase and improve communication.”
Mike Dotti
Executive Director, Brunswick County Industrial Development Authority (IDA)
In fact, Brunswick’s value extends into many areas, including unmanned systems, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. However, in order to bring these industries to Brunswick, Reynolds, Dotti and Dillard have had to push for programming to support both new startups and existing business owners who are reeling from the after-effects of the global pandemic. That programming includes sharing grant opportunities, offering certifications and training and creating safe spaces for entrepreneurs to network.
Want to launch your idea or grow your business in Brunswick County?
Apply for CO.STARTERS Business Bootcamp Winter 2023 by December 13, 2022!
The course is virtual and meets from 6-9pm on Tuesday evenings from January 10 through February 28, 2023.
Both Reynolds and Dotti emphasized the importance they place on “legitimizing the hustle” and helping people create real businesses that will support them – not just hobbies.
In pursuit of this goal, Brunswick County and the IDA developed a Merchant’s Assistance Program funded by an $88,000 Resurgence Grant from Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). This program assists underserved businesses, advising on website design, SWaM certification and more. It has also garnered support services from Richmond’s Metropolitan Business League (MBL), which now travels to Brunswick regularly, offering networking opportunities, weekly office hours and monthly classes covering everything from marketing and branding to designing a business plan. Alongside MBL, RISE Collaborative has played a leading role in helping small-business owners create an energy for innovation, build networks, and connect with resources at regional events, such as the monthly Rise & Shine morning meetups.
“Rise & Shine made the small businesses here come out and network with others to find out what some of their needs and concerns are and what we can help them with,” said Dillard. “We also reached out to the high school and invited students and listened to what entrepreneurship means to them and what they want to do.”
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“That quiet time in quarantine has brought many entrepreneurs to the surface. We’re just excited about the good that has come out of it and how it has changed the whole focus and flow of what happens in Brunswick County,” she said. “We’re really trying to develop an ecosystem of sorts.”
Alfreda Reynolds
Director of Economic Development, Brunswick County
Engagement of Brunswick’s youth has been integral in growing enthusiasm. Reynolds shared that she hopes to host a CO.STARTERS Generator group in the future, bringing entrepreneurial training to middle school, high school and college students. These exciting events have led to impressive publicity, both for Brunswick’s entrepreneurs and the community itself. The first ever Brunswick Business Summit was recorded by Mike King Biz, radio host of On the Mic with Mike RVA, a show that features local businesses and game-changers in Central Virginia. The summit also drew the attention of Natalie Hodge, owner of Rudy’s Girl Media and producer of the Hometown Hustle YouTube series, who recently kicked off filming for her second season in Brunswick.
However, alongside the publicity runs substantial growth and development. Over the last year, the U.S. Small Business Administration has loaned $2.5 million for business owners investing in Brunswick projects. This was the second largest amount in the region, following only Prince Edward County. In another example, the IDA just applied for a grant of over $2 million to restore Lawrenceville’s Sledge and Barkley building, a key asset for revitalizing the town’s historic district. Plans for the renovation include creating a “one-stop shop” on the first floor for business support services, which will feature an incubator space for small businesses and meeting space for partner events.
Ultimately, though, Reynolds, Dotti and Dillard all say that Brunswick’s success comes down to one vital action: cultivating partnerships. These partnerships allow Brunswick County to support new and existing businesses with the networks, education and resources they need to succeed — and more businesses are using these tools than ever before. In fact, Reynolds says that the 2020 pandemic has birthed a new era of entrepreneurship in Brunswick County. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau support her observation. The number of federal business applications received during the pandemic was 88% higher than the number received prior to the pandemic.
“That quiet time in quarantine has brought many entrepreneurs to the surface. We’re just excited about the good that has come out of it and how it has changed the whole focus and flow of what happens in Brunswick County,” she said. “We’re really trying to develop an ecosystem of sorts.”
In other words, Brunswick County is open for business.
