News & Stories
RISE Collaborative serves entrepreneurs in the following 15 localities in Virginia:
Patrick, Henry, Martinsville, Danville, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Buckingham, Amelia, Nottoway, and Cumberland. Questions? Contact our team at hello@sovarise.com.
Learn How to Apply for Community Investment Collaborative Loan Funds
On November 30, 2022, Stephen Davis of the Community Investment Collaborative joined our RISE Collaborative online meetup. He shared his expertise on how to prepare for loan applications and how to apply for loan funds from the Community Investment Collaborative. The...
Virginia Enterprise Zone Grants and How to Apply
On October 19, 2022, Kate Pickett Irving of Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development joined our RISE Collaborative online meetup to share her expertise on Virginia Enterprise Zone job creation and real property investment grants. Watch the video or...
Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 Recap from Southern Virginia
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is celebrated annually with events hosted across the United States and around the world. This year, GEW was the week of November 14-20, 2022. Below is a summary of events held to celebrate entrepreneurship throughout the Southern...
Registration Opens for CO.STARTERS Business Bootcamp
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brandon HennesseyLongwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC)434-395-2752hello@sovarise.com Lauren Mathena SOVA Innovation Hub434-570-1305hello@sovarise.com Registration opens for CO.STARTERS Business Bootcamp RISE...
Global Entrepreneurship Week in Southern Virginia
Contact: Jessica Edwards, Dan River Region Entrepreneur EcosystemEmail: jess@danriverecosystem.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA Southern Virginia to showcase our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Dan River Region, Va....
Lake Country Development Loan Funds and How to Apply
Deborah Gosney, Executive Director of the Southside Planning District Commission, joined RISE to tell the RISE community about the Lake Country Development Corporation's loan funds and what organizations need to apply. Watch the video or read below for more...
River District Association hosts second “Start-Up Slam”
- News from the River District Association -News Release Contact: Diana Schwartz, Executive Director352-895-8898 For Immediate Release: August 22, 2022 River District Association hosts second “Start-Up Slam”, giving locals the opportunity to crowdfund money for...
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Ally Barfield (RV Mom in Pink)
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Ally Barfield From Artist to Entrepreneur “It only takes one percent of action to start turning a dream into a reality,” Ally Barfield, the owner of RV Mom in Pink, explains as she reflects on her own growth over the last year. The...
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Jan Daniel (Taa Daa the Bakery)
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Jan Daniel Turning a Lifelong Passion into a Full-Fledged BusinessIf experience is the best teacher, Jan Daniel is well-schooled. The self-made entrepreneur and owner of Taa Daa the Bakery in Blackstone, Va., spent decades treating her passion...
Hometown Hustle returns
This article by Monique Holland was originally published on the Martinsville Bulletin here. MARTINSVILLE, VA – Natalie Hodge’s second season of “Hometown Hustle” is double what last year’s first season was, both in length of episodes and numbers of participants. The...
Kim King shares tips on building your business credit
On May 18, 2022, guest speaker Kim King of Benchmark Community Bank shared information about how your personal credit score impacts getting a small business loan. She shares tips on building, repairing, and monitoring your credit.It just takes time and effort,...
Sheri McGuire on The Ever-Evolving Nature of Rural Ecosystem Building
Ecosystem Builder Interview with Sheri McGuire of Longwood UniversityYou can't control an entrepreneurial ecosystem. It has its own form, its own life. It's the magic that happens when certain things and people come together. On episode 10 of the Entrepreneurship on...