RISE Business Navigator Program
The RISE Regional Navigators connect entrepreneurs and existing businesses to specific resources and sectors of the entrepreneurial community to provide assistance on topics important to starting and running your business.
Keep reading to learn how your business can benefit from the RISE Regional Navigators!
How can I meet with a RISE Regional Navigator?
The RISE Regional Navigators will be available to meet with you, however is best for you:
- By phone, video call, or in-person
- One-on-one for Introductory Meetings and ongoing Check-Ins
- Small groups for peer networking and camraderie during RISE Office Hours and Industry Sector Groups
- Entrepreneur Workshops to build your skills to access capital, including key topics like financial operations, marketing, and digital technology
- Guidance on navigating the Regional Ecosystem Resource Map
Enroll Today
To receive free services from the RISE Business Navigator program, there is an easy enrollment process. Just email navigator@sovarise.com to get started!
Meet the RISE Regional Business Navigators
Laura Coleman
RISE Community Business Navigator - Central/Southern Virginia
Laura Coleman is a RISE Community Business Navigator serving entrepreneurs in Southern Virginia.
Service Area: She primarily serves entrepreneurs in Halifax County, Mecklenburg County, Brunswick County, Lunenburg County, Charlotte County, Prince Edward County, Cumberland County, Nottoway County, Amelia County, Buckingham County.
Office: As the Community Investment Collaborative's first team member in Southern Virginia, Laura's office is located in the coworking space the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, VA.
Training for Entrepreneurs: Laura partners with the SOVA Innovation Hub to support the ongoing training workshops, the annual RISE Business Bootcamp, and the RISE Summit.
Services for entrepreneurs: Laura provides direct support through coaching, referrals, and side-by-side navigation of resources with entrepreneurs, helping them to access capital.
Le'Bryan Patterson
RISE Community Business Navigator - Western Region
Le'Bryan Patterson is the RISE Community Business Navigator for the "Western Region" of Southern Virginia.
Service Area: He primarily serves entrepreneurs in Martinsville & Henry County and in Patrick County.
Offices: Based at Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC), Le'Bryan's offices are at the P&HCC Thomas P. Dalton IDEA Center in Uptown Martinsville, VA and at the P&HCC Stuart Site in Patrick County, VA.
Training for Entrepreneurs: Le'Bryan is part of the P&HCC team that leads the annual local training programs: Startup Grow Martinsville-Henry County and Grow Martinsville-Henry County.
One-on-One Services for Entrepreneurs: Le'Bryan provides direct support through coaching, referrals, and side-by-side navigation of resources with entrepreneurs, helping them to access capital.
What is the RISE Business Navigator Program? Who will benefit from this program?
The RISE Business Navigator Program is designed to support entrepreneurs and businesses. “RISE” stands for Regional Investment in Startups and Entrepreneurs. Through this program, RISE partners will hire community-based Navigators, who understand the challenges and opportunities that exist for entrepreneurs across Southern Virginia. Each Navigator will focus on increasing access to capital for the entrepreneurs who are enrolled in the Navigator program.
Who will benefit from this program?
- You have an idea for a new business
- You own an existing business and are seeking to grow
- You are in need of sustainability or succession planning
- You have an innovative product with potential to scale
What type of support will RISE Regional Navigators provide?
The RISE Regional Navigators will identify and build relationships with community organizations – trusted, culturally knowledgeable local groups and individuals – and will connect entrepreneurs and existing businesses to specific resources and sectors of the entrepreneurial community to provide assistance on topics including:
- financial assistance and access to capital
- contracting and procurement
- marketing, operations, business development, and exporting
- industry-specific training
- traded sector opportunity awareness
How is the RISE Regional Navigator program different than the services provided by the SBDC?
Throughout Southern Virginia, entrepreneurs have access to Technical Assistance (TA) through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) through the Virginia SBDC and the Longwood SBDC. The Longwood SBDC’s Technical Assistance services include 1:1 consulting, presentations and outreach events, and live and on-demand training workshops, such as the monthly “Business Foundations” webinar offered as prerequisite to receive 1:1 business consulting. Access to a significant number of live and on-demand webinars is available through the Virginia SBDC. Through RISE, the LSBDC consultants will collaborate with the new RISE Regional Navigators through monthly RISE meetings.
The new Regional Navigator roles will provide entrepreneurs with individualized support throughout their business journey. They will focus on outreach networking and relationship building with 1) traded sector entrepreneurs and innovators and 2) collaboration with local and regional economic developers.
The Navigators will coordinate and collaborate with their local/regional LSBDC consultants, Chambers of Commerce, Main Street organizations, and economic developers to help increase the flow of resources to entrepreneurs. The Navigators will help support the twice a year gathering led by RISE of regional economic developers (January and June).
The Navigators will be responsible for grassroots relationship building and resource development through ecosystem mapping, i.e. finding innovators, entrepreneurs, resources, and sources of capital, and ecosystem building, i.e. connecting those entrepreneurs and innovators with each other and with the resources and capital needed to start, grow, and scaleup businesses.
Who should enroll in the RISE Regional Navigator Program?
The RISE Regional Navigator Program is intended to serve entrepreneurs and existing business owners in Southern Virginia localities included in GO Virginia Region 3: Halifax County, Mecklenburg County, Brunswick County, Lunenburg County, Charlotte County, Prince Edward County, Cumberland County, Buckingham County, Nottoway County, Amelia County, Pittsylvania County, Henry County, Patrick County, City of Danville, and City Martinsville.
Serving Growth-Oriented Entrepreneurs & Businesses in Southern Virginia
This program is intended to serve entrepreneurs and existing businesses in Southern Virginia localities included in GO Virginia Region 3: Halifax County, Mecklenburg County, Brunswick County, Lunenburg County, Charlotte County, Prince Edward County, Cumberland County, Buckingham County, Nottoway County, Amelia County, Pittsylvania County, Henry County, Patrick County, City of Danville, and City of Martinsville.
Thanks to our sponsors, RISE Collaborative’s Regional Navigator program is offered at no cost to entrepreneurs in Southern Virginia localities included in GO Virginia Region 3. The RISE Regional Navigator program is funded in part through a grant to the SOVA Innovation Hub made by GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries.
