News

14 professionals graduate from Business Accelerator program

Business Accelerator graduates posed at the Historic Courthouse.

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 14, 2023

Fourteen area professionals completed the Mission Acceleration Business Accelerator program presented by Blue Ridge Community College and the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce.

The five-month entrepreneurial program is designed to help for-profit family-owned and non-profit businesses to increase innovation and profitability.

This spring, 14 area professionals completed the Mission Acceleration Business Accelerator program presented by Blue Ridge Community College and the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce. The five-month entrepreneurial program was designed to help for-profit, family owned, and non-profit businesses to increase innovation and profitability.

“The most helpful thing about Mission Acceleration was learning practical, applicable, and most of the time free ways to improve your business model,” said Nena Butterfield, program graduate and resource development and community relations director at Pavillon Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center.

Over 10 sessions, participants learned essential business concepts from program leader Gary Heisey and industry professionals in areas such as goal-setting; management and leadership; sales and marketing; customer service; information technology; accounting and finance; human resources; laws and insurance and more. The program also helped participants learn to identify, track and monitor key performance indicators to accelerate the success of their businesses.

Michael Thompson, who recently inherited the 43-year-old Piggy’s Ice Cream parlor and Harry’s Grill restaurant along wit his brother. He participated in the program to gain the skills needed to take his family businesses to the next level. He noted his increased awareness of the importance of social media, as well as an attractive and user-friendly website.

“Now that we are the owners, we needed to take a fresh look at the business and be more intentional in the business,” said Thompson. The program "included a lot of planning, thought-provoking ideas and preparedness. It was just a great program.”

Dr. Butterfield praised Heisey’s practical approach to the program

“He gives you extremely useful information that is very easy to apply every day,” she said.

This spring’s Mission Acceleration class was celebrated on May 24 through an informal graduation event held in downtown Hendersonville with a group photo taken outside the Historic Courthouse. The next Mission Acceleration Business Accelerator program is scheduled to run Jan. 17-May 22 next year. Program application information, dates and topics are available at www.blueridge.edu/mission-acceleration.

The Spring 2023 Mission Acceleration program graduates included:

• Rebecca Bonnema, Echo Mountain Inn

• Travis Bonnema, Echo Mountain Inn

• Nena Butterfield, Pavillon Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center

• Anna Conner, Rent828

• Renato Flores, NextHome WNC

• Michelle Geiser, Hope Coalition

• Julie Huneycutt, Hope Coalition

• Terrye Jacobs, city of Hendersonville

• Michelle Newman, town of Tryon

• Dakota Parker, city of Hendersonville

• Eatherley Schultz, Floressence Flowers, Inc.

• Sellers Shook, El Centro Transylvania

• Michael Thompson, Piggy’s Ice Cream and Harry’s Grill

• David Woodworth, Heartland Harps and Music