
By Kay Whatley, Editor
Area Chambers of Commerce, business groups, and local businesses/organizations hold educational events and provide free business training or networking opportunities. Events listed below may take place in the five-county area — Franklin, Nash, Johnston, Wake, Wilson counties — or around the area in Edgecombe, Wayne, and other eastern NC counties.
Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday, April 4, 2018 @ noon-2pm
Join the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce and Greg Sessoms State Farm for this ribbon cutting, and support this local business. Address is 1600 W Howard Avenue, Suite 1, Tarboro NC. See the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber updates on Facebook here.
Business After Hours
Thursday, April 5, 2018 @ 5:30-7pm
Join the Zebulon Chamber of Commerce at East Wake Academy PAL, 400 NMC Drive, Zebulon NC. for light refreshments and business networking. East Wake Academy is excited to host the Chamber in their school-of-choice facility. Register on the Chamber event page.
April Fooling
Friday, April 6, 2018 @ 6:30pm
Come out and enjoy a free night full of laughs with the Twin Counties Young Professionals will be hosting a comedy show for all ages. Held at the Booker T Washington Theater, 170 E Thomas Street, Rocky Mount NC. Comedian David “Bubbuh” Sickens will provide the laughs throughout the night.
RSVP by email to save a spot.
Business Tax Essentials
Monday, April 9, 2018 @ 4-6pm
Held at the Upper Coastal Plain Business Development Center, 121 Nash Street, Wilson NC. Attend this timely, free seminar offered by the Upper Coastal Plain Business Development Center. Get information on laws and requirements, so that your small business can be in compliance with tax laws. Register via the NC Department of Revenue event page.
Friday’s Focus
Friday, April 13. 2018 @ noon-1:15pm
This business session will demonstrate how to easily use the principles of behavioral psychology to master the art and science of salesmanship. Come join us for our lunch and learn with David Snyder to learn more about How to Mind-Read Your Customers. Fee is $15 per person. Held at Station Square, 301 S Church Street, Rocky Mount NC. See details and registration information at web.rockymountchamber.org/events/Fridays-Focus-927.
Ribbon Cutting
Friday, April 13, 2018 @ 6:30pm
Gather with the Wayne County Chamber for the official community studio opening of Studio 10 upstairs in The Arts Council of Wayne County, 102 N John Street, Goldsboro NC, and welcome Homefront Room Revival, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the military life cycle by providing comfort decorating and therapeutic home furnishing projects to military spouses in need. See details here.
Red Ribbon “Small Business” Showcase
Thursday, April 19, 2018 @ 11:30am-1pm
**UPDATE: This event has been postponed. It will not take place on April 19.**
The Knightdale Chamber of Commerce holds its “Red Ribbon Showcase” events several time a year. The event serve as public ribbon cuttings for businesses without brick-and-mortar locations. Up to ten businesses may participate with a table-top display. Stop by and meet these new home-based, solo and very small business owners. Held in the Pavilion at Knightdale Station Park, 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale NC. See more details and register via this event page.
Business After Hours
Thursday, April 19, 2018 @ 5:30-7:30pm
Join the Knightdale Chamber of Commerce at this Business After Hours event for Wake Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, network, register for raffles, and learn about this full-service small animal hospital’s services. Held at Wake Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care, 1007 Tandal Place, Knightdale NC. For more information or to register, visit the Chamber’s event page or call 919.266.4603.
Business After Hours
Thursday, April 19, 2018 @ 5:30-7pm
Join the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce at Perry Real Estate-The Mulberry, 151 N Center Street, Goldsboro NC, for a Business After Hours. Celebrate 65 years of business with Goldsboro Builders Supply at their sister company’s latest downtown project, The Mulberry. See details on the Wayne County Chamber website.
Note that the Wayne County Chamber is holding a ribbon cutting for The Mulberry on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 11:30am, at the address above.
SCORE Workshops
Some business-educational events are organized by SCORE at area locations. SCORE — the Service Corps of Retired Executives — is a nonprofit association dedicated to “helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.” More information about SCORE is online at www.score.org.
NC Small Business Center Network
In addition to opportunities listed, North Carolina’s community colleges offer free business workshops across the state. Find free “Small Business Center Network” classes by searching at www.ncsbc.net. Topics cover finance, marketing, fundraising, and general business/nonprofit issues alongside specialized classes such as food business creation.
Area Chambers/Organizations
The list below includes business organizations in or near the five-county area of North Carolina. Regular chamber member meetings or semi-closed leads group meetings are not included above, but may be found via the links below. Check with, or join, your local Chamber to find out more about regular meetings near your business.
- Bailey Chamber of Commerce — baileychamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/baileychamberofcommerce)
- Business Alliance of North Carolina — businessalliancenc.com
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BusinessAllianceofNC)
- Clayton Chamber of Commerce — www.claytonchamber.com
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Clayton-Chamber-of-Commerce-327576612814)
- Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce — www.farmvillencchamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/farmvillencchamber)
- Greater Franklin County Chamber — www.franklin-chamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheGreaterFranklinCountyChamber)
- Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce — www.smithfieldselma.com
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/smithfieldselmachamber)
- Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce — www.greenvillenc.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GPCChamber)
- Knightdale Chamber of Commerce — www.knightdalechamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/KnightdaleChamberofCommerce)
- Nashville Chamber of Commerce — nashvillencchamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nashvillencchamber)
- Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce — www.rockymountchamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rockymountchamber)
- Rolesville Chamber of Commerce — rolesvillechamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rolesvillechamber)
- Spring Hope Area Chamber of Commerce — www.facebook.com/SpringHopeChamberOfCommerce
- Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce — www.discoveredgecombe.com
(Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/tarboroedgecombe, www.facebook.com/Discover-Edgecombe-1470928686487184)
- Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce — wakeforestchamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WakeForestAreaChamberofCommerce)
- Wendell Chamber of Commerce — www.wendellchamber.com
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WendellChamberOfCommerce)
- Wilson Chamber of Commerce — www.wilsonncchamber.com
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Wilson-Chamber-of-Commerce-81297209199)
- Zebulon Chamber of Commerce — zebulonchamber.org
(Facebook page: www.facebook.com/zebulonchamber)
Coming in May
First Friday Coffee
Friday, May 4, 2018 @ 8-9am
Join the group for networking, meet neighbors and local business people. Held at The Nashville Exchange, 229 W Washington Street, Nashville NC. This event is organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. Their website is nashvillencchamber.org.
Ed. Note: Events may be added and this article updated. If a business event is missing, email details to Kay Whatley at The Grey Area News.
Updated on April 19 with Red Ribbon Showcase postponement.