On June 9, 13 South Bend small business owners graduated from Scaling Up! South Bend, a city-run training program for local small-scale manufacturers.
Based out of the city’s Technology Resource Center, the program gives training and a workspace to small manufacturing businesses. And graduates can keep using that workspace for the next year.
The three-month program launched back in March thanks to a federal grant. To run it, the city partnered with 37 Oaks, a consulting firm that focuses on small business growth.
One graduate is Connie Crayton — she runs Oils of Nature LLC. She said program head Terrand Smith helped her develop areas of her business such as shipping, pricing and marketing.
“When she got to me, I had a bunch of pieces,” Crayton said. “By the time we got through, I was like OK! I have a picture now of what the entrepreneurship journey looks like.”
Her next step? Buying production equipment.
Santiago Garces, the city’s director of community investment, said the city is excited to see what the graduates do next and thankful that they’re doing it in South Bend.
“This is a place that grew from people that build things,” Garces said. “That made things from nothing. That made something that was better than what was there before. You’re part of that legacy.”
These are the 13 program graduates and their businesses:
- Akesma Mcglown, Mixxture Beauty
- Andrew Smith, Andrew Wilson Smith Sculpture Studio
- Brent Lacy, South Bend Print Shop
- Connie Crayton, Oils of Nature LLC
- Dorothy Carter, Junk to Jazz
- Jessica Galeano, Sugar Rush by Jessica
- John Ward, Chef John Ward BarB-Q Sauce and Seasoning
- Kamika Perry, Eyedea Studio
- Kelly Hofferth, Kelly’s Green Living
- Michelle Blandford, All Over Creations
- Renae Michalski, Luna and Loki Design
- Sonya Phillips, Pretty Lips by Sonya
- Thomas Sours, Sours Enterprises
Contact Jakob at jlazzaro@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @JakobLazzaro.
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