1. Community Engagement
& Collaboration

2. Community Engagement & Collaboration – Maintaining Partnerships Small Business Center at Forsyth Technical Community College
Allan Younger, Director
Phone:
Location: Vine
Innovation Quarter
Winston-Salem NC 27101

3. Starting and Operating a small business is hard work.
Forsyth Tech’s Small Business Center provides:
Confidential one-on-one business counseling/mentoring
Small Business events: seminars, clinics and roundtables
LinkedIn discussion group
Online resources including online entrepreneurship education
Resource center and meeting space
Interested persons should register and obtain additional information by visiting:
Type “Small Business Center” on search line, calling ,
or ing

4. Small Business Center Events
We are pleased to provide a variety of educational opportunities.  We strongly believe that all current and prospective small business owners should commit to on-going opportunities to enhance their skills.

5. Session - Rules of Engagement
Please turn off (silence) your mobile devices.
If you must leave the session early, please do so as discreetly as possible.
Please avoid side conversations during the session.
Thank you for your cooperation!

6. Community Engagement
We are constantly seeking the most effective ways to stay connected with our community partners. These partners include:  
Chambers of Commerce
Small Business Service Providers
Colleges and Universities
Minority Support Groups
City of Winston Salem

7. Community Engagement Community Engagement includes:
Maximizing the ways that we connect with potential and existing clients
Maintaining those connections after they are established
Developing them into excellent long term relationships
Staying aware of needs and activities

8. Method 1…Social Media
Our social media strategy for community engagement includes a number of social media tools.
College Website
Weekly Newsletters via Constant Contact
LinkedIn Group
Facebook Page
Instagram
Twitter Account

9. Method 2…Co-Sponsorship
Our co-sponsorship strategy for community engagement includes a number of partners. Each month, we invite partners to co-sponsor our educational events.
Chambers of Commerce (5 local Chambers)
Hispanic League
Urban League
Better Business Bureau
They promote selected events to their members/newsletter recipients.
They benefit by being noted as co-sponsors.

10. Method 3…Participation
Our participation strategy for community engagement includes attendance at numerous events and activities.
Board of Directors of Chambers of Commerce (3 local)
Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau
Goodwill Business Advisory Council
Networking Groups
Business Before and After Hours
Ribbon Cuttings and Annual Meetings
Special Events

11. Two Examples of Collaboration
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Forsyth County
since April 2015
Venture Innovation Café 2015 and 2016
Venture Café Winston Salem
Emerging Entrepreneur Funds
since April 2017
Six colleges and universities
Launch Challenge

12. Small Group Exercise & Call to Action In groups of three of four:
Discuss ways to use social media to increase engagement and collaboration
Discuss ways to use co-sponsorships to increase engagement and collaboration
Discuss ways to use participation to increase engagement and collaboration