Eastside Business Fair (3/4/06)

The Eastside Business Fair was held on Saturday, March 4, 2006, at the Wesley Chapel AME Zion Church Fellowship Hall in Asheboro. It was conducted in partnership with Randolph Community College's Small BUsiness Center, Randolph Program for the RUral Carolinas (RPRC), and the east Asheboro community. Pastor John Butler (Director of the RPRC) welcomed 19 participants to the community activity.

The format of the Fair allowed the participant to divide into four groups to develop a new business plan including cash flow information, facility layout, number of employees, stock, inventory, etc. Their group presented to a panel made-up of real lenders and financial business people. The judges were Mike Morgan and Greg Spainhour from the First National Bank, Ed Menius from Randolph Bank, Tracie Hayes an RCC Accounting instructor, Carolyn Perry from Micro Lending, April Gonzalez of the SBA, Priscilla Graves from Cooperative Extension Consumer Sciences, Roger Spoon and Kemp Foster from SCORE. There was a tie for first place, group three with their "Realation"spa idea and group four with their "A-Z Pressure Washing Express" idea.

Afterwards, Dominic Bailey owner of Phat Hood Auto Detailing and Holly Gray, owner of a business in Ramseur, talked to the group about their journey in their businesses. Seven participants signed up to take the REAL courses to be offered at the Eastside church in the spring.