#403. Entrepreneur’s Cafe

We received some great information from a friend of Agracel’s on a new entrepreneurial program in West Virginia. 

The Entrepreneurs’ Café in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is a program that provides micro-funding awards and business services to entrepreneurs that reside in the Eastern Panhandle of the state. The goal of the Entrepreneur’s Café is “to encourage the development of an entrepreneurial class by creating a forum where they can build a sense of community; hone their sales skills; access resources; obtain ideas and guidance from others; and receive reinforcement for their ideas.”

The Café came about after David Rosen and his wife Cari started up a retail store in Shepherdstown that Cari now manages, called plum (www.plumwv.com). David stated, “After going through what we did, I really felt that the infrastructure was not there to support our local startups as well as it should.  I happened to be looking for resources on starting business incubators when I contacted createwv. They sent me to the Vision Shared website.  Vision Shared was looking to co-host (provide $500 and guidance on how to start) Entrepreneuer Cafes throughout West Virginia.  So in September we launched our first event.”

During the event local entrepreneurs are invited to “pitch” their idea or project for funding. Attendees pay $10 for a meal, the opportunity to hear small business development ideas, and vote on their favorite project. The winning entrepreneur receives the proceeds from the purchase of meals and a special cash award provided by a different partner each month.

The Entrepreneurs’ Café program is part of a long-term plan to develop the entrepreneurial climate in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. For more information about the event, visit our facebook page.