Kimberly Hunter is the Entrepreneurship Program Manager of Mountain Bizworks, a Community Development Financial Institution that offers business loans and coaching to entrepreneurs in Western North Carolina. Mountain Bizworks specializes in helping business’s unable to access financing from banks and other traditional sources, as well as those on a low income, are a minority, or immigrant entrepreneur. Kimberley is committed to creating greatness together because she is a person who cares.

 

Susan Dobroski is the Founder and Cheif Play Officer at Toybrary, a toy lending library located in Asheville. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education and specializes in Therapeutic Recreation. She has put her academic knowledge, skills as a parent, and teacher into creating Asheville’s first toy-lending library. 

 

Kimberly joins me today to share her journey and how she began working with Mountain Bizworks. She discusses how the organization, the programs, and the people behind Mountain Bizworks helps entrepreneurs start and grow their business. I also spoke with Susan to reveal why she created Toybrary and discover how the Foundations Business Planning Class from Mountain Bizworks was fundamental to making her idea a reality.

 

“It’s about celebrating the individual and their ideas and thoughts and how they integrate into any one or multiple regions. We are an intermediary for giving access to capital for businesses and people who are low to moderate income earners.” - Kimberly Hunter

 

This week on the Supportedly Podcast:

 

• Kimberly’s background and how she joined Mountain Bizworks.
• The vision and the big problem that Mountain Bizworks is trying to solve.
• The specific programs offered by Mountain Bizworks.
• How aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses can learn comprehensive business skills and develop a business plan through the Foundations Business Planning Class.
• How existing entrepreneurs and past Foundations participants can utilize the Alpine Class and peer-to-peer learning to assess how their business is performing and uncover the right time to upscale their company as a precursor to the ScaleUp WNC Program.
• How businesses with strong growth potential can join the ScaleUp WNC Program and capitalize on tailored services to achieve significant business development milestones.
• How Mountain Bizworks lends money.
• The low to moderate income Scholarship Program.
• How the Test Drive Program brings startup businesses to the forefront.
• How entrepreneurs can get involved with Mountain Bizworks.
• What excites Kimberley about her future work with Mountain Bizworks.
• Susan’s background and the creation of Toybrary.
• Her experience with the Test Drive Program and the exposure that it offers.
• What it is like to work with Mountain Bizworks.
• How the advice and mentoring from Mountain Bizworks helped Toybrary.
• The advice that Susan would give to anyone who is getting started.
• How the community can assist Toybrary.

 

“Mountain Bizworks have a foundations course, and that was the game changer. I had this vision to learn the business aspect, and they gave me the comprehensive tools and support to take an idea and birth it into reality. That was extraordinary.” - Susan Dobroski

 

Free & Low-Cost Programs and Classes at Mountain Bizworks:

 

• Foundations Business Planning Class
• Alpine Class
• Scaleup WNC
• Test Drive Asheville

 

Connect with Kimberly Hunter:

 

• Mountain BizWorks
• Facebook
• Phone: 828 253 2834
• Email: [email protected]

 

Connect with Susan Dobroski:

 

• Toybrary
• Facebook
• Phone: 512 765 4174
• Email: [email protected]

 

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