We kicked off the season by wrapping up Kinetic 2025 on April 10th. This six-week creative business boot camp brought together a passionate group of early-stage entrepreneurs, and we couldn’t be more proud of their growth. Congratulations to Cirque du Sucre, winner of the $1,000 Kinetic Potential Award. Most participants also received generous in-kind awards from our community partners, including legal services, business coaching, and co-working space. A huge thanks to everyone who helped make this Kinetic cohort such a success!

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with leaders in Winston-Salem’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. On May 1st, CCE will cohost Capital Coach, a workshop for early-stage business owners. The first session will focus on Grants and becoming business grant eligible. Our partners include Forsyth Tech’s Small Business Center, Goler CDC, Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Center at SG Atkins, Triad Minority and Women’s Business Expo, Greater Winston-Salem Inc., and Winston Starts. We are delighted to work with our partners on a program to support financial sustainability for small businesses and early-stage entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, it is officially Velocity time! Applications are open for our signature 10-week accelerator for creative entrepreneurs. This program is designed for early-stage founders who are ready to master business fundamentals and take their ventures to the next level. Velocity includes hands-on workshops, a tailored curriculum, expert mentors, and the opportunity to compete for up to $10,000 in seed-stage grants. Applications close on June 10, so please spread the word or apply today.

April brings the launch of our Spring Giving Campaign. We are very grateful for the individual support CCE receives to host and implement our unique programs for creative entrepreneurs. Your donation helps us provide the tools, training, and resources that creative and artists need to grow their businesses. Whether you give $25, $100, or $1,000 your support makes a real impact!
If you believe in the power of creativity and entrepreneurship to strengthen our community, we invite you to make a donation to CCE by June 30th. Every gift helps us build a thriving creative economy.

Thank you for being part of our journey!

News from Velocity 2023 Alumni, Brenda Pokorny!

Take a seat on the bench and experience Delirium!

Experience delirium when you visit this exhibition of Brenda’s botanical mosaics paired with Christine Knize’s oversized orchid portraits. With animated video projections produced by Jeff Cason, this installation immerses you in a series of gorgeous gardens.

The exhibit, Delirium: Botanicals in Oils and Glass, will be on display at the Dalton Gallery in Rock Hill, SC, from March 28 through May 2, 2025. A special reception will be held on May 1 from 5:30-7:30 pm.

• See more from Brenda and watch a Delirium trailer
• Learn More about the Delirium Exhibit

March is off to a great start here at CCE. We’re proud to announce the launch of our Kinetic Boot Camp 2025 with eleven new entrepreneurs! This six-week program helps idea-stage business owners focus on customers and validate their ideas. Stay tuned on our social media. We’ll be introducing each new founder and their business soon!

But that’s not all! Our Pathways for Entrepreneurial Success program just celebrated the presentations and graduation of nine new cohort members as they strengthened their entrepreneurial mindset. During this program “lived experience speakers” share their personal stories and model important skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and resiliency. In addition, CCE introduces the cohort to leaders of the Winston-Salem Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to explore their programs and resources. Our graduates create a road map for their next steps, and we can’t wait to see how they bloom as entrepreneurs!

⚠️ Note: This blog post is part of our archives and may contain outdated information.

CCE Alumni Invited to Pitch for Investor Forum

On March 20th, four CCE alumni will pitch for prizes at the 2025 Winston Starts Investor Forum. This annual event provides founders with the opportunity to connect with investors from across North Carolina and the Southeast, helping them gain valuable support and take their businesses to the next level.

This year, Seth Wingate of Ready Set Go Media, Kelly Maxey of Mom League from Kinetic 2022, Q. Nicole Vanderhorst of WH Farms from Velocity 2023, and Josh McGee of Y’all Company from Velocity 2020 will take the stage to share their ventures.

We hope you can attend and show your support for these founders as they pitch their businesses to investors. It’s a great opportunity to engage with the startup community and see firsthand the innovation happening in our network. Click to register and be part of this exciting event!

As 2024 comes to an end, we’re looking back on an amazing year at CCE. With the help of 45 volunteer mentors, we worked with 53 entrepreneurs through our Pathways, Kinetic, and Velocity programs. These programs give creative business owners the tools and support they need to grow their ideas. This year, we also awarded $24,000 in seed grants to help these entrepreneurs take their next steps.

To show our thanks, we held a volunteer appreciation event to celebrate the mentors, facilitators, board members, and guest speakers who make our work possible. Their passion and hard work have made a real difference for the entrepreneurs we serve, and we couldn’t do it without them. Plus, they showed off some awesome (and impressively ugly) sweaters!

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to kick off new Pathways and Kinetic cohorts. Pathways for Entrepreneurial Success is a six-week program that helps new entrepreneurs build the right mindset for growth. Kinetic is a six-week boot camp for early-stage entrepreneurs who want to test their ideas and learn about their customers. If you or someone you know is interested, visit ccetriad.com to learn more and apply.

We’re so grateful for everyone who has supported CCE this year. Whether you volunteered, donated, or cheered us on, you’ve helped us empower creative entrepreneurs. Your support means so much. If you’d like to donate, visit ccetriad.com and click “Donate Now.”

From all of us at CCE, we wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season. Here’s to new beginnings and exciting opportunities in 2025!

“As the Mayor of Winston-Salem, the City of Arts and Innovation, it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I express my continued support for the Velocity Demo Day event, which has been a hallmark of our city’s commitment to fostering innovation and creativity over the past nine years. I have had the honor of attending each event, witnessing firsthand the incredible talent and groundbreaking ideas that our local entrepreneurs bring to life.

Each year, Velocity Demo Day stands as a testament to our city’s spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity. I am particularly excited for this year’s event, as it promises to showcase another remarkable cohort of innovators who are driving positive change and growth within our community. 

CCE’s programs bolster our creative economy and create opportunities for economic development and community advancement which is a key part of our mission. 

I look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year’s cohort. Here’s to another successful Velocity Demo Day!”

Mayor Allen Joines, City of Winston-Salem

⚠️ Note: This blog post is part of our archives and may contain outdated information.

Happy September! As we enter the fifth week of Velocity, we’re thrilled to reach the halfway point! The cohort is thriving as they learn from experienced speakers, connect with mentors, and perfect their pitch presentations. The program will culminate in a celebration at CCE’s Demo Day 2024 on October 17th from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Mark your calendars and join us at 500 W. 5th Street at Winston Starts in downtown Winston-Salem to see the Velocity cohort pitch their innovative ventures.

This isn’t just an ordinary pitch competition—it’s where innovation takes center stage! The annual event is brimming with excitement as participants compete for a share of $20,000 in seed grants, including two $5,000 special awards sponsored by Wells Fargo for the Emerging Women Entrepreneur Award. Guests can explore the cohort’s tables, network with the entrepreneurial community, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks. There will even be an after-party with a live DJ! The event is free, but please register yourself and a guest using this link.

These are the extraordinary creative entrepreneurs in the Velocity 2024 cohort that you will meet at Demo Day:

Susan Campbell
South 23rd, LLC

Carmen Elliott
Iconic Images

Katye Freelon
Coco Fro

E.A. Green
MOMNT Frames

Jasmine Godbolt
Nesting Nannies

Brittiany Jenkins
The Flawlesskin Company

Shauna McFarland
Country Cakes ‘N Shhh…

Candace Parrish
Odelia, Marie & Patrice

Ami Patel
Gallery Box

Tiffany Thompson
Artistic Leadership

Left: CCE’s Ashley Morgan at the 2024 Triad Minority & Women’s Business Expo at the Benton Convention Center. Right: CCE’s Emily Wolf poses with CCE’s board member Alexia Mitchell who was awarded the Vivian H. Burke Minority Business of The Year Award from the TMWBE.

Emily Wolf in the CCE booth at the TMWBE.

⚠️ Note: This blog post is part of our archives and may contain outdated information.

As summer winds down, we’re excited to kick off our 10-week creative business accelerator, Velocity!

Last week, CCE was hard at work preparing for the new cohort during the Velocity Kick-off Week. We hosted all the teams in our vibrant city of Winston-Salem, known as the City of Arts and Innovation. The Kick-off Week provided an excellent opportunity for our creative entrepreneurs to get acquainted with Velocity, meet the CCE team and mentors, and network with fellow business owners. We were thrilled to welcome each member of the outstanding group chosen for Velocity 2024!

Be sure to mark your calendar for CCE’s Demo Day 2024 on October 17th from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Join us at 500 W. 5th Street at Winston Starts, in downtown Winston-Salem, to see the Velocity cohort pitch their innovative ventures. This annual event is packed with excitement as participants vie for a share of $20,000 in seed grants, including two $5,000 special awards sponsored by Wells Fargo for the Emerging Women Entrepreneur Award. Guests can explore the cohort tables, network with the entrepreneurial community, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks. The event is free; just register yourself and a guest using this link.

As Velocity gets underway, we’re also accepting applications for our third session of Pathways for Entrepreneurial Success starting on September 17th. Pathways is an inclusive training program designed to foster an entrepreneurial mindset with support from community partners and business mentors, and is managed by Chief Strategist Joy Nelson Thomas of New Journey Management Group. This program serves as a catalyst for training and helps participants connect with resources in the Winston-Salem Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Hosted twice a year, Pathways is free and funded by federal grants from the City of Winston-Salem for economic development. Applications are now open, with a deadline of September 10th at 11:59 a.m.

We hope you enjoy the remaining summer months with fun activities with family and friends. 

Left: Dawn McGee, Founder and CEO of Coach Pro 4U, poses with the 2024 Velocity cohort after facilitating a dynamic session on human resources for start-ups. Right: Margaret Collins hosts a brief talk with mentors after lunch.

Left: Meet the Mentors luncheon during Kickoff Weekend. Right: Group breakout session during a class.

⚠️ Note: This blog post is part of our archives and may contain outdated information.

Happy July! We hope you’re soaking up the sun and keeping cool amidst this scorching heat wave. Speaking of heat, things at CCE are heating up with excitement!

In just one month from now, Velocity 2024 will begin! This year, CCE received an impressive 72 applications from 9 states and 5 different countries. The high number of applicants reflects the intense competition among creative entrepreneurs vying for a spot in the ninth Velocity cohort, our 10-week business accelerator program that includes intensive training and mentoring. The program begins on August 13th with a kick-off week and culminates with Demo Day, where teams pitch their creative businesses for a chance to win a share of $20k in seed-stage grants. In addition to the $10K CCE 2023 Velocity Award, we are honored to announce two $5k awards for the Wells Fargo Emerging Woman Entrepreneur Awards. We invite you to join us for Demo Day on October 17th—it’s your chance to discover the next big thing in creative entrepreneurship! The event is free; click here to register. Also there are sponsorship opportunities available for this exciting event, click here to contact Margaret Collins for more information.

In case you missed it, we hosted an epic volunteer appreciation event! One thing is certain: we make a difference for creative entrepreneurs through the dedicated work of our amazing volunteers. We could not do it without them, so we were honored to host our Volunteer Appreciation event on June 18th at the beautiful and inspiring creative space, Dabble Art Bar, founded by Velocity Alum Sarah Schindler. A big thank you to all our volunteers who generously give their time throughout the year. Special thanks to Sarah and Tuesday at Dabble Art Bar, CCE board member Valerie Bleza who sponsored the delicious and elaborate food and drinks, as well as all our volunteers and board members who celebrated with us.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you, our sponsors, and donors, for your generous support and contributions during our Spring Campaign! Your generosity allows us to gear up for another year of excellent programming. If you haven’t donated yet, it’s never too late—just click here. Your dedication and commitment have played a crucial role in the success of our programs and initiatives, enabling us to make a positive impact on creative entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Photos of CCE’s 2024 Volunteer Appreciation Event at Dabble Art Bar

  
  
  
  

Staff and volunteers participated in crafty activities making hats and name tags at the event. 
Last photo: CCE Staff