A new center offering business advice and education resources for women and minorities celebrated its grand opening in Charleston on Wednesday.
The West Virginia Women's Business Center hosted its official ribbon cutting Wednesday at City Center at Slack Plaza.
"The West Virginia Women's Business Center is for anyone with a dream or an idea," Rebecca Cobourne, owner of Braids and Twists, said in a news release. "I had a dream, and through the support of the center, I was able to make it a reality."
The program has been serving women and minorities across the Mountain State for 18 months by providing free online business training and one-on-one advising. The program also has offices in Morgantown, Fairmont and soon in Huntington.
The center also recently launched a mentorship program that facilitates one-on-one relationships in order to help business owners.
“Going it alone is always daunting, especially when it comes to starting your own small business,” business center executive director Nora Myers said in a news release. “Whether you want advice on accounting, marketing, personnel, or even just to bounce ideas off someone with more experience, having a mentor can make each critical step on your journey more confident, and more likely to reach success.”
The West Virginia Women’s Business Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and hosted by Partner Community Capital, a small business loan fund.