PITTSBORO, N.C. - The Central Carolina Community College Small Business Center presented participants from the Spring 2023 Next Level program with certificates on Tuesday, April 26th, at 79West Innovation Hub in Pittsboro.

Next Level is a 10-week program hosted by the Central Carolina Community College Small Business Center, with financial support from NC IDEA, and in cooperation with Innovate Carolina. The program takes participants through a step-by-step process for determining the viability of a scalable enterprise.

Kimberly Yingling, Assistant Director of Innovation Hubs at Innovate Carolina, said, "It was inspirational to watch the first cohort of Next Level students present their final pitches. It takes a lot of work to make an idea come to life and it was evident these students learned the next steps in pursuing a business during the 10 weeks of programming. Innovate Carolina is proud to be part of an initiative that helps our community thrive."

"The Next Level program had a significant impact on my journey to pursue my passion, an intersection of healthcare and game development," said Katie Stokes, Next Level certificate recipient. "It helped me focus my ideas and develop clear a plan of action throughout the startup process. The personalized approach was immeasurable, and I am confident moving forward knowing I have the support and resources the class provided. Thanks to Next Level, I have a greater sense of purpose and direction in my professional life."

Next Level utilizes a proven process for starting a business based on Lean Startup principles that take participants from idea to sales with minimal risk. Divided into phases, Next Level includes bite-sized lessons, activities, and a facilitator to assist throughout the process.

The second cohort of Next Level is set to begin September 2023. The application will be available in the coming weeks.

"Watching this group go from ideation to pitch was nothing short of amazing," said Phillip Pappas, CCCC Chatham Small Business Center Coordinator. "It was obvious that the first Next Level class was committed to the process. They worked diligently from week to week; pivoting as needed, while crafting their business model one beachhead and persona at a time."

For more information on Next Level, people can contact Phillip Pappas at ppapp612@cccc.edu. For no-cost start-up assistance or business consulting, please contact the Chatham County Small Business Center at www.chathamsbc.com/counseling/.

For more information or to register for the Next Level program, visit www.chathamsbc.com/NextLevel or call 919-545-8015.