Huge turnout for mayor's first business summit

Roanoke helping small businesses get started

ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke's Mayor Sherman Lea leads an effort to encourage entrepreneurship in the Star City. Wednesday he hosted a business summit with the goal to lay out all the steps needed to make opening a business more enticing.

Many future and current business owners are looking to take the next step in their careers.

Held at the Goodwill Training Center, the Mayor's Business Summit on starting a business in Roanoke gave them the extra knowledge on how to do that. Including Melvin Davis who's expanding his upscale clothing boutique.
    
"I was making profit and I ran out of space to put the clothes. I developed a personal clientele and they were coming back repeatedly. I just want more people to know about me," said Melvin Davis, owner of Upper Echelon Boutique. 

Other new and prospective business owners heard from presenters with expertise in financing and getting a business license and permit. Valerie Dale who has operated a business in Roanoke for more than 25 years.    

"I think I have taken from this the need for more networking. There are a lot of businesses in Roanoke but we don't know what each other has to offer. In this room today was a wealth of resources. But if we collaborate we all can grow," said Valerie Dale.

Mayor Lea leading the charge at this standing room only summit believes Roanoke is a business-friendly city and hopes this summit will inspire others.
    
His goal is to lay out all the steps needed to make opening a business more attractive and make their dream possible.

"I didn't know we had so many people who wanted to start up a business. Some people have gone so far to get a business plan and they just needed that direction and got it," said Mayor Lea.

"Even though I'm going to the mall, just grow slow. And just allow things to grow naturally," said Davis.

The Roanoke Small Business Development Center was on hand to answer questions. The center helps to grow, develop and promote small businesses.

"We average 300 clients a year. And 65 percent of our business are existing businesses and 35 percent are startups," said Bart Smith, Roanoke Small Business Development Center.

And because of the great response and turnout, Mayor Lea  hopes to hold another business summit in the future.