new ventures business development provides resources for starting and growing businesses
Now open for business(es)
ebizAnson.org is
an e-commerce website powered by the artisans, craftsmen, and merchants
of Anson County, North Carolina. On the site you will find acclaimed artistic
works, quality crafts, and select merchandise for sale. The products offered
are constantly changing so customers come back often to see what's new.
The purpose is to support, preserve and celebrate authentic culture, history,
and commerce through the handmade products of Anson County, NC, citizens.
ebizAnson.org is a cooperative virtual shoppe provided by New Ventures Business Development, Inc., a nonprofit corporation providing resources for starting and growing businesses. ebizAnson.org providers are artists, crafts people, and merchants either from Anson County or with ties to the county.
e-Commerce Made SImple
No merchant accounts for you to set up! No payment gateways to manage. No complex Internet programming or page design to master.
Providers
on the ebizAnson.org site simply input data into an online form to add
products for sale. The site will charge the customer the cost of the item,
appropriate sales tax, and shipping charges. Customers pay by credit card,
money order, or PayPal.
When an order is placed for a provider's items, an e-mail provides all the buyer details, including shipping information, and New Ventures sends a check to the provider for the transaction amount less the credit card transaction fees and a percentage of the sales amount.
New Ventures' fees range from 10 to 20 percent of the item sales price, based upon the services supplied to the provider. Fees only incur when something is sold.
Contact New Ventures for details on how to become an ebizAnson.org provider.
Incubating the Arts and Business
ebizAnson.org is located physically at 514 N. Washington St. in Wadesboro, N.C., in the South Piedmont Community College Lockhart-Taylor Center. But its physical location doesn't matter because ebizanson.org allows customers from anywhere in the world to shop Anson County artisans, crafts people, and merchants via the Internet.
The New Ventures Artisan and Business Center features many of the providers on the ebizAnson.org web site. The artisan studios in the center allow visitors direct access to providers as they create many of the items featured for sale on ebizAnson.org.
On the ebizAnson.org web site, you'll meet the providers who create, craft and grow these wonderful products from the southern piedmont of North Carolina. It won't take you long to learn that each product is, like Anson County, unique and has a character of its own; few of these items were mass produced by machinery or factories – they were made by local artists and craftsmen who are blessed with tremendous creative talent.
So wander in our open doors and sit a spell as you browse through the wide variety of high-quality, one-of-a-kind products. Who knows, you might make a friend or two!
Collaborative Marketing
ebizAnson.org takes advantage of collaborative marketing to expose your arts, crafts, and merchandise to shoppers, not only in eastern North Carolina but across the globe.
Each provider markets the site to its customers in all sales and marketing, so all providers get to share customer exposure. New Ventures will use revenues from the web site to purchase advertising for the web site and the artisan and small business incubator.
The Anson County Arts Council and Historical Society, Discover Anson and the Anson County Tourism Authority, Uptown Wadesboro, the Anson County Chamber of Commerce, and the Anson County Economic Development Coalition will promote the site.
The marketing exposure is more than any one artisan, craftsman, or merchant in Anson County can afford as an individual marketing plan.
Providing support, addressing needs
NVBDI services and resources currently available or under development include:
- One-on-one assistance with developing your business plan – you will need a good one to get loans to start or grow your business
- One-on-one assistance with developing your marketing plan
- Assistance with certifying your woman- or minority-owned business and matchmaking support to facilitate partnering and collaboration on bigger deals
- Seminars, workshops, and other education programs
- A mentoring program to match you with experienced business persons willing to offer advice and share lessons learned
- Networking opportunities with other small business owners
- Temporary, interim, and short-term office rental. The space, office/clerical services, Internet access, standard business software, and basic technical support are ideal for start-up and growing businesses
- Personalized technology and software training – we analyize your workflows and tasks to customize the training to your specific needs
- Telecommunications consulting – NVBDI will analyze your existing telecommunications services and systems to identify billing errors and opportunities to reduce costs. It also develops Requests for Proposals for equipment and services
- Computer and LAN services – implementation and maintenance of peer-to-peer networks
- Web hosting and website development – specializing in dynamic sites that are easy to update and e-commerce sites
South Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center partners with NVBDI to provide consulting and develop training programs, seminars, and workshops.
The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, also provides counseling services.
Location
The Anson County Center is located in the South Piedmont Community College Lockhart-Taylor Center at 514 North Washington Street, Wadesboro, N.C.
Contact the center at the the Lockhart-Taylor Center at 704.272.5457.
Anson Schedule
The Anson Center currently is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9-3, and by appointment. Contact the center at 704.272.5457.
SPCC Small Business Center maintains a resource center at the Lockhart-Taylor Center. Contact Vince Holloman at 704.694.6505.
SCORE consultants are available by appointment. Contact the NVBDI Anson Center at 704.272.5457.
Union Schedule
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SPCC Small Business Center staff is available by appointment. Contact Vince Holloman at 704.289.8588.
SCORE consultants are available by appointment. Contact the Union County Chamber at 704.289.4567.
Sponsors
Union County Chamber of Commerce
South Piedmont Community College
Partners
South Piedmont Community College Small Business Center