THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WCTV) – March 29 marks National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, a day to shine a spotlight on small, family-owned businesses that keep communities thriving.
In Thomasville, nonprofit training program Spark Thomasville has been going the extra mile since 2019 to support local gems with a program designed to help them succeed.
The nonprofit has helped over 70 entrepreneurs since then by offering training, financial coaching, mentorship and access to capital to entrepreneurs across several industries and those aspiring to become business owners.
DeShay Williams, executive director of the nonprofit, said Spark gives people the opportunity to prepare.
“Spark is that opportunity to actually do that, to sit down and plan your business,” Williams said. “You get to do it with a coach, and you get to see what options are next that you wouldn’t really necessarily… do on your own because you’re just doing all the things you do in life.”
The majority of the trainings is conducted at Thomasville’s Chamber of Commerce.
Climmie Mosley, the owner of Climmie’s H&M BBQ, kicked off his business by selling plates from his home for four years before opening his restaurant in 2021 with the help of Spark Thomasville. He was part of Spark Thomasville’s 2019 cohort.(WCTV Jamiya Coleman)
Williams said providing entrepreneurs with better access to coaching and capital is the spark needed to help businesses thrive.
“We know that 20% of businesses, small businesses, fail within the first year and 50% fail within five years. So that’s the gap that Spark Thomasville is trying to fill, along with work delivering specific cohorts for entrepreneurs and what the community needs are,” the executive director said.
This year, Spark Thomasville went from offering one 12-week entrepreneur training and coaching program to offering an additional four new cohorts, including:
Business essentials – Provides entrepreneurs with financial skills training, such as lending opportunities and marketing.Tax prep assistance – Provides entrepreneurs with guidance on how to gather business and personal documents, tax prep assistance and matching with tax professionals.Housing development – Also known as “Building for Success,” this cohort provides certification and business development training for construction professionals to qualify for federal, local and state contracts. Childcare – Guides how childcare entrepreneurs can start or scale a childcare business. Some of that guidance includes licensing, business planning and operational management.
Additionally, the nonprofit is looking to develop an arts cohort for various types of artists, including those in performing, visual and recording arts, according to Williams.
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With the support of the nonprofit, one of those small businesses, Climmie’s H&M BBQ, located in the City of Roses, has managed to thrive and continues to do so.
Climmie Mosley, the owner of Climmie’s H&M BBQ, kicked off his business by selling plates from his home for four years before opening his restaurant in 2021 with the help of Spark Thomasville. He was part of Spark Thomasville’s 2019 cohort.(WCTV Jamiya Coleman)
Climmie Mosley, the owner of Climmie’s H&M BBQ, kicked off his business by selling plates from his home for four years before opening his restaurant in 2021 with the help of Spark Thomasville. He was part of Spark Thomasville’s inaugural cohort in 2019.
Climmie Mosley, the owner of Climmie’s H&M BBQ, kicked off his business by selling plates from his home for four years before opening his restaurant in 2021 with the help of Spark Thomasville. He was part of Spark Thomasville’s 2019 cohort.(WCTV Jamiya Coleman)
“I’ve always wanted more for me and my family. I wanted to provide more, so I thought Spark would help me do that,“ Mosley said. ”I also wanted to own my own restaurant.”
Climmie Mosley, the owner of Climmie’s H&M BBQ, kicked off his business by selling plates from his home for four years before opening his restaurant in 2021 with the help of Spark Thomasville. He was part of Spark Thomasville’s 2019 cohort.(WCTV Jamiya Coleman)
With the help of Spark Thomasville, Climmie Mosley said he’s learned the financial component of running and owning a business as well as how connecting with others in the community can introduce entrepreneurs to various programs aimed at assisting business owners with their start-up.
Ashley Mosley, the wife of Climmie Mosley, said the Spark program was great and useful.
“It gave you the necessities that you needed in case you didn’t know what you needed to start your own business,” Ashley Mosley said.
For those interested in learning more about the program, upcoming trainings and additional resources, visit www.sparkthomasville.com.
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