On Thursday, July 24, the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce hosted a pivotal Business Input Session at the Mayland Small Business Center as part of the Creative Economic Development Consulting grant initiative. This grant is helping to shape a comprehensive economic recovery and resilience strategy in the wake of Hurricane Helene—and the session gave local businesses a direct seat at the table.
The goal of the session was clear: hear from the voices that know Mitchell County’s economy best—its small business owners and entrepreneurs. Their insights are foundational to building a thriving, more resilient community for the future.
Throughout the session, business owners were guided through thoughtful and critical questions designed to take the pulse of the current local economy and identify both short-term needs and long-term strategies. Discussions centered around:
Status of Local Economy and Recovery
· What trends were you seeing pre-Helene? Have those trends changed?
· SWOT Analysis – Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
· What resources/support do you need to sustain/grow your business?
· How can the Chamber, EDC, TDA, downtown, and other community and economic
development organizations help?
· What are the key messages Mitchell County needs to communicate to internal and external
audiences?
· What strategic public investments are needed for long-term economic resilience?
· What does economic resilience look like for Mitchell County?