Month: February 2025

The Hurt Hub Launches Knowledge Hub, Connecting Organizations with World-Class Experts

Post author By Liz Ahwal
Post date February 7, 2025
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Our Outstanding Line-up of Knowledge Hub Experts: Kelly Weaver, Dr. John Kello, Amy Gascon, Michelle McKown-Campbell, Bob McKillop, and Liz Brigham

Davidson, NC – The Jay Hurt Hub announces the launch of the Knowledge Hub, a new service that connects six of the Hub’s distinguished experts with Charlotte-area organizations for transformative learning experiences.

This new offering provides businesses and community groups access to six renowned speakers and facilitators who specialize in leadership, innovation, team building, and professional development. Organizations can book Knowledge Hub experts for their events regardless of whether they utilize The Hurt Hub’s meeting facilities, making this expertise accessible to all.

The Knowledge Hub’s expert roster includes:

– Liz Brigham, W. Spencer Mitchem Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, offering dynamic Design Thinking workshops that transform roadblocks into breakthroughs.

– Amy Gascon, Second City Conservatory graduate and experienced facilitator, delivering innovative team-building through improv training.

– Dr. John Kello, Professor Emeritus of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Davidson College and distinguished consultant, specializing in workplace efficiency, meeting effectiveness, and burnout prevention.

– Bob McKillop, legendary Davidson College basketball coach and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and current Leader-in-Residence, who shares proven leadership strategies built on trust, commitment, and care.

– Michelle McKown-Campbell, founder of Activate The Awesome and creator of the A.W.E.S.O.M.E.™ framework, who inspires organizations to energize collaboration, ignite creativity, and cultivate a culture of empowerment and belonging.

– Kelly Weaver, certified CliftonStrengths coach that facilitates customized sessions that help organizations maximize team effectiveness by identifying individual talents and fostering mutual understanding through pre-session assessments and collaborative team exploration.

“I’m thrilled to be participating in the launch of the Knowledge Hub as we build on the strength of our deep partnerships and the impact we’ve driven over the past four years with the business community in Greater Charlotte,” Liz Brigham shared. “This initiative directly aligns with Davidson College’s Strategic Plan to strengthen our relationships in the Town of Davidson and across the Charlotte region.”

The Knowledge Hub offers various programming options, including:

– Motivational keynotes that inspire action

– Interactive team-building workshops

– Leadership development programs

– Personal development assessments

Organizations can book these experts for corporate events, team gatherings, leadership summits, and training sessions. Each session is customized to meet specific organizational needs and objectives.

“The Knowledge Hub represents our commitment to fostering growth and innovation in our community,” said Sales and Sponsorship Manager Keith Varriale. “By providing access to these exceptional speakers and facilitators, we’re helping organizations unlock their full potential through customized, high-impact learning experiences.”

The Knowledge Hub is now accepting bookings. For more information about the speakers and their programs, or to schedule a session, please contact Sales and Sponsorship Manager, Keith Varriale at kevarriale@davidson.edu or visit the Hurt Hub website at www.hurthub.davidson.edu/the-knowledge-hub/

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Truist Charitable Fund Grant Deepens Davidson College’s Reach in Charlotte

Post author By Liz Ahwal
Post date February 5, 2025
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The Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Davidson College is building on a foundation of supporting innovation and small business growth in the Greater Charlotte community. Now in its seventh year, the Hurt Hub team’s focus on enhancing programs and expanding access for innovators and entrepreneurs will get a boost from a new grant from Truist Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation.

The Truist Charitable Fund has awarded $300,000 to the Hurt Hub in alignment with the company’s strategic goal of strengthening small businesses in the Charlotte community with a strong focus on underrepresented founders. The grant allows the Hurt Hub to broaden its reach both in terms of participants and geographically while prioritizing access to startup capital, exceptional technical support, education and networks, and the growth of equitable small business ecosystems.

More specifically, this support enables the Hurt Hub to set ambitious goals to help launch 25 new small local businesses, provide access to more than $35,000 in startup capital and offer up to 7,000 pro bono consulting hours, from students and professional staff, to over 70 small businesses. Additionally, the funding supports the expansion of successful educational programs in innovation and entrepreneurship, including five new cohorts of its flagship business-building programs in 2025.

“We believe entrepreneurship and small business ownership are proven paths to economic mobility,” said Liz Brigham ’04, the W. Spencer Mitchem ’59 Executive Director of the Hurt Hub.

“With the transformational support from the Truist Charitable Fund, we will extend access to our programs by more than 20 percent and stimulate the growth of new businesses, jobs, and innovative mindsets in our community.”

Thanks to the Hurt Hub and the community built through its programs, students, business owners, mentors and community members move their passions and interests forward. People like Gloria Folaron, founder of local tech startup Leantime, a project management platform designed for people with ADHD, autism and dyslexia, worked with Cate Phipps ’26 to further Leantime’s content marketing strategy.

“Cate created content leveraging AI to generate a dozen blog posts supporting the development of a more inclusive future of work,” Gloria said. “She’s been incredibly helpful in amplifying my capacity.”

Those involved with the Hurt Hub have countless opportunities to learn from others. Take Davidson resident Cherese Spand, who this year facilitated a mindset conversation with small business leaders as part of the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program, a part of the Amplify Davidson initiative funded through the Town of Davidson. She brought to the sessions business wisdom from years of owning hair salons, a bridal boutique, an event planning business and, currently, running a financial services company.

2024 Fall NEXT Level Graduates Brianna Pennington '27 and Mario Martinez Estrada '27 with mentor, Jackie Benjamin, owner of We Assist — 2024 Fall NEXT Level Graduates Brianna Pennington ’27 and Mario Martinez Estrada ’27 with mentor, Jackie Benjamin, owner of We Assist

Thomas Athey '24, co-founder of MESA, meets with mentors Owen Bezick '21, founder of GatherWare, and Evan Rozantes, the Hurt Hub's innovation portfolio manager — Thomas Athey ’24, co-founder of MESA, meets with mentors Owen Bezick ’21, founder of GatherWare, and Evan Rozantes, the Hurt Hub’s innovation portfolio manager

Cate, Gloria and Cherese are three of many. In the last academic year alone, more than 300 learners engaged in more than 20 educational programs and supported 84 start-ups and small businesses through programs offered at the Hurt Hub. Additionally, 79 students completed nearly 3,000 consulting hours for 59 clients, with 30 more students and young alums receiving industry-specific mentoring. More than $100,000 was awarded in startup capital to student ventures, and the Hurt Hub’s more than 200 coworking members, representing 132 businesses, called the space home.

Jeremiah Duarte '27 presenting final project during NEXT Level end of semester celebration — Jeremiah Duarte ’27 presenting final project during NEXT Level end of semester celebration

Specifically, the grant from Truist Charitable Fund will help fund the continuation of courses like the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program and over 20 other distinct skill-building workshops reaching into new communities across Charlotte. Additionally, this support deepens relationships amongst Davidson students, faculty, and local entrepreneurs through micro-internships and consulting projects. And, it will help provide needed capital for startup ventures in our community through several business plan pitch competitions.

“We are delighted to provide this Truist Charitable Fund grant to support the continued growth and expansion of programming at the Hurt Hub,” said Jenna Kelly, Truist’s North Carolina West Regional President. “As our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities, we are excited to help expand opportunities for entrepreneurs from all backgrounds in the Greater Charlotte area.”

About Truist Charitable Fund

The Truist Charitable Fund (“TCF”) is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives. TCF was established as a donor-advised fund and is administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation. TCF invests in local community organizations, focusing on grants that support initiatives and programs in the areas of educational equity, leadership development and essential community services. To learn more about Truist’s purpose, visit https://www.truist.com/who-we-are/about-truist.

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More Than Space: The Power of the Community at the Hurt Hub

Post author By Liz Ahwal
Post date February 4, 2025
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In today’s digital age, the true measure of a coworking space isn’t just in its square footage or amenities – it’s in the connections and collaborations that flourish within its walls. The Hurt Hub@Davidson exemplifies this philosophy, serving as a catalyst for meaningful partnerships that drive real-world impact.

A recent collaboration perfectly illustrates the magic that happens when Hurt Hub community members come together. When Drs. Alicia and Mahdi of OptiMed Doctors needed a new website, they didn’t have to look far for support. Fellow coworking members stepped up to transform their vision into reality, creating a seamless partnership that leveraged each team’s unique expertise.

The project brought together multiple Hurt Hub members: Quoin‘s team, including JP, Rob, and Meaghan, provided their technical expertise in website design, implementation, and security, while Ben from Benco contributed his creative talents through stunning videography and photography. The result? A professional, secure, and visually compelling website that perfectly represents OptiMed Doctors’ mission and services.

Jean Pierre (JP) LeJacq, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Quoin summarized it best,”the Hurt Hub enables in-person collaboration with members that we’ve worked with for years. It’s the long term relationships that the Hub sponsors that makes the difference.”

This successful teamwork demonstrates what makes the Hurt Hub@Davidson special – it’s not just about sharing physical space, but about building a community where members support each other’s growth and success. When professionals from different backgrounds and expertise areas work under the same roof, the opportunities for purposeful serendipity are abundant.

The OptiMed Doctors’ website project is more than just a case study in successful partnership; it’s a testament to the Hurt Hub’s vibrant ecosystem where connections lead to opportunities, and shared spaces foster shared success. This is the true value of coworking at the Hurt Hub@Davidson – a community where great ideas come to life through the power of collaboration.