Minority Business Guide
Accelerate Greensboro
Accelerate Greensboro is a program of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce which seeks to uplift minorityowned businesses in the community. MWOBs in Greensboro at any stage in their growth can find programs suited to their needs.
Through Accelerate, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce seeks to make Greensboro the nation’s #1 destination for minority entrepreneurs to grow and develop their business.
The role of the Minority Business Accelerator program is to foster the growth of local, ethnic minorityowned businesses and to expand the region’s minority entrepreneurial business sector.
This program helps create jobs in our region, contributes to economic vitality of our region, strengthens our local economy, and creates cultural diversity and economic inclusion.
Top barriers to small businesses owned by people of color are:
Lack of access to loans and other capital
Institutional and vendor discrimination Low levels of social capital
S2E addresses the largest barriers to success with education & advocacy
In 2018, alumni businesses saw average revenue growth of 36% percent, Latinx-owned businesses saw 64% average growth, and minority-owned businesses saw 43% average growth
Minority Business Guide
Minority-owned businesses operating in lower-income communities saw 77% revenue growth.
Core Technology Molding Corp
Core Tech Thinks Global, Acts Local
By Eddie Huffman
Flexible. Agile. Responsive. Competitive. Those words describe Core Technology Molding Corp, according to people who work with the Greensboro company.
“They are a great team,” says Stephanie Vera, who works in supplier diversity for BMW at its plant near Spartanburg, S.C. “They are very organized, educated, great leadership skills, very innovative.”
Core Technology, based at Gateway Research Park, makes parts for BMW bumpers. It also makes plastic-injected molded parts for tool maker Snap-on, syringes for the healthcare industry, lawnmower parts, and other precision products.
Geoff Foster, CEO and President, founded Core Technology in 2006. The New Jersey native came to Greensboro to attend N.C. A&T State University, where he played football and studied industrial technology and engineering, earning two master’s degrees. He started out at AMP, later bought out by Tyco Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic connectors.
“I used to design parts for Ford Motor Company, and I got a U.S. patent,” Foster says. “That’s when things really started to take off.”
His journey to entrepreneurship began when he saw the financial impact of that patent. AMP owned the rights because Foster secured the patent as their employee.
“I joke about it,” he says. “I got a nice $99 plaque, but then Ford paid my employer $31 million for the patent. That’s what really motivated me. I said next time I come up with a creative idea, it’s going to be for my company.”
He started small with three people working a single shift. Seventeen years later Core Technology has about 45 employees working five shifts around the clock. Foster plans to hire at least 20 additional employees in 2023 as Gateway Research Park expands its facilities.
Snap-on began using Core Technology to manufacture parts in 2021, counting on the ability of Foster’s company to handle a range of tasks.
“We’re a global supplier,” says Michael Bond, who works in strategic sourcing for Snap-on. “We utilize small businesses due to their agility. If you work with a larger business, they’re not as responsive, they’re not as agile. Geoff’s firm has proven to be very agile, very responsive, very competitive, and produce a quality product.”
Foster has made important connections with local companies such as Volvo and Mack Trucks through the minority business accelerator operated by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. The city’s location and resources, including major highways and an airport, make it an ideal location for his company.
“I used to design parts for Ford Motor Company, and I got a U.S. patent,” Foster says. “That’s when things really started to take off.”
“We ship to 150 countries, so having the airport here, having FedEx here – most of our customers, we can get to in three hours,” Foster says.
It’s a relatively short drive for in-person visits to manufacturers such as BMW, Volvo cars in Charleston, S.C., Pfizer pharmaceutical company in Rocky Mount, and Merck pharmaceutical company in Research Triangle Park and Wilson.
“Strategically Greensboro is a great, great location for us,” Foster says. He also holds an MBA from Wake Forest University and has taught at A&T for almost 20 years as an adjunct professor. A&T provides Core Technology with a steady stream of
skilled employees. Todd Simmons, associate vice chancellor of university relations, began working at A&T in 2016 and started hearing about Foster and his company soon after.
“He has a front line workforce and a leadership workforce at Core Tech that is comprised almost entirely of A&T graduates, who he likes to bring on as interns, co-op students, later as new staffers fresh out of school, and then he grows them up into leadership positions within his company,” Simmons says. “It provides A&T with an ongoing, live example of what’s possible with the relationship between corporate Greensboro and A&T.”
The Importance of Uplifting Minority & Women-Owned Businesses For Entrepreneurs
POC are significantly more likely to be denied loans than white people when controlling for other characteristics.
PulmonIx
Medical Research Firm Gains National Reputation
By Eddie Huffman
When Fred Haley learned in 2012 that he had a rare lung disease, it could have meant death in a few short years.
But he’s still going strong a decade later, thanks in part to a Greensboro clinical research firm and the doctor who leads it.
“That’s why I like Dr. Ramaswamy so much,” says Haley, a 70-year-old retiree. “He didn’t do the standard thing that doctors less familiar with the disease do, which is to say you probably only have three to five years to live and you’d better get your affairs in order.”
Murali Ramaswamy co-founded PulmonIx in 2015, expanding on clinical trials for lung diseases that began at Cone Health with Dr. Patrick Wright in the late 1990s. Local patients with pulmonary fibrosis and other maladies had to travel to cities like Durham for treatment before Ramaswamy’s arrival. Out-of-town patients now come to Greensboro, thanks to the work of PulmonIx at Cone Health.
Pulmonary fibrosis scars the lungs, making breathing difficult and leading to potential complications such as heart disease.
“The general public will tell you that the biggest killers are heart disease, cancer, and stroke,” Ramaswamy says. “While true, the fourth
leading cause of death is actually COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The research dollars put into lung disease overall are not even in the top 10.”
PulmonIx is working to change that. Wright, a fellow Cone pulmonologist, co-founded the company with Ramaswamy and credits him with taking local treatment to a higher level since he came here from the University of California at San Diego in 2008.
“It used to be when you got scarring in your lungs it was essentially a death sentence,” Wright says. “People didn’t last long. But he’s got patients now who are doing so well – it’s incredible.”
PulmonIx operates out of a building at 3511 W. Market St. that also houses LeBauer Pulmonary Care. Patients receive treatment from Ramaswamy and his colleagues on the first floor, with PulmonIx offering research as a care option on the second floor.
“The primary purpose of research is always to help develop new medicines, and so there is a volunteerism aspect to somebody wanting to do research,” Ramaswamy says.
“They’re helping to develop new medicine, helping science, and helping humanity have a better future.”
By
2050, more than half of US workers and consumers will be people of color
“They’re helping to develop new medicine, helping science, and helping humanity have a better future.”
PulmonIx has grown steadily, thanks in part to the guidance Ramaswamy received through Accelerate Greensboro, the minority business accelerator operated by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. His cohort in Scale to Excel included business owners in real estate, cleaning, and furniture sales. He took classes regularly with them for eight months, once online while visiting relatives in India.
“The common bond was the struggles of a minority entrepreneur and the successes of a minority entrepreneur,” Ramaswamy says. The classes greatly expanded his understanding of the best ways to run a business, increasing revenue and allowing PulmonIx to treat many additional patients. “Growth has doubled,” he says, crediting Manager Jennifer Castillo and the rest of the PulmonIx team for the company’s success.
Haley has participated in four clinical research trials with PulmonIx to date. He worked with
Ramaswamy and another patient to establish North Carolina’s first pulmonary fibrosis support group in 2014. Ramaswamy frequently shares news about research studies at support group meetings.
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, a national organization based in Chicago, has recognized PulmonIx and LeBauer Pulmonary Care as second of only three healthcare facilities in North Carolina in its Care Center Network (https://www. pulmonaryfibrosis.org/researchers-healthcareproviders/community-engagement/care-centernetwork). The network includes programs with high levels of research, education, and treatment. Cone Health honored Ramaswamy with its Innovations in Clinical Care award in 2021.
“We are very lucky in our area to have someone at the tier level he is,” Haley says.
Skyline Video Pros
From DJ to Drone Pilot
By Eddie Huffman
Greensboro looks lush and green from above, as evidenced by footage captured by Skyline Video Pros on a gorgeous sunny day.
“We walk around daily and we see what we see, but to see it from the air is a completely different experience,” says David Small, Skyline’s founder and chief operating officer.
His drone photography company is flying high thanks in part to Accelerate Greensboro, the minority business accelerator operated by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.
Accelerate Greensboro’s Scale to Excel program allowed Small to rise above his daily responsibilities and get a broader view of his own business.
He was in the first Scale to Excel cohort, which brought together about 20 minority business leaders for weekly online meetings in the early days of the COVID pandemic.
“We were able to talk to other business owners about their struggles, finding those commonalities across a wide section of industries, from staffing, cleaning, and drones to construction and masonry,” he says.
They learned a lot from each other as well as from guest speakers and the Scale to Excel instructor, Channelle D. James.
“I can’t praise her enough,” Small says. “With her thought-provoking questions, the way she made us dig deeper and figure out our own answers.”
His work has taken the 35-year-old Greensboro native from the Gate City to the Central American nation of Belize. But his path to success took a serious detour: Small served four years in prison for robbery in his late teens and early 20s. After prison he did computer repairs and spun records as DJ Justice.
“You get tired of humping turntables, even though I love it,” Small said. “It’s truly a passion of mine. I love music; I love making people dance; I love creating memories through music.”
Photography had always been a part of his life, dating back to his father’s hobby, which included a home darkroom. So he bought a professionalquality drone and took off in a new career direction. Small launched Skyline Video Pros in 2017 and incorporated in 2018. Since then he has worked with a variety of clients, shooting everything from real estate commercials to music videos.
One of those clients is Robbie Perkins, the former Greensboro mayor and real estate broker with NAI Piedmont Triad. “David is a conscientious, thorough guy with an artistic flair who can turn an ordinary project into something special,” Perkins says.
The Importance of Uplifting Minority & Women-Owned Businesses For Businesses
Businesses with racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in their process or supply chains have a 36% higher likelihood of outperforming their financial projections than their peers those with little or no diversity.
“David is a conscientious, thorough guy with an artistic flair who can turn an ordinary project into something special”
Small has a side business, Skyline Solar, that sells home solar energy systems. He works in Belize at a media-production camp, where he and his colleagues teach young people how to fly drones, record tracks, and make music videos.
“I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with,” he says.
One of his partners in the Belize project is Will Gaddy, CEO and co-founder of Greensboro Staffing Consultants. Small and Gaddy went through Scale
to Excel together. Gaddy frequently refers clients who need drone photography to Small, but he also looks to Small for career guidance.
“He kind of keeps me on my toes,” Gaddy says. “As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get complacent when you start making some money and your immediate needs are met. I vibe with David because we can brainstorm on different projects. It keeps me motivated so I don’t get complacent and comfortable.”
The Importance of Uplifting Minority & Women-Owned Businesses For Businesses
Diverse suppliers can provide valuable input about minorities, giving you a competitive edge with emerging markets.
Minority Business Guide
African American Art & More
Retail Gifts & Memorabilia
› (336) 292-3209
› greekstuff.com
Archie Services
Industrial Procurement
› (336) 864-0458
› archiesupply.com
Construction Concepts and Design
General Contractor
› (336) 488-7112
› concodesigns.com
Eagle Hammer Construction
General Contractor
› (336) 340-6890
› eaglehammer.com
Empanada Grill
Restaurant/Caterer/Mobile food truck
› (336) 280-1300
› empanadagrill.com
Gilgeours Construction
General Contractor & Masonry
› (336) 558-6572
› gilgeoursconstruction.com
GSO Staffing
Greensboro Staffing Consultants
› (336) 355-8708
› gsostaffing.com
Marketing Resource Solutions
Marketing Services
› (336) 510-7523
› reachmrs.com
Office Pride
Commercial Cleaning
› (336) 289-8998
› Officepride.com
Operation Xcel
Education Nonprofit
› (336) 223-4595
› operationxcel.org
Piedmont Life Solutions
Behavioral Health
› (336) 493-5600
› piedmontlifesolutions.com
Pulmonix Research
Research & Clinical Trials
› (336) 522-8871
› pulmonix.com
Savor the Moment Bakery
Retail Bakery
› (336) 688-5094
› savorthemomentbakery.com
Scoop Zone
Party Rentals and Ice Cream
› (336) 456-1099
› scoopzone336.com
SP3 Events
Event Planning
› (336) 273-5575
› sp3eventcompany.com
Skyline Video Pros
Drone Video Production
› (336) 825-0813
› skylinevideopros.com
TCC Junk Removal
Junk Removal and Light Demolition
› (336) 420-7900
› tccjunkremoval.com
TCE Cleaning
Commercial Cleaning
› (336) 617-8100
› tcecommericalcleaning.com
TeamLogic IT
IT Consulting
› (336) 218-9582
› teamlogicit.com/burlingtonnc
TEW Design Studio
Interior Design
› (919) 803-2011
› tewdesignstudio.com
Toussaint Law
Legal Services
› (336) 355-9137
› justiceandwholeness.com
Accelerate A.C.E.S.
Accelerate A.C.E.S. is the top tier of Accelerate Greensboro. Portfolio companies represent the premier suppliers and employers in our region.
A.C.E.S. portfolio companies each hold a significant economic impact in Greensboro (and beyond). The businesses inducted into this prestigious class offer diverse services and have decades of proven business expertise.
The
ACES
(Advisory Council & Economic Sustainers):
C2 Contractors
General Construction
› (336) 379-8806
› c2contractorsllc.website
Century Products LLC
Industrial Cleaning Supply
› (336) 292-8090
› centuryproductsllc.com
Core Technology Molding Corporation
Injection Molding
› (336) 294-2018
› coretechnologycorp.com
GP Supply Company
Mechanical, Industrial, Plumbing Supply
› (336) 274-7615
› gpsupplycompany.com
M. Edwards Group, LLC
Project Management
› (336) 355-1110
› medwardsgroup.com
Marketing Resource Solutions
Marketing Services
› (336) 510-7523
› reachmrs.com
United Maintenance Group
General Contractor
› (336) 669-1648
› unitedmaintenancegroupllp.com
“As top-tier suppliers and proven experts in their respective industries, Accelerate A.C.E.S. represent the very best that Greensboro has to offer.”