Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina (GIUMSC) has partnered with Benedict College’s Women’s Business Center to expand opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs through the NxLevel Business Accelerator Program. This 10-week program is designed to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge to build, grow, and sustain successful businesses.

NxLevel meets in a hybrid format, accommodating participants at Goodwill’s Pleasantburg location in Greenville and the Hardscrabble location in Columbia. Sessions are held weekly and include hands-on training in key business areas, including:

• Creating effective business plans
• Developing capability statements
• Conducting SWOT analyses
• Mastering credit basics
• Cash flow management
• Elevator pitch development

The program also features interactive sessions with guest speakers specializing in accounting, insurance, business law, and social media marketing. By the end of the program, participants will have developed and submitted a comprehensive business plan tailored to their entrepreneurial goals.

In celebration of this collaboration, GIUMSC and Benedict College’s Women’s Business Center hosted a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing event on November 22, 2024. Since then, the program has successfully graduated 13 participants, empowering local entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed. Successful participants have grown their ventures in the areas of food and beverage, hair care, retail, and education services.

“We are thrilled to partner with Benedict College’s Women’s Business Center to bring the NxLevel Business Accelerator Program to life,” said Monique McDaniels, GIUMSC VP of Community and Workforce Development. “This partnership underscores our shared commitment to fostering economic mobility and entrepreneurship across South Carolina.”

“This transformative partnership with Goodwill has been pivotal to the program’s engagement and success. Through this dynamic collaboration, we have been able to deliver immense value to our participants, and we’ve already seen them implementing strategies to elevate their businesses to the next level,” said Tiffany Nichole Burns, Benedict College Women’s Business Manager of Business Development and Client Support.

The next orientation for the program is scheduled for March 4, 2025, and will accommodate up to 20 participants per session. For more information on the NxLevel Program, visit: https://www.goodwillsc.org/nxlevel

Goodwill Industries of the Upstate/Midlands South Carolina (GIUMSC) is a locally owned and operated non-profit within the Goodwill Industries International, Inc. network. Founded in May 1973, GIUMSC has served the people of South Carolina for more than 50 years to create generational success for job seekers, families and communities. Goodwill’s 41 retail stores across 16 counties turn donors’ generosity into new treasures for shoppers. More than 90 cents of every dollar spent is then invested back into providing life-changing education and career services at no cost.

Benedict College’s Women’s Business Center is committed to supporting women entrepreneurs and small business owner by providing tailored resources, expert guidance, and innovative programs to drive business success and economic growth.