BUIES CREEK — Over the past few weeks, Campbell Business students left their comfort zone and made several cold calls in an effort to capture stories from rural entrepreneurs in every county around North Carolina..
“I enjoyed this project, it was definitely challenging to try to find someone, but it was super cool to learn about what people are doing in their rural community,” commented Zach Winston, a sophomore from Raleigh, NC.
“The project was inspired by a visit from Patrick Woodie, President of the NC Rural Center,” noted Instructor and Entrepreneurship Coordinator Scott Kelly. “Mr. Woodie noted that North Carolina as a whole is growing. However, the growth is mainly in urban areas while rural areas are declining. It’s the age old question of how to grow an economy and the secret sauce is an entrepreneur who is willing to experiment, fail, and try again.”
Results of the interviews included more than just student-created blog entries, podcasts and a mural on the wall. For Miranda Quinn, a sophomore from Kinston, NC, the result was an internship. She interviewed Paul Sugg and Zac Holcomb from EastPoint Prosthetics and commented that “listening to their answers gave me insight on how they run their business…They are truly leading with purpose and making a difference in their community. I am excited that they have given me the opportunity to intern with both of them.”
Amary Ryder, a sophomore from Cary, NC, shared, “Seeing how entrepreneurs in rural North Carolina counties started their businesses and overcame so much adversity was truly inspiring! Behind every company is a real individual who was determined to solve a problem and followed through despite all the challenges! So glad I was able to be a part of this project and witness these journeys.”