During the Summer of 2024 I was looking and researching leadership professional development opportunities to participate in during the Fall. Not long into my research I found a program offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) called THRIVE Emerging Leaders. I was so excited to see that they were still taking applications for 2024, and had a cohort out of Greenville South Carolina, so I got my application in straight away! Since July, I have been engaging in asynchronous learning models and in-person sessions, and on December 5th, 2024 I completed the class! I am so thrilled to share with y’all some of the takeaways from this program, and before I do that I want to share a little history of the SBA, as well an overview of the THRIVE program first.
The SBA was established in 1953 by the U.S. Congress through the Small Business Act to support and protect the interests of small businesses. Its mission is to provide financial assistance, training, and advocacy to foster entrepreneurship and stimulate economic growth. Over the decades, the SBA has become a vital resource for small businesses (starting and operating), helping them access capital, recover from disasters, and compete for government contracting. By fostering entrepreneurship, the SBA contributes to job creation, innovation, and economic growth across the country.
One of the training programs the SBA offers is called THRIVE; Emerging Leaders. Its goal was to help established businesses scale and navigate challenges effectively. THRIVE focuses on empowering small business leaders with the skills, strategies, and tools necessary to achieve long-term success and growth. It emphasizes leadership development and strategic planning.
The program is tailored for small business owners who have been operating for at least three years, have annual revenues of $250,000 or more, and have a desire to grow their business. Business owners commit to a six-month training program that includes in-person sessions, online learning, peer-to-peer mentoring, and the creation of a customized three-year to five-year strategic growth plan. While there’s no cost for tuition, business owners must commit time and effort to attend all sessions and complete coursework.
The program is selective, seeking business owners with a growth-oriented mindset. Past participants have reported increased revenues, job creation, and better preparedness for business challenges. The program provides networking opportunities and insights into government contracting, financial management, and market expansion.
During the duration of the THRIVE program the Farmstead concluded operating its ninth summer of Camp Farmstead, we onboarded a new staff member during a week of inservice, started our 2024-2025 school year, navigated Hurricane Helene and snuck in a Thanksgiving Break! To say it was a busy six months in the business of the Farmstead is an understatement, and yet I was able to stick with the program, graduate, and come out of it with a strategic plan for the Farmstead. So here are our three big broad overarching goals for the organization:
- Enroll around 50 families (be full) during our school year programs, with a waitpool of families wanting to enroll.
- Continue to be, and grow in our commitment to be a progressive Early Childhood Education employer.
- Within the next 5 years develop both a Nature Therapy offering as well as develop an adult education arm of the Farmstead. Nature Therapy would be available first to our enrolled students and then eventually to the public. Adult education would support future educators and adults in pedagogies and best practices in developing forest school programs (at their school or at the Farmstead), as well as a program that supports directors and/or future directors in operating a forest school through 1:1 coaching.
I am so excited for the future of the Farmstead and all that is ahead of us, and beyond grateful for these last almost nine years of pursuing this dream!