How to Get Connected in Greenville, NC

Courtesy of the City of Greenville

Whether you’re moving for a new job or a change of pace, making another community home can be difficult. To ease the transition, the Invest Greenville, NC, economic development organization has established an initiative called Grow in Greenville. 

Now less than 2 years old, the program works to connect newcomers and career professionals with the wealth of opportunities in the area, and it has already shown positive, impactful results. 

After newcomers fill out an online form, the Grow in Greenville team connects each person with a “navigator,” aka someone who works to answer questions, share experiences and make the transition to Pitt County a smooth one. Additionally, the initiative hosts multiple networking events to provide people with even more opportunities to connect. Ahead, three people who took advantage of this no-cost program share why it was such a great experience. 

Deshayla Brown 

Deshayla Brown first learned about Grow in Greenville as a new hire at Hyster-Yale, a materials handling manufacturer with operations in Greenville. As a recent graduate of Beaufort Community College and current marketing student at East Carolina University, Brown decided to explore the program to further her professional development and establish connections. 

“Even though I’ve lived here my entire life, I didn’t necessarily have a network,” she says. “I learned that if there were things I wanted for the future, then I would have to start to build a network.” 

By participating in various young professionals chapters and attending events and panels, Brown found the Grow in Greenville’s one-size-fits-all approach very helpful with addressing work-related needs and furthering personal interests. Brown says she highly recommends newcomers visit the program’s website, share information, and create and maintain a profile. 

“There are certain events navigators have to attend and certain track items to keep their profiles fresh, that way the program is serving its purpose,” Brown says. “That also helps align newcomers to make sure they’re getting the best quality out of their time here in Greenville and keep the connections and the talent here local.” 

Carley Revlett 

A senior HR manager at Attindas Hygiene Partners, Carley Revlett is originally from Kentucky but relocated to Greenville-Pitt County two years ago.

She found out about Grow in Greenville through an area contact and was encouraged to sign up and attend an event. 

“At the time, I didn’t know anyone else planning to go, but I decided to take her advice since it was designed for young professionals who were new to the area,” Revlett says. “I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the event and built both professional and personal connections that I still maintain today. This year, I had the honor of returning as a panelist to share my experience and speak about the importance of making connections within the local community both professionally and outside of work.” 

Revlett was appreciative of the “relaxed, informal settings,” which encouraged her to keep coming back to events. 

“Building these kinds of connections helps strengthen your sense of community and create opportunities for collaboration, support and lasting friendships,” Revlett says. “Getting involved locally allows you to expand your network, share ideas and feel more connected to the people and resources around you.” 

Andrew Raynor 

Originally from Goldsboro, Andrew Raynor relocated to the Greenville-Pitt County region so he and his wife could be closer to her job.

Raynor works at Eastern Carolina Vocational Center as a career development specialist, where he coaches people’s careers and helps others improve their workplace skills. 

Raynor found out about the program through his job and has since utilized its array of services to learn more about the businesses and leaders in his area and potential partnerships, mentorships and advancement opportunities. 

“I have attended several of the events and have connected with other young professionals,” Raynor says.

“My experience with the different events has been great, and I’ve enjoyed networking with others and building those connections.”