Women- And Minority-owned Businesses Thrive in the Advantage Valley
Grant program unlocks opportunities for entrepreneurs in Charleston and around the Advantage Valley.
When Charleston City Council member Becky Ceperley saw the need for a program to bolster community and economic development, the Charleston Area Alliance challenged her to secure enough money for a pilot project.
Ceperley and community leaders did just that, and in 2021, the Alliance launched the Women and Minority-Owned Small Business Grant Program. The goal was to attract and retain talented minds, expand businesses and develop entrepreneurs in Charleston and the Advantage Valley.
Seven grants were distributed in the first year, and in 2023, $48,000 was awarded to 10 business owners; among those recipients were the owners of Mountain Juice Co., Echo-Lit and StrongRapport.
Mountain Juice
When breast cancer survivor Amy Smith added raw green juice to her daily diet, she felt the health benefits. She encouraged sister-in-law Lisa Smith to juice leafy greens and fresh produce, and Lisa immediately noticed that she, too, had more energy and mental clarity.
No one was making fresh raw green juice in the Charleston area, so the sisters did their research.
“We spent most of 2018 gaining insight, putting systems in place, and testing and perfecting our recipes,” Lisa says. “We opened our doors on New Year’s Day in 2019 to share this healthy lifestyle choice with our Charleston community.”
The “doors” are to a local food truck and an online shop. From cold-pressed green juice and wheatgrass shots to superfood bowls and even dog treats made from vegetable pulp, Mountain Juice is all about wellness.
The grant led to an expanded food truck menu with acai soft serve and the purchase and enhancement of equipment. Support from the community has been a game changer.
“From the beginning, Charleston has embraced our products and values,” Lisa says. “The community’s patience and loyalty as we’ve grown has been essential, and we would not be successful without them.”
Echo-Lit
Jeanne Stevenson will never forget the day she came up with the idea to create art for classrooms.
“I was at a meeting at my son’s school and noticed they had outdated posters everywhere. Remember the original ‘Hang In There’ kitty poster? It was the exact poster I bought in the ‘70s at my first Scholastic Book Fair. After a good laugh, I decided to take a stab at creating original, eye-catching classroom art. I wanted to make something cool that kids today would notice and read.”
Working from her basement and garage, Stevenson started Echo-Lit in 2008. Several years in, she began getting calls from television and movie classroom set designers, and soon her art covered set walls for “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “Weeds” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
After moving into a shop in 2021, she received the Alliance’s grant, which funded the purchase of a high-end printer that serves community artists and small business neighbors and enables Echo-Lit to print its products in-house.
“We are in a less developed area on Charleston’s West Side,” she says. “Early on, we reached out and offered support to our small business neighbors. It’s beautiful how we collaborate and support one another.”
StrongRapport
Angelica Gilleran wants to help women build strong rapport and, in her words, “help women-led business owners and nonprofits tell their stories in compelling ways that build long-term relationships with their audience.”
Angelica Gilleran
StrongRapport
After being sought out to help leaders share their message, she recognized the gap in the market, and the rest was history.
She started StrongRapport in 2018, and offers traditional and digital marketing solutions. “What sets StrongRapport apart,” Gilleran says, “is our commitment to working with historically underrepresented groups and using hands-on storytelling that positions us as a partner and not just a service provider.”
The Women and Minority-Owned Small Business Grant has been instrumental in her growth.
“It ensured my business can continue to scale and offer the highest quality of service and support to my clients. Just as importantly, it showed my community’s commitment to help me succeed,” Gilleran says. “Being an entrepreneur can be incredibly rewarding but also incredibly lonely. Having this community support is so valuable to my mindset and reminds me that I am not alone in this venture.”
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Want to learn more about living and working in the Advantage Valley of West Virginia? Check out the latest edition of Livability Advantage Valley.
