The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (Alleghany Business Review) — What began nearly two decades ago as a small nonprofit experiment has grown into one of Virginia’s largest entrepreneurial development efforts, with new initiatives aimed at helping both Main Street businesses and high-growth startups across the Alleghany Highlands.
Founded in 2007, The Advancement Foundation focuses on community and economic development by supporting local entrepreneurs through education, mentorship and access to resources. Its flagship program, The Gauntlet, has served more than 1,200 entrepreneurs statewide since its launch in 2014.
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“The idea was simple,” said Annette Patterson, founder and executive director of The Advancement Foundation. “If you can go into communities, pull together knowledge and resources, and help people think differently about business, you can build real prosperity.”
Patterson likened the foundation’s work to the folktale “Stone Soup,” in which a community discovers that collective contributions can create something far greater than individual efforts. That philosophy underpins the foundation’s approach to entrepreneurship: pooling expertise, time and in-kind support from across the region.
The Gauntlet operates as a structured, cohort-based program typically spanning about 12 weeks. Participants complete eight weeks of core business content, supplemented by live sessions with industry experts and peer collaboration. Rather than focusing on lectures alone, the program emphasizes applied learning — what Patterson calls “what do you do on Monday?”
Keely Massie, who joined The Advancement Foundation last summer and now helps coordinate the Gauntlet, knows the program from the inside out. She participated as an entrepreneur in 2019 while living in Clifton Forge.
“It wasn’t just the content,” Massie said. “It was the relationships, the networking, and realizing you’re not alone in this process.”
In response to feedback from past participants, the foundation is introducing a more action-oriented structure in 2026. The updated Gauntlet will include milestone-based progress, with participants unlocking resources — such as professional services or technical assistance — as they complete assignments throughout the program rather than waiting until the end.
The foundation is also launching a new program called “Quest,” designed for entrepreneurs at a different stage of growth. While the Gauntlet continues to focus on small, service-oriented and Main Street businesses, Quest targets companies working in technology, innovation or large-scale expansion.
“About 20 percent of our Gauntlet participants were already in a high-growth category,” Patterson said. “They needed more targeted help — distribution strategies, legal structures, scaling operations — so Quest allows us to meet them where they are.”
Both programs rely heavily on volunteer mentors and community partners. Over the years, the Advancement Foundation has built a network of more than 300 professionals willing to donate time or services, from marketing and finance to engineering and construction. In one instance, a regional manufacturing company contributed hundreds of hours of engineering expertise to help an inventor refine a prototype.
“That kind of support is nearly impossible for a single entrepreneur to access on their own,” Patterson said.
The programs are open to a wide range of participants, from “kitchen table entrepreneurs” with an idea scribbled on paper to experienced business owners seeking their next phase of growth. Formal business education is not required.
For the 2026 cycle, interest forms are open in January, with orientation scheduled for early February. The programs culminate in a joint awards ceremony in April, bringing together participants from both pathways.
Beyond individual businesses, Patterson and Massie emphasized the broader impact on local communities.
“We’re all drinking from the same pond,” Patterson said. “Quality of life depends on having vibrant Main Streets, local services and resilient local economies. Entrepreneurship is how we get there.”
The Advancement Foundation is also working with local governments, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations to better coordinate resources and communicate opportunities already available in the region.
For residents of the Alleghany Highlands considering starting or growing a business, Massie offered a simple message: “If you have an hour, we can use it. If you have an idea, we can help you test it. Just reach out.”
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How to apply for the Gauntlet Program
The Advancement Foundation is now accepting applications for the 12th annual Gauntlet, an 8-week business program and competition designed to support entrepreneurs building or strengthening Main Street–focused businesses, including retail, service, food & beverage, and other community-facing ventures across Southwest Virginia, with a focus on the Roanoke Valley, Alleghany Highlands, and Rockbridge County.
The program helps entrepreneurs move from ideas to action as they build sustainable, functional businesses through steady progress, practical learning, and supported implementation. Applications are open through February 1, with the program kicking off on February 3.
This year, TAF is also introducing The Quest, a parallel pathway designed for tech-enabled, innovation-driven, or scalable ventures focused on regional or national markets. Together, these two pathways allow TAF to deliver distinct, purpose-built programs, each aligned to the realities, pace, and growth goals of different types of entrepreneurs. Mentors and subject-matter experts are integrated throughout both pathways to support implementation and decision-making.
Prospective participants can:
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Complete the Interest Form (this serves as the application)
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Attend one of our upcoming live, online Q&A sessions to learn more and ask questions
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Find full program details, timelines, and links on our website at theadvancementfoundation.org (make sure to get the THE at the beginning!)
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PodCast Transcript
Annette Patterson 0:00
So stone soup is a fable, and it’s these two army guys that go into a community, and they’re hungry, and they’re knocking on doors to see if they can get some food from people. And people like it, you know, I really don’t have enough to share. I don’t have enough for my own family and so, and it’s a fable. So they pull out their cauldron, and they go into the middle of the town, and they light a fire under, you know, this cauldron with water in it, and they put some stones in it, and they’re stirring it. And people were curious. They’re like, what it what is what is that? What is going on? So they started coming out and said, Well, we’re making stone soup. You’re more than welcome to have some of it when it’s ready. And people started saying, Well, I’ve got some onions I could put in there, and I’ve got some carrots and I’ve got some potatoes. And then before you know it, the whole community is benefiting. That’s what we do.
Gene Mundy 0:45
I’m here with two people that are changing the entrepreneur landscape here in Allegheny Highlands, Miss Annette Patterson and Miss kealy Massey of the advancement foundation. Good morning, good morning, and thank you for having us. Yeah, happy new year, by the way. Yes, 2026 is gonna be great. Yeah, looking forward to it. So Annette, can can you share with us what is the advancement foundation and how does it work? Sure.
Annette Patterson 1:10
So I launched the advancement foundation in 2007 as a nonprofit with a focus on community and economic development, with an idea of if you could go into communities and pull the knowledge resources and help people think about or expand business those those communities will benefit. The individuals will benefit. It will build real prosperity for people. And so, you know, I’d like to say I had it all figured out when I started. That is not the case. I had a lot to learn. I came out of higher education, but the experience I had in higher ed, where we built programs, we built buildings, we raised money, we worked with alumni, very similar concepts to what we’ve done. So the advancement foundation comes at basically community and economic development through three kind of functions. The first is programming. So we started out with a gauntlet, which is now Virginia’s largest business program, and competition. We have over 1200 graduates of our program. We started with 15 entrepreneurs, and those entrepreneurs taught us a lot like we realized very quickly what we didn’t know. So we had to reach out to the community. And this is kind of a happy accident, you know, we reach out to the community somebody needed information or help with building their budget or finance or marketing or whatever it was. And I would just kind of boldly call a company and say, hey, you know, you’re a marketing company, and I have somebody that really is looking to build a nice website, and they really don’t know much about that. Could you help them? Could you mentor them? And nobody said no. So one right after another, people were like, you know, they might say, I don’t have a ton of time, but yeah, I’ll give you. I’ll give them a little bit of time. And so we just took whatever they could share, you know, whatever they were willing to give, big, small, didn’t matter. We would find a way to use it. And so that, you know, helped us sort of realize, okay, we’ve got the programming, but we need help with the knowledge side. We need to connect to other resource agencies like the SBDC or score or different different organizations that are interested in also business development, the economic development offices. Then you know that helped us realize that we also need to provide some resources, because a lot of these small businesses, or people that just have ideas, whether those are technology and innovation, or whether that’s a Main Street business, you know, they need resources to get started, and most of them, if they’re starting out, they wouldn’t qualify really for a bank loan. They might not even want a bank loan, because they really want to see if this is going to work before they step that far out. So we started gathering resources. And so beyond just even mentors, working one on one with them, we would have people donate something like a website. I will build the website. I won’t just advise somebody. I’ll actually we will build one website. We will build five websites, and you can use that with whoever. Entrepreneurs need that. And so the resource piece became really important as a nonprofit. We also raise money. So we go out and we get sponsorships, and we get in kind, and all of those sorts of things. We’ve even gone so far as to work with people who are like property owners in communities like big property owners that have, maybe spaces that are just sitting there, not doing anything. And we’ll say to them, would you be willing to donate, you know, three months of free rent while this company gets started? Your building’s sitting there anyway, this will help bring it online. They’ll help clean it up, they’ll help paint they’ll help do what needs to be done. And so those are also resources, so really creative ways of just finding resources that are going to help any entrepreneur that at any time might need something. And then the last piece is, is place making. So programming, resource development, and place making, and place making, in my mind, is a lot of things. It’s not just physical spaces, which we do work with. Physical spaces, helping to fill spots that are empty. We actually have launched four different business accelerator. Or incubators or cooperatives that help entrepreneurs be in spaces together and kind of share the burden of being in a building and paying the light bills and the Wi Fi. But we also help entrepreneurs get into real estate, get into their own real estate. Sometimes, you know, if the market’s right, we have found that it’s cheaper for an entrepreneur to buy $125,000 building and pay a mortgage which is less than what the rent would be, and then they’re building equity in something that can then be leveraged later. So place making is that piece, the physical property piece. But place making, to me, is also that narrative, sharing the story about entrepreneurs and sharing their experience. Because I think a lot of people think I’m going to get my business get my business card, I’m going to launch my business, and it’s going to go and that’s the dream, right? Like, it’s going to be so easy, but it’s the real zigzag, and you have to have grit. And so sharing the stories. That’s a big component of what we do with gauntlet is we have entrepreneurs come in and tell their stories, and they share the story of, you know, man, I was ready to quit. I was so tired. I was I couldn’t make one more decision. And, you know, I connected to this person or whatever happened, and they found a new way that to re reinvigorate themselves so that they could keep going. I think entrepreneurs have to go into it with their eyes wide open. And while we are really great at pumping people up and saying, You can do this, you can do this. We have to give them that, give them some evidence that they can and that, because they feel like, oh my gosh, it’s not working right now, that doesn’t mean that’s how it’s going to
Gene Mundy 6:31
take that taste of success. Yes, that just that motivation.
Annette Patterson 6:34
Yes, absolutely. So. So those are the kind of the three components of the advancement Foundation. And then everything that we do falls under one of those areas.
Gene Mundy 6:43
So the gauntlet in I think a lot of our viewers and listeners will recognize the gauntlet. Keela, you’ve been involved with the gauntlet. Can you share, like what your role is, and how did you get involved?
Keely Massie 6:58
Yeah, so I actually went through the gauntlet as an entrepreneur in 2019 from the Allegheny Highlands. I was living in Clifton forge at the time, and I found it to be an amazing resource for not only, like Annette mentioned, the programming, the content, the business foundations, but that key piece of like networking, resources, connection and building that collaboration and momentum, not only with the other my peers, also going through the program, but then all the people that are in that ecosystem, that web of entrepreneurship in the region, an amazing thing that came out of a difficult time is that following 2020, and all that happened There, the gauntlet was really able to maximize on the opportunities for online meetings. So in the year I went through in 2019 the advancement Foundation had the gauntlet program in communities, physically, locationally, so you were with the people in that place, but with the, you know, ubiquity of zoom meetings and going online now you can connect people in all these different towns and rural areas and make even more of that network and collaboration and resource sharing happen. And now this year in 2026 where we continue to evolve. And so this is my first year helping coordinate the program, and I came on board the advancement with the advancement foundation this summer, and in stepping in an operations role. But we’re actually expanding into two pathways with the program. So we’re going to continue to have the gauntlet, which is going to continue to serve those sort of main street businesses and entrepreneurs who were doing service and retail and food and beverage and things of that nature. But we’re also opening a new pathway called the quest, which is going to help at a different level, a different stage, and a different focus of businesses and so high tech and scaling and growth innovation and what that’s going to let us do as I then focus on the gauntlet is, again, focus in on resource development, giving that foundational content. But we’re going to really go in with action and iteration and learning. As you go as an entrepreneur, you got to know, you got to be willing to fail. You got to be willing to try things and see what works and pivot. And so we’re really placing a big focus on this year’s Scotland, of getting in there together, getting, of course, your foundational, your foundational content, how to, you know, things that need to happen in your business. But then we’re going to really focus on taking steps and moving forward.
Gene Mundy 9:35
So talk me through I want the quest is new for me, so I’m learning something that’s good. But for the gauntlet, if I’d show up, I don’t know anything about it. It’s the first day. It’s 12 weeks, right?
Keely Massie 9:51
Well, the program, the timeline, will look at about 12 weeks. The core content of the program is eight weeks. We’re gonna have some intro time and. Then eight weeks of those foundational it’s going to be asynchronous content. So you’re going to be able to self pace that foundational business content that we’ve pulled together resources. There’s going to be, you know, one level where it’s like, this is absolutely what you need. And then we’re going to keep providing, again, you might need this, and you this particular thing for this person. We’re going to really work to match individuals with what they need, as opposed to just sort of this broad, general. It’s about getting specific. So those eight weeks of core content that are also going to include, then live sessions with experts, with peers, building your specific business and your you know, we’ve been talking about this phrase, what do I do on Monday? So we can talk about this big, overarching vision and plan, but we’re going to get in there with you and, like, help you figure out, what do you do on Monday when you show up in your business?
Gene Mundy 10:46
Sure, so, so it’s not a, you know, we’re not going to a classroom lecture. This is a live learning laboratory of how to, how to start a business. Yeah, we’re
Keely Massie 10:56
actually trying to flip a little bit to where you’re getting that sort of, that, what you might think of as lecture content or foundational content on your own time. And then we’re going to use those live sessions to be specific to your business, to our region, to things that people are going to need,
Gene Mundy 11:13
experiential learning.
Annette Patterson 11:14
Yes, yeah. Well, and I think one of the things that you know every every year, we learn from our entrepreneurs, we survey them about what works, what doesn’t work. And one of the challenges I think a lot of entrepreneurs have, especially if they’re sort of straddling that fence and they’re trying to hold down a job and get their business started, and maybe they’re dabbling, maybe they’re selling things at the farmers market, but they want to take it to the next level, but they still have to pay their bills, so they’ve got their job is we wanted to give them an opportunity to put The things that they were learning into real action and and something that is tangible that they can use to improve their business. So I’ll just use this as an example standard operating procedures. So, you know, when you’re a small business, you’re, you know, you’re not thinking, oh, I need to really make this regiment and make this clear on what needs to happen. I just need to get customers. I want to sell, how do I open Yeah?
Gene Mundy 12:03
Signs. Do I close out? Yeah.
Annette Patterson 12:05
So, so we’re trying to give them some incentives during the gauntlet, and this is the first time we’ve done this, because typically when the award ceremony comes is when they get awards, like they get everything at one time, but then the program’s over. So we are actually kind of gamifying the gauntlet. And what keeley’s put together is really cool, because they’re going to have milestones to meet. And some people will do that. That’s just who they are. They get their work done, they do their homework, they they get their SOPs written for whatever. Some people are like, I’ll work on that next week. And I’m one of those people like, Oh, I’ll do that next week. And then you forgot the content of what you were just taught in the class. And so what we’re doing now is we’re kind of taking chunks of time, week by week, and saying, okay, here, like, if you want an A plus on this, you want to be first, you have to have this by two weeks. So they’re going to come back with, Okay, here’s what I produced from what I just learned. So we’re not waiting all the way to the end to get their business plan. We’re actually encouraging them to get things done, and when they get those things done, then they’re going to unlock resources. So in resources that like would have been given to them at the end of the program, they’re going to actually access them during the program. There will still be additional things at the end of the program, but the but some of the key things that they need, they’re going to get during the program, motivational reward.
Keely Massie 13:26
And, you know, there’s going to be different levels everyone who’s showing up and doing work, one, they’re going to get their award of, you know, their reward of building their business and being stronger. But they’re also going to get other sort of milestone things that are going to help them in that. But then we’re going to look for the people who are really standing out, and we want out. And we want to go, we want to, you know, really pour resources into the people that are taking action. So we’re really going to be rewarding that action and that, you know, forward motion, yeah.
Gene Mundy 13:54
So this program isn’t for, you know, you don’t have to have a master’s in business administration. You don’t have to, you know, have been a fortune 500 you know, you know, C suite, kind of person. This is like the, you know, normal folks, yes, just like us that get up every day you have a vision, yes, that they want, and a desire to go start a
Keely Massie 14:17
business, absolutely. And we can meet people at all different levels. We have so many resources. We can help C suite, you know, we can help a lot of different types of businesses. I personally, and one of the reasons I think being involved in the gauntlet area for me is so I’m so excited about it, because I have term. I call them kitchen table entrepreneurs. And I have been a kitchen table entrepreneur, and so Absolutely, we’re here for the kitchen table entrepreneur as well as you know, the seasoned entrepreneur all there’s a lot of different places that we can meet you again. We have resources across the spectrum to whether you’re maybe you just have an idea. Maybe you don’t even have a functioning business. We’re going to help you. You know, what forms are you filling out? What is your legal like? How do you even officially be a business? This, yeah. And then we also have and that can talk more to some of the amazing people in our network who have been around for, you know, 60 years and, you know, yes, and things that we can offer other people who are further down the path, yeah,
Annette Patterson 15:12
it’s really been interesting. I mean, some people might remember those of us that are older, that fable called stone soup. So stone soup is a fable, and it’s these two army guys that go into a community and they’re hungry, and they’re knocking on doors to see if they can get some food from people. And people like it. You know, I really don’t have enough to share. I don’t have enough for my own family and so, and it’s a fable. So they pull out their cauldron, and they go into the middle of the town and they light a fire under, you know, this cauldron with water in it, and they put some stones in it, and they’re stirring it. And people were curious. They’re like, what it what is what is that? What is going on? So they started coming out. They said, Well, we’re making stone soup. You’re more than welcome to have some of it when it’s ready. And people started saying, Well, I’ve got some onions I could put in there, and I’ve got some carrots, and I’ve got some potatoes. And then before you know it, the whole community is benefiting. That’s what we do. And so a great example is we had a gentleman who was an engineer, and he was trying to develop a prototype. It was an invention, and he needed to know a little bit more about metals to determine which kind of metal he should use in his, you know, for this device. And what do I know about that, right? Like or any of us, what do any of us know about that? So I called Trent Corporation in Botetourt County, and I asked the gatekeeper, the Secretary, hey, here’s what we’re doing. We’re this small, little nonprofit. We’re doing this program. We’re helping entrepreneurs. Do you all? Could you all? They make trucks? So could do you all have engineers that could help advise this gentleman? And she says, Hold on, just a second. So she puts me on hold. The next person that picks up the phone is the CEO of the company. And he says, Listen, Jenny, I think her name was, was telling me a little bit about what you guys are doing. Could you come in next week and talk to me and a couple of our engineers? I said, Sure. So I come in. He said this, we’re looking for an opportunity to get involved in the community, you know, within within limitations, but we want to know more about what you’re doing. Because we, you know, we don’t have natural access to entrepreneurs that need help. And this sounds really cool, and we know we have this knowledge, and they give us 200 hours of their engineers time for whoever we need to give that to. And of course, that one entrepreneur didn’t need 200 hours, but that’s the kind of thing where people are looking for opportunities to engage in some way, big or small. And so now we have this, you know, Bank of 300 plus people who we could call on at any time. Now, sometimes we might call on them and they’re like, I’m in the middle of, you know, accounting stuff or whatever, but generally speaking, we have this bank that we can tap into anytime we want. If you were an entrepreneur, you couldn’t go call somebody and say, hey, I want to come talk to your engineers.
Gene Mundy 17:49
You know, harder entry point. I mean, I run a small business, yeah? Runs this company, yeah, you know, you it’s sometimes it’s hard to make that leap or that network connection, yes. And I think that’s one of the great kind of takeaways we wanted to talk about here is, you know, the mentorship, the relationship, you know, business is a fraternity, sorority kind of kind of thing, one, you know, there’s competition, yes, but you want to help people advance their business. How do you because you might need that reciprocal kind of help, network connection Absolutely, which I find, you know, very not only fascinating, but that relationship rewarding, right? Yeah, if I have something to offer you, you know, at some point you may be able to help me. Yes, yeah, absolutely, yeah. It’s pretty neat. Yeah. It sounds like, you know, that’s one of the great kind of benefits of the advancement Foundation. And the gauntlet is building those relationships. And, you know, tell me about the cohort. How does that work? And and then, you know, the mentorship piece to that absolutely, either one you
Annette Patterson 19:07
want me to start, sure. So the classes, the actual classes, as Keeley said, one of the changes that we’re making this year is that we will give the suite of educational knowledge, building stuff ahead of time, and then the classes. We will actually meet online every Tuesday evening for an hour and a half, and we will use that hour and a half we’ll do some entrepreneurial showcases, where entrepreneurs will share their story, testimony about, you know, what worked, what didn’t work, and, you know, frustrations and wins and losses, because that’s like, that’s the core reality to entrepreneurship. You could be wildly successful one year and then have that challenge the next year. So so we want to create that culture, and that culture is probably the most powerful part of what we do, because a lot of people come into entrepreneurship depending on their personality and. How they grew up thinking they have to get it right out of the gate, like they have to have everything perfect before they start me against the world, yeah. And so we try to create this atmosphere where we don’t expect you to be perfect. We want you to flub up. I mean, we asked them right out of the gate to do a 32nd pitch on what they’re doing, and they’re stumbling, and they don’t know what they’re you know, and that’s okay, and they see everybody else doing it. So we create that culture where you don’t have to have it all figured out. You can acknowledge that you don’t know how to do something. I mean, I’ve been doing this since 2007 there’s tons of things I’m still learning. So it’s creating that environment where it’s safe to do that, and you don’t have to hide that you don’t know something. And so the classes will involve them being able to break out into small groups. So we might have one class we might have set up by industry, so they can break out into tables by industry, so people are doing breweries, or people that are doing food and beverage, or people that are doing services, can all sit around a table, and then we’ll have experts come in in those different industries and share information with them, whether it’s industry trends or certifications that they need to have
Gene Mundy 21:05
or I want to be in Q and A, you
Keely Massie 21:08
know, bring your challenges, bring your questions. Yeah, there’s so much room for sort of that expert knowledge that you need sometimes, but also that person who is like, where you are, and you’re brainstorming off of each other, and you’re you’re sharing how things are, what is working or what’s not working. And then also, because of these years of the gauntlet, we have people who are just a year or two or three down the road. And so some of that experiential knowledge is really accessible and really at the level that you can see yourself, like your few next steps. Even though we need the big vision and we need what you do on Monday, it’s also helpful to have that like, what does a year or two or three down the road look like? And I can see it in this person who’s in my general region and maybe in a similar industry. But that connection is built, you know, helping process challenges, but also celebrating each other’s, you know, wins.
Gene Mundy 21:54
How many people, how many, I won’t say, students, how many participants can be in a gauntlet cohort,
Annette Patterson 22:03
our largest cohort since, since 2014 was when the gauntlet started. Was 170 and that is when we were in person. And so we had all these classes going on across all the regions simultaneously. And we didn’t really, I mean, I had never done a video call. I mean, I had done maybe a conference call when you couldn’t hear anything, anyway, but we were halfway through the program in 2020, I mean, everybody’s life, right? March, the third change the world. Overnight, we said we were gonna have to take these people online. And, you know, it was kind of devastating, because we were so used to being in person and being together. But as soon as that first class got over, you know, we all kind of shut down our lights, and we’re like, oh, my god, that was amazing, because we can connect people across the region. And I like to think about Virginia, you know, of course, you know, we’re in more rural areas. We’re on set in southwest Virginia, and we don’t get the resources necessarily that Northern Virginia or Richmond and those areas get Yeah, but we are a metro together. We are, we’re the fourth Metro
Gene Mundy 23:07
for Virginia, yeah. I mean, I’ve never thought of it that way, yeah, right, yeah.
Annette Patterson 23:11
And so if we can, if we can share that knowledge across our region and get people advanced quick, you have to accelerate them, help them, you know, shorten their learning curve. So So 170 was the largest class we’ve ever had. In addition, once we went virtual, we continued to do classes virtual because people work, they have kids. They’re taking care of their parents. So then we found people loved being virtual as far as the classes go. But we also have in in person, like networking sessions, and so they get to meet each other. And we have people, we have we’ve had people drive from wise Virginia to Covington to a networking event. Like, it’s amazing. They want to meet each other. They want to see each other. So it That part’s really magic, too.
Gene Mundy 23:55
So if you’re out there and you’re thinking about the gauntlet, there’s plenty of space for,
Annette Patterson 24:01
yes, absolutely, absolutely. And we do have out online right now we and we’re about to put up some banners, but out online, we do have a interest form, so they can fill out the interest form first, and that will help us determine where they are in which path they need to go, because quest is a vastly different experience than than the gauntlet, but they will be coming back together at the award ceremony, so they fill out the interest form, and then we will make an invite, whether it’s gauntlet or quest.
Gene Mundy 24:31
So can we talk about quest? Let’s share the let’s share quest. And then we’ll, you know, kind of like, come back around to, you know, the overall program
Annette Patterson 24:42
absolutely so quest. We’ve sort of dabbled in this a little bit, because about 20% of our gauntlet participants are always in that higher growth pathway, like their technology, some sort of technology invention, or they’re wanting to scale their business significantly. And lease. So, you know, I used to sell things at the farmers market. Now I’d like to scale nationally or statewide. At least. Those are way different conversations. There’s different needs there. So any innovation, any technology, any kind of scaling company, they would be the candidates for quest. And the reason we separate it out is because they need very targeted help. So they might still need some general business knowledge, but chances are, if they’re at those points that they are wanting a little more detail, a little more case management for what they need to do,
Gene Mundy 25:34
distribution, yeah, human resource, exactly, you know, legal, yes, yes.
Annette Patterson 25:40
So, um, so that’s, you know, that’s the question the and the function of that is to get some of these companies that have maybe been around for a while, that are ready to move to the next level, help them get to the next level, right?
Gene Mundy 25:53
The the mentor part, any, any company, I mean, any advice you could offer people that would want to be a mentor or help with either one of these programs.
Annette Patterson 26:04
We need them? Yes, absolutely. You know, we try to get a very diverse array of mentors because, you know, we have, obviously, our businesses have very different needs. There’s some general things that we always need. We always need tons of marketing, whether that’s evaluating your social media or looking at your website or branding yourself, or logos or anything like that packaging. So we always need those kinds of things. But we also, I mean, we can pretty much use just about any kind of service or business that somebody has in some way, shape or form. For example, if we have somebody that’s going to move into a space, they might need some help renovating or painting the space. A lot of times when you take on, when you are leasing, you have to do the work yourself. So they may not have that skill or money to do that. So somebody, you know, a contractor, could volunteer. I’ll build a wall for you, you know, or whatever. And so we collect all that. It’s kind of in this bank. And then what, as we’re working with these entrepreneurs and we, and we get closer to the end, and we know what direction they’re going in, if they are going into a space we know who needs that kind of stuff. And so then we package. I mean, our award packages are personally hand done by us. And it’s, you know, weeks of like, going through, okay, oh, Susan needs this. And so, oh, wait, we don’t have something like that, and we don’t have the funding to fund that. So let’s make some calls, and we right up to the very end, we’re trying to fill in those gaps. So it’s, it’s, um, the mentors are critical to what what we what we’re doing.
Gene Mundy 27:38
So opportunity to send a personal message to potential mentors and volunteers, yes, donors and
Annette Patterson 27:46
sponsors, yes. So we are 100% always open, and it’s on our website. You can go to our website, you can sign up to be a mentor, and that’s where you tell us a little bit about what you what you what skills you have to share. It might not even be something you do for a living, it might be something else. So 100% and and I will say this, because I think a lot of people time is very limited. We have mentors that will call and sometimes they can help us that time. At that time, we call them and we move on to the next that’s why we like to keep a lot of depth of different kinds of of mentors, but fill out the form. That’s the first step. And then, you know, sometimes we don’t, might not call on you if we don’t need that specific thing, but just get in, get in the bank so we can access you. With regard to sponsorships, donations, if it’s a corporation, if they want to make a donation, those funds help support the awards that we give to these individuals from their area. So it is very helpful to have donors and sponsors. And if they’re a corporation and they want their logo, we, of course, we promote all that. Sometimes we have individual donors that, you know, they don’t have a logo. They don’t really care about that, but we do recognize them as donors, unless they say, don’t, don’t recognize me, because I don’t want anybody else calling me, but, but we do recognize them. Everything is tax deductible, and
Gene Mundy 29:05
it you know, in you can directly see the result of that on Main Street. Yes, of Clifton forge or Vinton or pick a pick a location, yes, that those contributions and that effort has an immediate impact on their community. It’s not going off to some national whatever.
Annette Patterson 29:26
No, no. And that’s the I think that’s the beauty of it, because it can’t get lost. You know, I think sometimes there are big national organizations that are doing things and you don’t know, really where your money’s going. Well, you can see your money in your neighbor’s face. I mean, you know, in their space and what they’re doing and
Keely Massie 29:41
what you see building and growing on your main street that you then have access to. And I’ll just point out, again, just playing off what Annette said, I mean, just to give you, give people who are potentially consider being mentors or getting involved in a direct way with their time, you know, if you’ve got one hour, we will make you see that one hour. Yeah, if you’ve got 20 hours, you know, if you’ve got 30 minutes a week, like we have a lot of different ways, you know, you might be a person who is just ready to just really one on one, dive in with a new entrepreneur and help them, or you might have just something to share, more generally, that you could come in and speak to a group of our entrepreneurs. So there’s really an entry point for everyone. Don’t hesitate. Let us know, or let us know you’re interested in the you know, down the line you’re going to have this capacity. Just reach out, get connected. We love connecting with people and having you in our minds. When you know those things do come up. I know somebody, yeah.
Gene Mundy 30:33
So tell me about the timeline, the gauntlet. You know, we’re doing application. Talk me through how that’s going to work the rest of 2026 Yeah.
Keely Massie 30:41
So I can help you there. So we’re spending the month of January getting the word out, getting those interest forms so we can get you down the right pathway. We want to get all our registrations in by that early part of February. We’re going to have our for gauntlet and quest is on. Is new, and it’s on its own timeline. So I’m going to speak to the gauntlet timeline. Specifically, we’re going to have our welcome and orientation call that’ll be live on February 3. So that’s our start point. And then following that, we’ll have those eight core weeks of content and and learning and taking action. And then we’ll have some time there at the end, where it’s going to be some wrapping up and some, you know, getting some of that strategy all brought together. And then we will have a culminating program that’s going to bring quest and gauntlet participants back together, April 23 Yep, April 23 so that’s sort of that very specific commitment timeframe for that. And then, you know, once you’re Once you’re connected with us, then you know, you become, you know, these entrepreneurs then are going to become resources. They’re going to be in networking events. They continue to benefit from the advancement Foundation, whether that is through, you know, down the line other workshops, people have gone through the gauntlet more than once. They may be at a different stage, or they may, you know, serial entrepreneurs, and they know how valuable this program is, and so they might go through it again, or they might do something with the gauntlet now, and in two years, they have this bright idea. Now they’re ready for the quest, and they’re going to do a different type of program. So you plug in here in January and get started in February, and then we hope you’ll be in this Scotland advancement foundation family on down the line.
Gene Mundy 32:16
So closing comments from from both of you. I mean opportunity. We’ve talked a little bit. We know the schedule. Anything you’d want to share with with our listeners.
Annette Patterson 32:29
Well, I’d like to just say, you know, I think the biggest piece of gauntlet, or the quest program, is really the people and the communities that we’re working in and having people come together when they’re passionate about something, and all very different things, but they’re passionate about something, and then bringing people that have worked in those worlds and had those kind of businesses come and help them, it just elevates the entire community, and it focuses everybody On action. And, you know, I guess I might be a little bit Pollyanna, because I feel like anything is possible when we work together and it’s not going to be perfect, you know, you can bank on that it’s not going to be perfect, but it’s, it’s, it’s something productive. And I love to see just the conversations that we’ve had, you know, in the Allegheny area. Covington, Clifton Forge, you know, all of a sudden, after you’re working together for a while and you’re connecting with these entrepreneurs, you begin to see each other as humans and and with your frailties, but you begin to understand how powerful you can be when you’re working together and helping hold each other up. And so, you know, the experience even, we’ve even had entrepreneurs come through the gauntlet that didn’t decided not to open a business, but they’re still part of what we’re doing. And I do think that that is just magical, you know, something we need in the world.
Gene Mundy 33:54
Yeah, it’s, I don’t, I’m not. I don’t want to use the term family, but it is, you know, a certain degree of camaraderie amongst business owners, yes. And we mentioned this, you know, before we started like, no one’s gonna, no one’s gonna save us, right? We’ve got to develop our own economy. Yes. Here, yes first, yes, before anyone, I think, before we can expect some big industry to come land on us. And, you know, so there’s a lot to be said about self, you know, self generating, Bootstrap,
Annette Patterson 34:35
sustainability, resilience. I mean, I agree with you so much when you said that earlier, because we are all drinking out of the same pond, and we need quality of life. We need we need to be able to take our children to a cupcake shop. We need to be able to go with our family to events. We need to be able to do those things. And so we need all types of things to make our communities flourish, and we don’t want to be dependent on any one. Thing, because things change all the time. And so creating this, cultivating this environment where people who want to start a business, it’s not for everybody, but people who want to start a business, or want to test the waters, can do that safely and not have to give up their house, you know, test the waters, see if it works. Be willing to learn, be willing to grow, have that growth mindset. And that’s all part of what, you know. I believe our program is all about, you know, developing all of that so that, if it, you know, we create it and it works, then great. If it doesn’t, we haven’t lost anything,
Gene Mundy 35:35
only limited by your own imagination. Yes, you said that earlier. Any comment, anything to share
Keely Massie 35:41
with well, I’ll just say that, in addition to, you know, this inspiration, the information, the resources, all the things that we are presenting and offering and connecting over I also just want to say that we’re here for the day to day, the nitty gritty. You know, I’m here as an operations person to help you take those steps. We’re going to show up. We’re Oh, we I didn’t even mention that. One of the new things that we’re offering this year is work sessions. Think of it like a study hall. Sometimes we just don’t put in our calendar to go do the thing. So we’re going to have sessions where you’re going to show up and other people are going to show up, and it’s like, All right, let’s take action on what we’re learning about. And you know, we can pop pop in and say, Oh, how are you doing this? And how are you doing that? We’re there to show up and get it done. So I’m going to be there for that day to day, supporting people and taking those actions and moving through the program. Excited about it.
Annette Patterson 36:31
I got one more thing, and this is something I think we talked about a little bit. We have formed a stakeholders group that is made up of a diverse group of people here in the community, Jimmy Garcia is working with us, helping with some of the higher growth companies that are trying to scale outside of our two programs, we have the chambers represented the city of Covington is represented, Clifton Forge is represented, Allegheny County is represented, and It’s just, you know, it’s a handful of leaders also that have been here for a while, Rusty, Hammond, Theresa. Hammond’s been involved, and we are. We have been brainstorming and reaching out to different businesses. We’ve been surveying entrepreneurs as to, you know, what do they need? What do they need right now? And then we’re kind of taking that information and synthesizing it and looking at that data, and looking at how we can bring those pieces together. Because, as we talked about, if people don’t know it’s happening, it’s not it’s like it’s not happening. Yeah, exactly. So, so we have, we’ve put together a strategy on communicating, and communication of all the resources that are here right under everybody’s noses to make sure that we continue to promote it and show people the different things that are happening and and how they can get help and where they can get help. And the other thing that’s come out of that stakeholders group is the fact that everybody that touches entrepreneurs is now learning what’s available, what they offer, what these different agencies and organizations offer, and how it all fits together. And so now, you know, we can take somebody that’s come through the gauntlet last year and say, hey, you need to be involved in the chamber. They’ve got merchant meetups, they’re doing this, they’re doing that, and they have classes. Big props to Josh. He’s doing he’s doing a great job. And so that, I think, is also changing the game a little bit. And with your all’s help, it’s going to be amazing, because this help, you know, having this platform to share what’s out there and to tell entrepreneur stories is, is what it’s going to take for people to really get the word and really know, let it sink in.
Gene Mundy 38:40
Well, I think, you know, I think we would be happy to Allegheny business review to partner with, with advancement Foundation, the gauntlet West. Yes, the stakeholders, you know, how can we be more collaborative and help share those stories? Yeah, it’s a great opportunity for all of us.
Annette Patterson 38:55
Yes, I agree, and we appreciate that so much, because we don’t have, you know, we, obviously, we don’t have that platform, but together, I think that could make an incredible difference in helping people see and even just sharing the stories as they go. Somebody that’s going through the gauntlet could come in and talk a little bit about my their experience, like, you know, here’s what I’ve done so far, and, man, I’m feeling really overwhelmed, but I’ve got this mentor who’s really helping me, and people can see the evidence of the actual investment in entrepreneurship. So we talked about Silicon Valley. I see the Alleghenies as the Silicon Valley for entrepreneurship. And there’s so much power in that that I want to be a part of making that happen.
Gene Mundy 39:34
We could do a whole other episode on that topic. And you know, where, where’s the economy going, where the opportunities are. How does the highlands fit into that, into that, that, you know, into that kind of construct, yes, you know, a lot of fascinating ideas and thoughts that we. To have to find a way to make that traction. Yes, we whether we’re ever going to be a big manufacturing base again, you know, it’s that’s questionable. But where in where in 25 years, is the economy, where those opportunities and how do we posture ourselves to be ready or to step into that void, that opportunity, it is
Annette Patterson 40:25
interesting, the conversations. And I know it’s a whole nother show, but I do, you know, I just think about, this is an incredible place. I mean, it’s, I grew up in Orlando,
Gene Mundy 40:35
Florida flats, just there last week. Okay, yeah, glad to be back.
Annette Patterson 40:40
So, I mean, you’ve got beautiful seasons, yeah, but none of them are too intense. You’ve got beautiful water. Nothing can eat you in the water here. That’s really nice. We can really leverage that. I mean, that that is, that is the whole Appalachia area is powerful because people dream of coming to a place like this, like they, they, we can’t even really understand it, but, you know, they don’t see this kind they don’t see this every day.
Gene Mundy 41:08
We did an episode on Boomerang families that, you know, graduated high school, went off in the world, and what do they do? They they want to come back, and they want to bring their kids back, because they want to raise them in a community that’s, you know, maybe more conducive to raising a family than large urban areas. It was a great episode and but to the to your point, there’s so much value here, if you just recognize what’s around you.
Annette Patterson 41:38
Yeah, well, and I think you know when, when you’ve been in a community for a long period of time, you see it, but you can’t even imagine what people that come from the outside see, and I think that’s the greatest asset. I think the people, the the community, the beauty, obviously, is, is a number one, the roads. I mean, you can come in and out of here. You’re not driving on dirt roads. I mean,
Gene Mundy 42:05
this is sitting in traffic for 50 minutes. You can move. I mean,
Annette Patterson 42:10
at five o’clock you can actually move. So, you know, I see so much opportunity. And the truth is, since 2020, we all know you can live anywhere and work for any place I do that now, yeah. So, I mean, people, as long as we can continue to get that message out there and continue to foster this entrepreneurial growth, it’s just going to get better and better and better, and it’s powerful. And that is a vision. I mean, that is the vision like, let’s figure out how to fill every space have dynamic events which are already happening all. All these things are leading to this incredible explosion. I mean, I would say you need to invest in some real estate here, because real estate prices are going to go up.
Gene Mundy 42:53
You had your you wanted to say something. I
Keely Massie 42:55
may have lost my train. Well, oh, I do. I know it Okay. Go ahead. Well, it’s just that, you know, I see entrepreneurs as part of this type of person who really can be visionary and can see the future and the potential. Some of your listeners may know me from my time at the cliff report School of the Arts. I think artists are also in that in a similar camp, and so coming in early and seeing the potential and knowing where we can go if we all, you know, keep taking those steps towards it. And, you know, be those front runners. Be those people that say, I’m going to be here and I’m going to do this thing. And once I do that, people who may be a little less visionary, then they can start to see it and join in. Yeah. And it does
Annette Patterson 43:34
take all types. You know, it takes all types. It’s the doers, visionaries, you know, everybody, even the naysayers. I mean, even the naysayers, you know, you can listen to them and and say, Oh, well, maybe we’ll do this a little differently. Or, you know, or maybe, maybe they’re
Keely Massie 43:47
maybe it’s just motivation to show them, yeah, that works too well.
Gene Mundy 43:51
I’d like to thank both of you for being on the show today. Certainly, you’re both in the front line, you know, the trenches of economic development in the highlands, and a very valuable program, two programs, now that you’re you’re launching, and I just encourage people, if you’re thinking about, if you’re interested in starting a business, you’re interested in growing your business, or even just exploring what the gauntlet is, get involved. Let’s, you know, let’s get in touch with these ladies get engaged. Thank everybody. Been a little longer session than normal, but no, I think it’s been a great opportunity to talk, and it’s generated some great thoughts in another another conversation, another partnership, and, you know, another way to help grow absolute businesses here. So thank you very much. You.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
