The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated the graduation of nine small business owners from the 2023 Small Business Cohort Program, now in its third year.

Graduates include: Jill Hobbs, HR Consulting Solutions; Amy Land, Beyond Uganda; Caryn Lyles, Baked by Caryn; Roshenna McHaney, The Beauty in Basketball; Sharolette Pierce, Atomic City; Tamara Radford, Tamed by Tam; Kimberly Story, Lepa Jewelry; Amie Tooley, Women and Men in Leadership and aecreatives; and Crystal Troutt, Troutt General Store.

This program grew out of an idea from the Chamber’s Small Business Committee who wanted to help small businesses of all sizes and stages gain the tools to work through challenges and grow their business.

“These nine local business owners now join 31 other small business owners who have completed the program in the past three years,” said Sandra Wilson, Chamber President and CEO. “We have seen great results with these businesses expanding, hiring more employees, opening second businesses, so it’s working! Forty small business owners now have the tools to help them to succeed.”   

The Presenting Sponsors of the Cohort Program are Murray State University’s Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development and Paducah Bank. The Supporting Sponsor is West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Workforce Solutions. These sponsors have been with the program since its inception.

During the graduation ceremony Wednesday at the Commerce Center, Maurie McGarvey, Senior Vice President and Chief Talent Officer at Paducah Bank, said, “The journey you’ve embarked upon has equipped each of you with a strategic roadmap… ensuring that your business experiences healthy, sustainable growth. But beyond (that), this program has provided something even more valuable: a community – a community of peers, mentors and coaches, all committed to each other’s success.”

Chris Wooldridge, Director of Murray State University’s Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development, is the cohort instructor and the book, “Fix this Next,” by nationally recognized business consultant and author Mike Michalowicz, is the program’s basis of study. Chris Hill, IHM Used Parts, and Katie Englert, Compass Counseling, served as Cohort mentors and are members of the Small Business Committee.

The Chamber plans to launch another Small Business Cohort in the spring of 2024.  Interested applicants should contact Carrie Dillard at the Chamber at cdillard@paducahchamber.org.