WAXHAW, N.C. — Business leaders in Union County are urging voters to get informed about a key item on the Nov. 8 ballot. It's a $32 million general obligation bond to construct a new facility for South Piedmont Community College.

What You Need To Know

• On Nov. 8, Union County voters will decide to accept or reject a $32,725,000 community college bond
• The funds will be used to build a Center for Entrepreneurship facility
• If passed, property taxes will go up 0.85 cents per $100 in value

The proposed Center for Entrepreneurship will be a community resource center for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners to network in one central location in the county. The 19,000 square foot SPCC facility will be located in Waxhaw, close to the Waxhaw Parkway.

Campus leaders say the center will offer resources for start-ups and small businesses to support them through every stage of their business life cycle. This includes workshops, classes and hosting networking events for entrepreneurs and small business owners. 

If the community college bond passes, property taxes will go up by 0.85 cents per $100 in value. This breaks down to an added $8.50 for a $100,000 home annually. 

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Director Renee Hode says the college was motivated to launch the hub after seeing how many businesses needed additional support at the peak of the COVID pandemic. 

Although the college provides guidance through the SPCC Small Business Center, Hode says the new hub will offer even more resources on a larger scale, supporting more employers in Union and Anson counties. 

"To build out that support network, to help further grow and start businesses," Hode said. "What the Small Business Center can do can be amplified by the Center for Entrepreneurship." 

There are over 5,000 small businesses in Union County. Hode says the Center for Entrepreneurship will better support new businesses so they don't fail. 

"About 50% of businesses that start don't make it to the five year mark," Hode said. "That's why it's important to have that support." 

Earlier this month, SPCC held a town hall for residents to learn more about the bond. During the event, no taxpayer expressed any objections to the tax increase or proposed facility. 

Our news team has also spoken with residents in the county off-camera. When asked about the tax increase, those taxpayers weren't opposed to a reasonable increase, so long as it supports businesses. 

Spectrum News 1 recently reached out to all the Union County Board of County Commissioners for a response about the proposed Center for Entrepreneurship. County Commissioner Jerry Simpson provided this statement: 

"The Center for Entrepreneurship is a long standing effort to establish a presence for SPCC in Western Union County. Over the years, SPCC has been successful in establishing relationships with UCPS, Wingate University and the Monroe-Union County Economic Development Commission designed to offer flexibility and real-time career development and training for our citizens.The Center will be unique in its ability to continue to offer a Community College education through its established programs, while at the same time creating a small business incubator and the career opportunities that result. The Center will serve as a catalyst to continued economic growth by providing students, training, mentoring, and access to needed resources."

Some entrepreneurs are voicing their support for the center in the hopes of encouraging people to vote for a facility that could help more businesses prosper. 

One of those employers is Nikki Curry. 

Curry wears many hats, most notably mother, teacher and business owner. 

Curry graduated from North Carolina Central University and received her masters from Strayer University. She's currently in her post-masters for applied behavioral analysis at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

For years, Curry worked two jobs. She was employed full time as a high school teacher for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

But during her free time, Curry put in hours as a professional organizing specialist for her own company Optimal Organizers.

"That was my every day for five plus years," Curry said. 

But in 2021, Curry made the difficult decision to leave her teaching job behind and pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. 

"I was leaving a career I was happy in, but it just wasn't enough for me," Curry said. 

Curry is now running her organizing business full time. 

"In this field, traditionally, you don't see a lot of people who look like me," Curry said. "Representation [matters.] I can make certain clients feel very comfortable because they have someone who looks like them, or has similar experiences as them." 

As a professional organizer, Curry meets with clients and helps them with decluttering their home and work spaces. Curry says the organizing techniques help reduce their mental and physical stress. 

Her client, eXp Realty real estate broker Elizabeth Flynn, agrees. 

"I'm a better mother, person, real estate advisor, I show up different in this world," Flynn said. 

Curry says she's able to make this impact in the community thanks to the Union County community. 

Curry says it took some time before she felt ready to leave her teaching job. But she says this is all possible because of the knowledge she received from leaders at SPCC. 

This included a Level Up Business Accelerator program at the college. It focused on ways owners can increase revenues and create jobs. 

"It helped me build confidence as an owner," Curry said. 

One of Curry's biggest challenges with launching her business was determining the best pricing model so she had enough revenue coming in to stay full time.

"Not undercutting what I do, but also not pricing so it wouldn't be affordable for everyone. For me, that was a challenge," Curry said. 

Based on these experiences, Curry feels the Center for Entrepreneurship will be another element to further support small businesses in Union County and possibly statewide. 

"You can be successful [here]," Curry said. 

The connections and mentorships Curry made at SPCC are now opening the door for other business opportunities in our area. 

Curry says she and Charlotte resident Georgina Fiorentino started the nonprofit Alternative Bridges. It will consist of an adult day care center for seniors and the intellectual disability population. 

Curry says they'll be hosting a 5K walk fundraising event in December to support the adult day care center.