Augusta entrepreneurs kick off National Small Business Week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A number of small businesses here in Augusta kicked it off with a celebration in Downtown Augusta.

Local business 10 Twenty-Eight prides itself in uplifting businesses downtown and across the river region. They held an event to start the celebration and give business owners their time to shine.

When you shop small, you’re ing parents, friends, and driven entrepreneurs.

“It’s not the larger businesses, it’s the little people doing big things. Making large impacts,” founder of Speak up Sis LLC, Angel Charmaine said.

For her, founding her brand was always about empowering women and giving them a safe space to share their truth.

“It’s what I needed. I needed community. As a 40-year-old woman, there are lots of spaces for younger people...there’s an entire woman there and her voice is usually not heard,” she said.

With every small business comes a story of how and why it started. Metaphysical retailer, Apple Bert, says her own struggles in life led her to entrepreneurship.

“I went through a lot. Me and my whole family was diagnosed with cancer at the same time. Ended up losing my mom, both my little sisters and life spearheaded me to where I had to decide how I was gonna survive,” she said.

But why shop small? Artisha Bolding with T Bold Media Group says it all boils down to community.

“Shopping small is the lifeblood of our country, but also our local communities. It’s very, very important to small businesses,” she said.

Augusta city leaders will recognize National Small Business Week this Tuesday at the city commission meeting.

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