

The Chamber's department of Small Business & Entrepreneurship offers programs throughout the year to help businesses gain the tools needed for success.
Sky High Growth Award
The Sky High Growth Awards recognize the
fastest growing small businesses for the year.
Businesses nominated for the awards are evaluated
on their gross revenue and number of employees.
Small Business Recognition
This event is an opportunity for business owners
and professionals to network, meet and
congratulate the nominees for Small Business
Leader and ATHENAAwards. The event begins
with a mini-trade show with table top displays of
small businesses.
Hot Tips Seminars
Hot Tips Seminars (minimum of eight annual)
address topics of interest to business owners and
professionals including Internet, human resources,
accounting and finance, advertising and marketing.
ATHENA Award
The ATHENAAward is a nationally
recognized achievement for a person
who supports women in business. The
award is presented at the Chamber’s
Annual Meeting in June.
Small Business of the Month
At each month’s Board meeting, the Asheville Area
Chamber of Commerce honors an outstanding small
business with the Small Business of the Month award.
The business is presented a plaque to recognize their
achievement.
Small Business Leader
These awards are presented
at the Annual Meeting of
the Chamber in June. The
Small Business Leaders are
selected for their outstanding achievements.
“We’re for Business” Awards Banquet
The third annual business awards banquet will distinguish
businesses whose company has made an outstanding
contribution to the business community, regardless of size
or business category. The gala recognizes area businesses
on their accomplishments in community involvement;
customer service; and innovation for the One for All, Out
on a Limb, and Over the Top Awards.
One for All Award
The award will go to a company that emphasizes community involvement within its business model and among its employees and demonstrates this philosophy on a day-to-day basis with its employees, clients and business community.
Out on a Limb Award
The award will go to a company that has discovered consumer needs and through creative thinking, has designed policies, processes and/or applications to better meet those needs.
Over the Top Award
The award will go to a company that excels in recognizing and addressing its customer needs through unique employee training programs, customer service policies and/or other customer satisfaction models.
For more information, contact Vice-President of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Carol Hensley, at (828) 258-6116 or by e-mail.
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Many of our Small Business Workshops
and Seminars are presented by the
Advocates for Small Business.
Advocates for Small Business are:
Asheville Buncombe Development
Corporation
Avista Business Development Corporation
Express Employment Professionals
HomeTrust Bank
LB Marketing Services
Mail Management Services, LLC
Plasticard-Locktech International