{"id":1320,"date":"2025-01-30T13:10:11","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T18:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/?p=1320"},"modified":"2025-04-08T13:48:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T17:48:38","slug":"rowan-county-entrepreneur-starts-new-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/2025\/01\/30\/rowan-county-entrepreneur-starts-new-chapter\/","title":{"rendered":"Rowan County Entrepreneur Starts New Chapter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meet Amanda.<\/span> A lifelong reader and storyteller, now founder of Read and Found Books, an online bookstore she launched in June 2024, specializing in books by authors of color. As a Rowan County resident living in Kannapolis, Amanda\u2019s journey to entrepreneurship has been shaped by passion, persistence, and a commitment to representation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been a reader, but I don\u2019t always see myself in the books I read,\u201d Amanda shared. \u201cI think it\u2019s important to see ourselves in the media we consume. It makes the experience more tangible and allows you to relate to others with experiences I\u2019ve never <\/span>thought about<\/span> before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though Amanda initially envisioned opening a physical bookstore someday, maybe even after retirement, she decided to reevaluate her timeline when she turned 30. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, why am I waiting to do what I want to do with my life?\u201d she recalls. <\/span><\/p>\n

Rather than waiting for the perfect conditions, Amanda decided to begin the journey by selling used books online and setting the foundation for her larger vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Launching a business while working full-time in marketing required determination and resourcefulness. \u201cThere was a lot of Googling and asking my dad for advice since he\u2019s a small business owner,\u201d Amanda explained. But it was the support she found through the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center (SBC) that became a game-changer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amanda began attending the SBC\u2019s online webinars, including one on how to start a small business in Rowan County. \u201cThat opened the door to learn more about their services,\u201d she says. A one-on-one session with an online marketing expert, Chrissy Santos, led to encouragement to apply for the Retail Lab, a boot camp for early and idea-stage retail business owners made possible by a partnership between the SBC, Flywheel Foundation and the Cabarrus Center, funded by Wells Fargo.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Retail Lab <\/span>provided Amanda with<\/span> essential tools, mentorship, and a grant opportunity to grow her business. \u201cI was so excited until five minutes before pitching for the grant,\u201d she admitted with a laugh. \u201cThe pitch scrub offered beforehand helped me redo the whole thing, <\/span>and that<\/span> made all the difference.\u201d Winning the grant has allowed Amanda to cover vendor fees, enabling her to sign up for future local events and connect directly with potential customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Initially planning to rely solely on her online presence, Amanda soon realized the importance of community engagement. \u201cThere\u2019s so much competition online. To stand out, I need to meet buyers in person,\u201d she explained. <\/span><\/p>\n

Through the Retail Lab, Amanda honed her sales skills and gained the confidence to pitch her business. Amanda credits the Retail Lab for not only helping her refine her marketing strategies but also introducing her to a network of fellow entrepreneurs. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe connections I made were invaluable. We all follow each other on social media and have become friends,\u201d she says. One connection even led to her adding books from a local author to her store\u2019s inventory.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Amanda, this year is all about building relationships and expanding her collection of works by local authors. \u201cRepresentation is my mission,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to help authors of color get their books into the hands of readers and create a space where everyone feels seen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on her experience, Amanda emphasized the value of the SBC\u2019s resources. \u201cThe webinars and the Retail Lab are invaluable for small business owners,\u201d she says. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t you take advantage of something like that in your <\/span>own<\/span> community?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Amanda\u2019s story is a testament to the power of taking the leap, seeking resources, and planting yourself within a supportive community. <\/span><\/p>\n

To connect with Amanda and discover what Read and Found Books has to offer visit <\/span>her website<\/span><\/a> and follow her on Instagram and Threads @readandfoundbooks and <\/span>Facebook here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meet Amanda. A lifelong reader and storyteller, now founder of Read and Found Books, an online bookstore she launched in June 2024, specializing in books by authors of color. As […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":1321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sbc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1320"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1322,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320\/revisions\/1322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rccc.edu\/sbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}