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Mountain BizWorks is launching the Business Buyer Accelerator, an eight-week program designed to help qualified entrepreneurs purchase and take over existing local businesses. The pilot cohort begins April 23, 2026, and applications are due March 30. The program comes at a critical moment for the region’s small business landscape. Baby Boomer owners are preparing for retirement in large numbers, leading to one of the largest generational wealth transfers in history. Strikingly, most owners do not have succession plans in place. As such, Western North Carolina faces a wave of ownership transitions over the next five years. Many of those businesses are not only viable, but essential to community infrastructure and the creation of jobs. The question is whether someone is ready to take them over. “When people think about becoming a business owner, they almost always picture building something new,” said Matt Raker, Executive Director of Mountain BizWorks. “But to have a thriving local economy long-term, we need to champion transitions alongside startups. That includes succession planning and the ability to purchase with confidence. That leads to greater small business stability for the whole region.” Chip Singleton, who taught machining at Pisgah High School, is one such business owner working with Mountain BizWorks to sell Custom CNC, a precision machining and fabrication company in Clyde. “I really have never been involved with a situation like this before and didn’t know where to start. I had spent the last 15 years building a business that there was a need for in WNC. I had seen several shops close their doors and leave their customers without options. As the time to retire was getting closer, I didn’t want to do that to a customer base that regularly depends on us,” he said. Now, Merit Kukendall, a former student turned longtime employee is buying the business. “I think we both knew in the back of our minds that he would take over one day,” Singleton continued. “I look forward to seeing how he can and will grow the business and will be encouraging him all the way.” The Business Buyer Accelerator is designed for people like Kukendall who are already well-positioned for ownership but haven’t yet navigated an acquisition. It’s a fit for an employee considering buying the business they currently help run, or an experienced professional looking to grow through acquisition. The virtual cohort covers the full process: analyzing financials, structuring a deal, and planning the transition into a lead ownership role. The curriculum is adapted from the Achiever’s Network in Cincinnati. Mountain BizWorks is partnering with the organization to bring the model to Western North Carolina for the first time. “Our five-year journey with the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) program in Cincinnati has been transformative, training over 300 entrepreneurs and facilitating more than $30 million in deals.,” said David Iyoha, COO, Achievers Network. “Beyond the numbers, we are most proud of how our cohorts are changing ‘hearts and minds,’ guiding members who never considered a business acquisition to becoming a successful business owner. Based on our collaboration with Mountain BizWorks, we are confident that their Business Buyer Accelerator is a perfect fit for the region, and their amazing team is more than up to the task of helping Western North Carolina small businesses start, grow, and thrive.” The pilot cohort is offered at no cost thanks to support from JPMorganChase, Wells Fargo, and Dogwood Health Trust. Sessions run virtually from 2–4 p.m. April 23 through June 11, 2026, with independent work between meetings. Spots are limited. Applications are due March 30. More information and the application are available at mountainbizworks.org/ |
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### About Mountain BizWorks Mountain BizWorks is a U.S. Treasury certified non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides tailored small business lending and peer learning programs to help grow small businesses and expand economic opportunity in Western North Carolina. For more information, visit mountainbizworks.org. |
