GROWTH360 Applications Are Now Open to KC Businesses Looking for Growth


Do you want to learn how to grow your business and prime it to scale later?

GROWTH360 is accepting a new round of applications for its next cohort of small business owners who are ready to get a 360-degree perspective on their business so they can avoid blind spots, make better business decisions and be ready with the right connections and mindset when an unforeseen challenge arises or opportunity knocks.

And the program, offered at no-cost to those who are accepted, also gives entrepreneurs the right tools, coaching and connections to grow their businesses so they can reopen stronger, create a legacy and remain vital pillars in our diverse communities.

“Many alums from the GROWTH360 program leveraged what they learned in the course when COVID-19 hit, and because of that, many were ready to seize new opportunities that helped them move forward, despite the pandemic,” says Jill Hathaway, GROWTH360 facilitator and business development consultant. “The connections they made in the class also helped them succeed and forge new opportunities.”

The 11-session class runs 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays from June 4 to Aug. 6. Applications are due May 10. This cohort will be a virtual course through Zoom.

To qualify, business owners must:
 

  • be in business for at least 2 years
  • have $50,000 in sales for the prior year (2019)
  • be the owner of the business and work full time on the business.

The diversity of perspectives, industries and experiences elevates the program for those in the course. Of the most recent active participants in the latest GROWTH360 cohort, 3 in 4 were from underrepresented communities. Participants rated the program 95+, and some reported increased revenue and new jobs by the end of the year.

Success stories from GROWTH360 alumni

Here’s how a few GROWTH360 graduates have used what they’ve learned in the course to grow their businesses and develop the right mindset and confidence to clear obstacles and move forward.

Mishawnda and James Mintz of InvestMintz Properties

Mishawnda and James Mintz | InvestMintz Properties LLC
Grandview, Missouri

Mishawnda and James Mintz learned how to incorporate business processes to schedule jobs more efficiently, vet contractors, develop a runway for future marketing and better manage business finances, all so they could get the right perspective to be proactive instead of reactive.

“GROWTH360 definitely changed our mindset in how we approach our company,” Mishawnda says. “I’ve always been a creative thinker, but the course pushed me to think outside my comfort zone.”
Larry Smith, L&K Harwoods, GROWTH360

Larry Smith | L&K Hardwoods
Independence, Missouri

Larry Smith of L&K Hardwoods says GROWTH360 solved his bookkeeping problems, which would later prepare the veteran when COVID-19 hit so his business was primed to purchase new equipment and a 40-acre tract of land. The pandemic shut down his business for weeks, but Larry says when he reopened, he had a record month and credits part of that success to the course.

“I would tell anyone that if they get the opportunity to do the GROWTH360 class, it’s such a huge eye-opener,” Larry says. “I learned how to work on my business and not just in my business. It allowed me to prioritize the money we needed to spend, optimize things to be more cost-effective and simplify processes.”

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Tony Davis, Primo Construction | GROWTH360

Tony Davis | Primo Construction LLC
Kansas City, Missouri

Anthony Davis of Primo Construction LLC says GROWTH360 taught him to set aside time each week to get organized, plan ahead, use his contractors more efficiently and more. He says it even primed him to land a sizable job near 63rd Street and Troost Avenue.

“It resolidified a lot of things that business owners forget while they’re operating their business,” Tony says. “A lot of things in the class revolved around personal growth and personal sanity. I learned to organize my time and pick a day in the week to sit down and work out my goals. It sounds simple, but it was something I wasn’t doing. Now, I think about it a lot differently.”

Angel Canady, Natural High Wellness Center

Angel Canady | Natural High Wellness Center
Leawood, Kansas

Angel Canady of Natural High Wellness Center was at a crossroads a few years ago. Her business was growing, and she knew she needed to make a shift, but she wasn’t sure how to do it. GROWTH360 helped her iron out her financials and armed her with the knowledge and a plan to reset her business for bigger things ahead. Years later, she’s moved from growth and is scaling her business with a goal to franchise.

“If my GROWTH360 coach hadn’t given me the courage, knowledge and information so I could have that reset, I don’t know if I would be where I am today,” Angel says. “We opened up bigger and better than ever.”

Meet the coaches

GROWTH360 is taught by trained and certified business consultants who have been successful entrepreneurs and who come from diverse backgrounds.


Jill Hathaway, GROWTH360 Facilitator and Business Development Consultant

Jill Hathaway brings her expertise to startup and established businesses to create opportunities for growth. Working in a family manufacturing business, as well as owning retail and consulting businesses, Jill has an extensive background in operations, sales and marketing. She oversees the ScaleUP! Kansas City program, teaches ELEVATIONLAB™ courses and coaches business owners on financial analysis, marketing strategies and succession planning.

With corporate experience in banking, product design and manufacturing, sales and business development, Jill humbly shares 30+ years of experience with business owners.


Delia Marin, Business Development Consultant

As a business development consultant with the Missouri Small Business Development Center at UMKC, Delia Marin provides one-on-one coaching to address a variety of entrepreneurial and growth business management issues, including capital needs, financing and equity, marketing, international trade, strategic planning and business assessment. She is also a business owner and partner in various businesses in a variety of industries, and is a procurement specialist and government contracting expert with Missouri PTAC.

Delia is bilingual in English and Spanish and offers a multi-cultural and community outreach expertise. Delia developed her entrepreneurial acumen through more than 30 years growing up in a family business and her own broad base of experience in diverse industries.


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