For over a decade, CO.STARTERS has supported aspiring founders in Lynchburg, with the City’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism serving as its longtime sponsor. In the past four years, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has facilitated the program locally, helping participants turn ideas into real businesses.
Participants leave with clearer ideas, practical skills, and a stronger understanding of what it takes to start and run a business.
Small Business Development Centers operate nationwide as part of a program supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Their mission is straightforward: provide counseling and training that helps small businesses start, grow, and succeed.
In Virginia, the model is intentionally decentralized. Rather than serving the entire state from the headquarters at George Mason University, hyper local, offices are embedded in local communities to provide hands-on support where founders live and work.
SBDC – Lynchburg Region plays a key role in that system. Stephanie Keener, director of the SBDC – Lynchburg Region, shared these insights during a recent conversation about the program’s impact. Working alongside the city’s Office of Economic Development, the center connects aspiring business owners with the training, tools, and mentorship they need to turn ideas into action.
One of the most impactful tools they use is FINSYNC CO.STARTERS.
FINSYNC CO.STARTERS gives participants a structured environment to explore business ideas before making major financial commitments. Rather than pushing people to launch immediately, the program encourages them to test assumptions, talk to customers, and refine their thinking.
According to the SBDC – Lynchburg Region team, that approach benefits the entire community.
The program acts like a “lab” for entrepreneurship. People can evaluate their ideas and decide whether they truly want to pursue them. Even if someone decides not to start a business right away, they leave with a deeper understanding of how businesses work and how entrepreneurial thinking applies in many settings.
That mindset shift can be just as valuable as launching a company.
The Lynchburg program has been running for more than ten years, supported by the city’s Office of Economic Development. The city funds the program so local residents can participate without the high tuition costs that often prevent early-stage founders from getting help.
By reducing the financial barrier to entry, the program has made it easier for local founders to explore business ownership before taking on the risk of launching alone.
Over the years, graduates have launched a wide range of ventures, including:
Each venture represents someone who once entered the program with only an idea and a willingness to explore what entrepreneurship might look like.
Participants do more than start businesses. They build confidence, develop practical skills, and contribute to a culture that welcomes and supports new ideas.
In Lynchburg, that culture continues to grow with every new cohort of founders who step forward to test their ideas. For aspiring entrepreneurs, the right support can make all the difference. Ready to move your idea forward? Find a local FINSYNC CO.STARTERS program and connect with the support network in your area.
FINSYNC is a financial platform and network that helps entrepreneurs start, grow, scale and succeed — beginning with business registration and extending through trusted local partners, streamlined financial operations, and access to more affordable funding, all supported by one platform that unifies banking, payments, cash flow, accounting, and payroll.