CFCC Hosts 2nd Annual Small Biz Summit

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Cape Fear Community College hosted the Second Annual Small Biz Summit on Saturday. 

At Union Station dozens of small businesses and entrepreneurs from across the Cape Fear gather to network and share ideas for growth.   

Participants represent a wide range of industries from handcrafted goods to solar energy. One table in particular hosted three entrepreneurs, all from the same family.  

12-year-old Nessie Nash makes handcrafted jewelry. 

“Last year there was a Juneteenth event, and I didn’t know what to sell, and my mom let me know that I could make jewelry, so I decided to do it,” Nessie said. 

Mom Nadira runs a home-schooling program and is an author along with 13-year-old son Elijah. Elijah who wrote a book, “I Am Awesome: the ABC’s of Feeling Me” about a young boy learning to love himself.

“One time I witnessed one my friends being bullied, so that’s what made me make this book. We’re doing all the ABCs, first we’re at A, then we’re going to move to B, and all the other series all the way to Z,” Elijah said. 

Like other entrepreneurs, Elijah also got some networking done. While at the summit, he met keynote speaker and best-selling author Benjamin Hall.   

Hall’s book “Saved” tells of his struggle to return home after he was gravely injured in Ukraine as war correspondent.  

Despite their young age, both Elijah and Nessie have business cards and websites to promote their pursuits, but as Nadira explains, it’s not just the youngest who are making their own.  

“I also have an older daughter who is also an entrepreneur, she actually painted the cover of this book. She’s a painter, and so we are just a family of entrepreneurs and I’m so glad that my footsteps,” Nadira said. 

To learn more about Nadira and Elijah Nash’s books, visit their website here. 

To learn more about Nessie’s Jewelry, visit here.