Build a Smarter Marketing Plan with a Boost From AI ONLINE WORKSHOP July 31st @ 10:00 am I Fee: $10 The key to successfully running a Small Business is a Marketing Plan covering: Product Positioning Pricing Promotion Sales Forecasts Strategies and Tactics ... and now we have a new tool, Artificial Intelligence, to assist in the task: How AI can help (and where it can’t) Step-by-step guide to building your plan with AI Learn how to Create Your Own Smarter Marketing Plan and mo

Join us as we welcome Oconee First Steps to the Oconee Business Center! Here is a great photo of TCEDC Chairman Dave Eldridge with Oconee First Steps Executive Director Breanne Alexander. We are excited to have Oconee First Steps and are happy to assist this amazing agency to impact children throughout Oconee County. Oconee First Steps is a local nonprofit that uses state, federal, and private funds to support programs that measurably improve school readiness outcomes for chi

“Dave, it’s John Agostino. You’ll be happy to know that we just celebrated our 8 year anniversary at ITSURWIENER and we’re doing 2M a year in sales. Couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks again." Dave and the TCEDC team is so proud of John and the success of Itsurwiener in Clemson! Visit them today for a great hotdog! Learn more at https://www.itsurwiener.com/

Today we celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who invest their time, wisdom, and encouragement into the next generation. The lessons they teach, the values they model, and the opportunities they help create leave a lasting impact for years to come. Thank you for all you do. Happy Father's Day from TCEDC!

HOT OFF THE PRESS: The new SBA Small Business Resource Guide is loaded with resources to help you start and grow your business! Download it now: https://bit.ly/4eeXhOs

Great News from TCEDC Client Darby Bailey, Ph.D. Hi Dave, My woman-owned SC company Pip Projects was just awarded a federal contract with NASA — a 12-month data project for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. First federal award on the board! I wanted you to be among the first to know, since you’ve been so generous with guidance on the Upstate ecosystem. Just wanted to share the milestone and say thank you!! I’ll keep you posted as things develop. Learn more about

Rick Cornell is a wonderful SCORE mentor in our community and will be using an office here at the Oconee Business Center to meet with SCORE clients. Rick brings more than 35 years of global operations leadership experience to the work of supporting entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and growth-oriented companies across South Carolina and the Upstate region. Drawing on senior executive roles in complex, highly regulated industries, he helps businesses build the operational foundati

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸 Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today and continue to inspire generations of Americans. As we gather with family and friends this holiday weekend, may we pause to reflect with gratitude on those who gave everything for our nation. Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day from Dave, Travis, and the Tri-Cou

Dave Eldridge was proud to join Oconee Economic Alliance President Jamie Gilbert earlier this week in presenting former Blue Ridge Electric Co-op President & CEO Jim Lovinggood with the 2026 Dave Eldridge Service Award. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding service to the Oconee County community and make meaningful contributions to local economic development efforts. Jim’s leadership, dedication, and continued investment in the success of our community

Writing a business plan allows you to carefully think through every step of starting your company so you can better prepare and handle any challenges. While a thorough business plan is essential in the financing process, it’s helpful even if you don’t need outside financing. Creating a business plan can: Help you discover any weaknesses in your business idea so you can address them before you open for business Identify business opportunities you may not have considered and pl

🌸 Happy Mother’s Day 💛 A mother’s love shapes families, strengthens communities, and leaves a lasting impact. Wishing all of our amazing moms a very Happy Mother's Day from Dave, Travis, and the TCEDC team.

Happy National #SmallBusinessWeek to America's more than 36 million small businesses! This week, we honor the entrepreneurs who power our economy and make communities vibrant places to live and work. If you’re thinking about starting a small business, we are always here to help at TCEDC and the SBA also has resources to help you take the next steps. Learn more: www.sba.gov/nsbw

Hello, everyone! We’re excited to introduce Dave’s newest TCEDC client, Laura Barnhorst, and her delicious new venture—Knot Crazy Pretzel Company! Laura founded Knot Crazy Pretzel Co. last year, bringing a fresh twist to the Upstate’s snack scene with handcrafted pretzels inspired by a beloved shop from her former hometown. After moving to the area and craving the flavors she left behind, Laura set out to recreate—and elevate—that experience for her new community. While plans

We recently received this warm and heartfelt note in the mail from one of our wonderful business clients, Rebecca Grubbs and Melanie Nix at Massey Driving School. Handwritten notes of appreciation are becoming a lost art, and we truly appreciate Rebecca taking the time to do so. Thank you! Dear Dave, Thank you for taking the time to review Massey's Driving School Business Plan. Your business insight, support, and kindness were greatly appreciated. This training course has exc

April 15th @ 10:00 am Fee: $10 Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Learn how to leverage AI to save time in your schedule in this live webinar from SCORE! Too many tasks. Too few hours? Many entrepreneurs spend more time working in their business instead of on it, losing valuable hours each week to tasks like writing emails, creating social media posts, researching competitors, and searching for new customers. What if you could do it all faster? In this Live Online Workshop ,

Dave, Travis, and the TCEDC team extend our warmest wishes to our clients, friends, and partners for a joyful Easter celebration with family and friends.

Have a business idea—but not sure how to get started? Or a new business that needs to take the next step? At Tri-County Entrepreneurial Development Corporation, we help local entrepreneurs take their ideas from concept to reality—from garage office to Main Street—and from unknown to a thriving business. Through one-on-one mentoring, educational programs through SCORE, and access to affordable office and manufacturing space, we provide the guidance and resources you need to mo

March 18, 2026 @ 12:30pm EST Join fellow entrepreneurs for a hands-on, customer acquisition workshop with Mariya with a Y — The WHY Amplifier. In this interactive session, attendees will learn how to clarify a purpose-driven message (their “WHY”), shape it into a market-ready offer, and translate it into an amplification roadmap that identifies where and how to reach customers. Mariya will also walk through real-world examples of City Takeover Advertising and community-led ca

Our hearts and prayers are with the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces serving our nation during this time of conflict. At TCEDC, we are deeply grateful for the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of those who defend freedom and protect our country. We also lift up in prayer the families of our service members—especially those who have suffered the unimaginable loss of a loved one who gave their life in the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. May God comfort the

Here’s a great article from The Journal highlighting TCEDC and SCORE clients Reid Turner and Danika Pfleghardt of Drive AI . TCEDC CEO Dave Eldridge has been mentoring Reid and Danika for the past six months. Here’s what Reid recently shared about his experience working with Dave: “Dave has been an incredibly supportive mentor as we’ve built our business. He’s been especially helpful in guiding us through compliance considerations, pushing us to be thoughtful in how we