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UVA Wise Helps Offer Digital Skills Training to SWVA Businesses

Senta Scarborough
Courtney Stringer

Small businesses, from start-ups to the well-established, can now receive no-cost digital skills training and resources as part of a new economic development partnership with Downtown Wytheville, Main Street America and Grow with Google.

Downtown Wytheville Inc. is one of 10 organizations across the U.S. recently chosen to work with Main Street America to expand Google’s digital skills program across Virginia, including rural communities of Southwest Virginia.

Courtney Stringer, UVA Wise’s director of community and business development, will serve as Downtown Wytheville’s digital coach.  Stringer, a UVA Wise alumna who holds her B.S. in business administration, also has an M.B.A. from King University.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw a huge lack of digital training and online presence and, as a result, many Main Street, brick-and-mortar businesses suffered. Those businesses that did survive found digital tools were effective,” Stringer said. “We need to get these essential tools in the hands of small businesses and entrepreneurs to help boost success in Main Street cities and towns and rural communities across Virginia.”

This month, Stringer will begin teaching classes in both Abingdon and St. Paul.  The first one, “Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps,” will be held in Abingdon at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center on April 26 at 6 p.m. and in St. Paul at UVA Wise’s Oxbow Center at 6 p.m. on May 15.

That workshop will teach small business owners how to increase online presence by placement on Google Search and Maps.  Research shows a business listed on Google is 70 percent more likely to attract visitors and 50 percent more like to lead to sales.

Since 2017, the Grow with Google Digital Coaches program has trained more than 160,000 small businesses. The coaches provide digital skills training, hands-on coaching and opportunities to meet and learn from successful entrepreneurs.

As Virginia’s digital coach, Stringer will provide in-person, virtual and one-on-one workshops and coaching. Training will cover a wide range of topics including: how to build an online presence, reaching more customers, working remotely and e-commerce tools and strategies. Some workshops will also provide much-needed skills for students and job seekers with training on resume preparation, interview skills and building a professional brand.  The goal is to train 6,000 small business owners in Virginia, Stringer said.

Downtown Wytheville, a Main Street America organization working to educate and support the small business community, has joined Grow with Google as a member of its partner program, providing free digital coaching to small businesses on topics including how to connect with customers, sell products online and improve business productivity.

“It is an honor to be selected by Main Street America and Google to represent Virginia and bring this technical training opportunity to our region,” said Downtown Wytheville Executive Director Todd Wolford. “To be able to work with Google on this new initiative to reach small businesses in rural communities, I believe speaks volumes about the network and capacity that organizations like ours can bring to the table.”

State and regional sponsors include the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Virginia Main Street, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center and Virginia Community Capital.