SALISBURY — The Rowan Chamber of Commerce once again partnered with the city of Salisbury for the second year of the Small Business Assistance Grant Program during the annual Minority Business Trade Show. 

This year’s grant recipients were honored at the event, which was held on Thursday at the Livingstone College Hospitality Center.

“We are very excited about the small business grant program with the City of Salisbury,” Chamber President Elaine Spalding said. “This year we had a total of $35,000 which was awarded to seven small businesses for $5,000 each.” 

Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield announced the grant recipients during the trade show. This year’s winners are:

The 2025 small business assistance grant recipients are:

• BrickEd&More, LLC (education) — Dr. Shirley Disseler, 1406B West Innes St., Salisbury
• Brown Modern Beauty & Barber Center (barbershop) — Byron Brown, 404 S. Craig St. Salisbury
• Cere Counseling and Wellness (counseling practice) — Ilse Sucely de Leon, 1710 Walker St., Salisbury
• Define Shine Cleaning, LLC (cleaning) — Stephanie Watkins
• Bryd-Clark & Company, LLC (human resource consulting firm) — Dr. Alisha Byrd-Clark, 1216 West Bank St., Salisbury
• Hollywood Stylz Hair Salon & Lash Bar, LLC (hair salon) — Kelly Sifford, 101 W. Corriher Ave., Salisbury
• Two Nerds, LLC — (engraving & screen printing) — Angela Gaylord-Miles, 844 Lincolnton Road, Salisbury

The Minority Business Trade Show is the chamber’s largest networking event. It is a business-to-business expo with valuable business connections made among the participants. Several of the booths offered door prizes and food/refreshments were available.

One attendee at the event, Kisha Turner-Robinson, is a small business owner herself, and was checking out what the expo had to offer. She found out about the event from a friend and then saw the details online. 

“Since I am new to the area, I wanted to come out and see the businesses,” she said. “Since it was a minority (event) it stood out to me, and as a small business owner as well.”

Turner-Robinson is a cybersecurity engineer and also owns a Endless Journey Creations, a small business where she makes T-shirts and custom apparel.

“I passed out a few cards and spoke to a few people, outside of work and being able to offer custom apparel, small businesses can use that,” she said. 

Networking appealed to her because it meant she could get her face and name out there.

“It is easier to put a face to a name so making those connections that brings the most interest to me,” Turner-Robinson said. “Building that rapport. If they see my face and I see their’s, that makes me engaged. I think that helps.”

Anne Little is the city of Salisbury’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) director. She said Salisbury stands behind its small businesses.

“It was an awesome day,” Little said. “We are excited for the chamber and the vendors that were here today. We are excited about the small business grants. There is just a lot to celebrate.

“Hopefully a lot of people made some connections and we will see our community’s small businesses be able to thrive as well.”

Little mentioned how every business big or small, starts small and needs support during those early years. 

“From the vantage point of the city of Salisbury small businesses are a great thing,” she said. “A lot of our corporate partners started here as small businesses. What I love is the mix of opportunities. Each small business may have a different goal but I love that we are in a place that can support all of them, whether they aspire to grow to Food Lion heights or if they want to stay like Hap’s (Grill) and stay in that market. It speaks to the flavor and the essence of our community.”