Our Foundations business planning class helps guide ideas from concept to reality in a participatory, supportive learning environment.

Join a cohort of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to gain an aerial perspective of your vision and the comprehensive business skills necessary to help bring your visions into reality. Participants will gain a clear aerial perspective of their business operations, financials, research and development, and marketing strategies. They will leave the course with a comprehensive business plan, a clear vision for their business, and concrete tasks for future work.

Throughout the class, emphasis will be placed on developing the social capital of the group. Participants will be encouraged to gather feedback from their peers, creating a strong network of deep support and synergy. For more info, visit the Foundations Business Planning overview page.

This monthly event, co-sponsored with Blue Ridge Community College’s Small Business Center, the City of Hendersonville Main Street program, and the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association features several speakers on timely community events and issues affecting our business community.

This meeting will be hosted virtually using the Zoom platform. There is no cost to attend but registration is required.

Hosted by the Asheville Chamber’s Riverbird Research and the Economic Development Coalition, the annual Asheville Metro Economy Outlook keeps you in-the-know with presentations by uniquely qualified economists and leading experts in the field. We are pleased to offer this annual event in person once again! Gather with friends, business leaders, and community partners over a holiday lunch as we close the year at the beautiful Grove Park Inn.

This year we welcome world leading economic futurist Andrew Busch. Mr. Busch was the first chief market intelligence officer (CMIO) for the United States government at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). He was charged with improving and enhancing the government’s understanding of the markets. Andy provided briefings to White House, US House and US Senate staffers on a wide range of issues including extreme market volatility, China’s influence on the global commodity markets and the impact of Fintech and virtual currencies on market dynamics.

Mr. Busch created and directed a new research group, Market Intelligence Branch, for the agency. As CMIO, his job was to provide objective research on the financial markets to the CFTC, SEC, US Treasury and Federal Reserve. Energy, agriculture, interest rates and technology (Bitcoin, blockchain, AI) were some of the areas of research covered by the team. Each week, he led the agency on a market and economic roundtable discussion with the staffs of the White House, the US Treasury, the SEC, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Federal Reserve Board.

Prior to joining the CFTC, Mr. Busch was CEO and founder of a boutique financial markets and policy research firm, Bering Productions, Inc. Before this, he was the Global Currency and Publicity Policy Strategist for Bank of Montreal in Chicago. He is author of the book World Event Trading, covering large crises like infectious disease outbreaks and their impact on the markets.

11:00-11:45 am – Registration and Networking

12:00 – 1:00 pm – Program

Cost is $60 for Chamber members and $80 for non-members.

Full tables may be reserved (6 guests per table) – $400. All attendee names are needed no later than Monday, December 6th to [email protected].

For more information, please contact Heidi Reiber, Senior Director of Research, at 828-258-6120 or [email protected]

For current metro economy research, visit our website or request a custom report.

Join the Chamber at for the November Business Before Hours at The Monte Vista Boutique Hotel! We encourage you to bring a prize for the raffle later in the event. Bring your business cards for networking but also so you can enter the raffle!! The early bird catches the worm…or maybe a great door prize!

The Monte Vista Boutique Hotel is dedicated to both perserving the vintage soul of the Monte Vista while tastefully expanding the choice of amentities for their guests. With options in the original 1937 Wing or The Lodge, their rooms are fully remodeled, blending modern features with rustic simplicity. As part of the remodeled lobby and dining area of hotel you can now enjoy the second location of Milton’s Cuisine. They offer a menu of regionally inspired comfort food that closely resembles the Atlanta location’s offering. The Monte Vista is also the perfect location for weddings, family reunions, company meeting, and retreats – they can accommodate your needs in a memorable style!

Come experience the charm of Black Mountain and get in the Christmas spirit with Deck the Trees. You will discover 35 (and possibly more) beautifully decorated Christmas trees situated at the Monte Vista Hotel and in stores and businesses throughout Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley area. Each tree, uniquely decorated around the theme: A Black Mountain Christmas, will be created by businesses, organizations, or individuals to help raise funds for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Share in the Christmas spirit and support your favorite tree by donating with cash, check, or on-line here.

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership and no registration is necessary. If you’re considering Chamber membership and would like to attend this event we welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Membership Development Specialist, at [email protected]

Buncombe County is an area of high transmission. In accordance with CDC guidelines and to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. 

Our Foundations business planning class helps guide ideas from concept to reality in a participatory, supportive learning environment.

Join a cohort of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to gain an aerial perspective of your vision and the comprehensive business skills necessary to help bring your visions into reality. Participants will gain a clear aerial perspective of their business operations, financials, research and development, and marketing strategies. They will leave the course with a comprehensive business plan, a clear vision for their business, and concrete tasks for future work.

Throughout the class, emphasis will be placed on developing the social capital of the group. Participants will be encouraged to gather feedback from their peers, creating a strong network of deep support and synergy. For more info, visit the Foundations Business Planning overview page.

Hey Asheville women! Are you a coder, a developer, a designer, an architect of information? This is a group for Asheville women in tech who want a collaborative and supportive space to bring projects to workshops, participate in tutorials facilitated by other members, spark new ideas, write practice code, and develop cool stuff. Maybe (like me) you’re just getting started, and you wish you could bounce ideas off someone, or just ask them how to center that block of text on the page? You should come! We’ll work it out together. Or maybe you’re a veteran web developer who thinks rookies are brave (possibly foolish) souls with no idea what they’re getting into? Please come tell us all the things you wish someone had told you! Let’s skill-share, meet other women in the biz, learn new things, and give each other a leg up!

We’re on Slack!

we will celebrate the Asheville Startup Community! This event recognizes the 15 fastest growing Asheville area startups and outstanding entrepreneurs and serves as a setting where they can share their talent and wisdom as well as offer inspiration to other fledgling companies to be part of this exclusive group.

We’ll also find out who the Entrepreneur of the Year is, The Best Startup to Work For, the Resource of the Year and more for the Asheville Honors awards.

It’s a night of celebration with great food, awards, dancing, and holiday cheer.