Meet the NCGrowth team working across Western North Carolina
Across Western North Carolina, NCGrowth’s work is rooted in relationships—and two people helping lead those connections are Stacy Guffey and Jolene Hollowell.
Stacy Guffey | Senior Program Manager, Western North Carolina
Stacy Guffey leads NCGrowth’s work across Western North Carolina, partnering with businesses, local governments, and community organizations on economic and community development projects throughout the region. Before joining NCGrowth, he spent more than 18 years working in local and regional planning and economic development in Western North Carolina. He also serves as Mayor of the Town of Franklin.
Contact Stacy: [email protected]
Jolene Hollowell | Analyst, NCGrowth
Jolene Hollowell supports NCGrowth’s Western North Carolina work as a regional analyst and serves as administrative support for Stacy Guffey and the Destination Small Business Cohort. She helps connect partners, coordinate regional efforts, and support businesses and communities engaging with NCGrowth across the region.
Contact Jolene: [email protected]
Where ideas start turning into action
Some of the most promising projects in Western North Carolina begin with a simple conversation: a business owner, community leader, or local partner saying, “We’ve got an idea, but we’re not quite sure how to make it happen.” That is often where NCGrowth’s work begins.
This quarter, NCGrowth is partnering with businesses and communities across the region on projects that support small-business growth, strengthen local planning, and help communities move ideas toward implementation. From financial strategy and wholesale expansion to downtown reuse planning and retail market analysis, the work reflects a common goal: helping Western North Carolina build stronger local economies with solutions shaped by local needs.
NCGrowth is also working with a cohort of regional businesses preparing for post-Helene opportunities, with a focus on recovery, resilience, and long-term growth.
The quick read: what’s happening now
Currently underway: Supporting Western North Carolina businesses with growth and financial planning, helping communities plan for downtown and retail development, and working with a regional small-business cohort focused on post-Helene opportunities.
Recently completed: Feasibility studies exploring new economic opportunities for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the potential for a downtown coworking space in Sylva.
On the ground: projects moving the region forward
Helping local businesses grow smarter
Waynesville Soda Jerks | Waynesville, Haywood County
NCGrowth is helping Waynesville Soda Jerks plan for its next stage of growth through financial analysis, pricing strategy, and recommendations to expand wholesale distribution.
White Squirrel Kitchens | Barnardsville, Buncombe County
NCGrowth is working with White Squirrel Kitchens on a three-year financial and growth strategy that includes planning for expanded production, regional distribution, and e-commerce growth.
Reimagining downtown spaces and retail opportunity
Historic Snider Building | Robbinsville, Graham County
In Robbinsville, NCGrowth is updating the reuse plan for the historic Snider Building to help identify a viable path for bringing this important downtown property back into productive use.
Mitchell County Retail Strategy | Mitchell County
NCGrowth is partnering with Mitchell County and its communities on a retail market and gap analysis focused on Mitchell County, Spruce Pine, and Bakersville. The project will identify retail opportunities, highlight gaps in the local market, and develop implementation strategies tailored to each community’s needs.
Building resilience after Helene
Western NC Small Business Cohort | Regional
NCGrowth is leading a free seven-month cohort designed to help Western North Carolina businesses recover, rebuild, and scale following Hurricane Helene. The cohort focuses on strengthening operations and positioning local businesses for future expansion.
Recently wrapped: studies shaping what comes next
EBCI Branded Trout Project | Cherokee
NCGrowth completed a feasibility study for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians examining opportunities to turn surplus trout production from the EBCI Trout Hatchery into a marketable, tribally branded product. The study explored product development, processing, potential markets, financial feasibility, and possible funding opportunities.
Downtown Sylva Coworking Feasibility Study | Jackson County
NCGrowth also completed a feasibility study on the potential for a coworking space in downtown Sylva. The work included an assessment of local demand, an operating strategy, and financial analysis to help guide implementation.
Let’s keep the conversation going
If something in this update sparks an idea for your community or business—or if you’re facing a challenge NCGrowth may be able to help address—Stacy and Jolene would welcome the conversation. Partnerships often begin with a single idea, and Western North Carolina is full of them.
