Business-boosting program expanding from Virginia Beach to other Hampton Roads cities

Steven Anthony started Uplift, a no-cost business accelerator program, because he wanted to provide others with the knowledge and guidance that would have made his entrepreneurial journey smoother.

“If they know what I wish I had known, then they can probably scale faster,” said the CEO of Kansas City, Missouri-based Anthony Global Holdings.

It was through his own experience with ups and downs and various hurdles that Anthony said he saw an opportunity to help mitigate challenges for others.

“I realized there was a gap that was missing, especially from what I learned from watching minority-, women- and veteran-owned companies kind of jump through different hoops,” he said.

He started his investment company in 2017 and created Uplift two years later while living in Northern Virginia. He worked with a former colleague to bring it to Virginia Beach in May 2023.

The eight-week program, which convenes once a week, is geared for a total of 10 Hampton Roads-based businesses that have been in operation for at least two years with a minimum of $50,000 in annual revenue. The sessions focus on every aspect Anthony said he needed to scale his business, including business structuring, marketing, operations, financial analysis and building wealth.

Participants have included nurse staffing, catering, janitorial and computer companies.

“Virginia Beach has been very specific in wanting companies that have the ability to do government contracting work — on the local, state or federal level,” Anthony said.

Along with “knowledge capital,” participants receive “social capital” by learning from one another, understanding their challenges and doing business together, Anthony said.

“That’s been great and impactful, even from an economic development perspective,” he said. “We’ve seen a number of jobs created, businesses opening up new locations and winning new contracts.”