As B.E.L.L. was formalizing its mission, vision, and goals; an opportunity presented itself to partner with the City of Rock Hill on a Workforce Development initiative to bring awareness to the residents of the Saluda Corridor and the Southern part of Rock Hill about educational and job opportunities that could help them obtain jobs paying a livable wage.  This initiative provided the foundation for B.E.L.L.s first pillar, Workforce Development and Education.

As entrepreneurship endeavors continued within RHEDC, plans for a business development minor league were being formulated as a pathway to give potential and existing black business owners a foundation to enter into existing programs. Simultaneously as members of B.E.L.L. were educated about the history of Rock Hill’s black business community and the demise that occurred during the 1970’s period of urban renewal. As the African American Cultural Resource Advisory Council erected a monument to memorialize the once active and thriving business community, what could not be recaptured was the loss of independence, opportunity, ownership, and financial stability. 

As fate and great timing would have it, a retired bank CEO introduced B.E.L.L. to a local business owner, JM Cope Construction who stepped forward and offered to fund a business competition with B.E.L.L to support its business development program.  The $100,000 donation launched the small business competition X-Prize (currently known as BELL-Prize) to interested black entrepreneurs. We saw many in the Rock Hill entrepreneur ecosystem galvanize and offer support.  The period of learning, exchanging ideas, and working together as a community was a game-changing moment for B.E.L.L.  It solidified our role as supporters of black entrepreneurship, was the foundation for our second pillar, Business Development, and Innovation, and offered a vision for helping those who were underemployed through workforce development initiatives.  Building businesses, and helping to develop skills for better job opportunities moved us toward ways of finding solutions to close the income gap disparity for the 38% of African Americans living in the City of Rock.  It became clear that equitable inclusion in all areas had to be the way forward.  It also became clear that we needed a third pillar to round out the needs of the first two pillars, which became Leadership Development and Training.