The Hub behind Southwest Michigan’s next wave of entrepreneurs

Editor’s Note: This story is part of Momentum: The people and companies shaping what’s next, a weekly series that explores new ventures, founder support, and the resources powering entrepreneurship and small businesses across seven counties in Southwest Michigan. This project is sponsored by Southwest Michigan First.

For many entrepreneurs, the hardest part isn’t starting a business; it’s figuring out how to grow it. In Southwest Michigan, a small but increasingly influential nonprofit is stepping into that gap, offering business owners the tools, mentorship, and connections they need to scale with confidence.

The South Haven Regional Business Hub (SHRBH) is a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurs in Van Buren, Kalamazoo, and Berrien counties and is expanding into Allegan, Kent, Ottawa, and Cass counties.

SHRBH, referred to as the Hub, is now accepting applications for its 2026 Growth Series. The free 26-week program, roughly a session every other week, provides small-business owners with intensive education, one-on-one mentoring, technical assistance, and access to valuable business resources.  

The South Haven Regional Business Hub started in 2023.  It operates several successful programs, including a Startup Series.  “We’ve helped 28 small businesses get started since 2023,” Bernhard says. 

The Growth Series is designed to help promising small businesses stabilize and expand.  Bernhard says, “The results speak for themselves. Nearly half of new businesses nationally fail within five years. At the end of 2025, we had supported 89 businesses since our inception, and 82 were still in business. So that’s a 92 percent retention rate. We’ve found that the more a business works with us, the more likely they are to stay in business.”  

This is confirmed by Paula Camp, a graduate of the Growth Series. “I have been in business-development meetings before from my corporate life,” says Camp, owner of Carriage House Ciders in Benton Harbor. “Several were at prestigious universities, but this program has honestly been the best. This truly made a difference in my business and will continue to do so.”

The Growth Series is for owners who have moved beyond the startup phase. Typically, this includes businesses operating for at least three years, generating around $100,000 in annual revenue, and managing at least one employee. Participants will leave the first session with 30-, 60-, and 90-day action plans. 

Further sessions will cover topics such as leveraging artificial intelligence for productivity and decision-making; advanced financials; strategic marketing, employee team building, and customer acquisition.

Volunteers from many businesses do the education and mentoring.  

“We have almost 40 volunteers that we can call on to meet the unique needs of the businesses that we’re supporting,” Says Bernhard. “Last year, we had over 2,700 hours of volunteer time that went to supporting the business owners that we work with.”  

Enrollment in the Growth Series is limited to eight people, and their final exercise is participation in an annual event called The Pitch.  That’s what it is — the owners make pitches for their businesses in public.

“The Pitch is the culmination of the Growth Series. It is a community event; last year we had over 115 business leaders and community members in attendance,” says Bernhard. “The Growth Series graduates have the spotlight on them. They talk about their business and where they intend to take it, what their growth plans are. 

“We have investors there, potential business partners there, and many of our graduates are approached with investment opportunities from those in attendance.”

This year’s Pitch is scheduled for Dec. 2.

To learn more and apply, visit the Hub or contact the Hub’s executive director, Elizabeth Bernhard.  All application materials must be submitted electronically by May 13 at 6 p.m. The Growth Series will start June 10 and continue through Dec. 2.

The Hub’s programs are free because of the grants and donations the nonprofit organization receives. Financial supporters include the Michigan Economic Development Corp., Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, City of South Haven, Lake Michigan College, local foundations, and individuals.