Genesis Block Community Collaborative Project Update

3 min readMay 19, 2020

Genesis Block is a community collaborative located on the historic riverfront in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.

Genesis Block is helping build small business to build communities.

Summer 2020 is the scheduled opening of Genesis Block in historic downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. The coronavirus pandemic has altered some of the initial design elements however these shifts blend into the essence of the Genesis Block concept. Here is an update on the Genesis Block project for our current members and future collaborators.

Genesis Block Digital Media

Genesis Block is excited to announce the launch of three media platforms to engage the broader community, provide information and resources for small businesses and to promote our community members.

Ask The Block is a platform designed for Genesis Block Community members to discuss a wide range of issues, pose questions and concerns to the collective community.

Small Biz Studio is a weekly program with strategies, tips and information for small businesses that feature workshops, seminars, interviews and special guests.

Genesis Block Members Only is a weekly program that features our company and collaborative members. Whether it be a product launch or community initiative this program is designed to promote our members and their projects.

Genesis Block Small Biz Studio presented a virtual workshop on “Increasing Your Online Presence for Small Businesses” on Wednesday, May 13.

Interior Design Update

Genesis Block has the initial architectural design complete and we are moving forward in the next phase of our project development. We look forward to sharing models with our Genesis Block community in the next few weeks and using community input to select the final interior design.

As a program of the Kauffman Foundation, 1 Million Cups works with entrepreneurs, empowering them with the tools and resources to break down barriers that stand in the way of starting and growing their businesses.

Genesis Block Cofounder Girard Newkirk, has been selected to be a community organizer for 1 Million Cups Wilmington https://www.1millioncups.com/. 1 Million Cups was founded based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and engage with their communities over a million cups of coffee. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation developed 1 Million Cups in 2012 as a free program designed to educate, engage and inspire entrepreneurs around the country.

“Our core values at Genesis Block are centered in providing a foundation for entrepreneurs, small businesses and creators to have the skills necessary to build a successful business while helping their communities thrive. Our values are directly aligned with the mission of 1 Million Cups and its over 160 communities globally so this is a great fit for partnering,” says Genesis Block Cofounder Girard Newkirk.

Cape Fear Collective (CFC) is a collective impact and data science nonprofit backbone organization based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Genesis Block Cofounders Tracey and Girard Newkirk will be featured on the Collective Voice podcast. Cape Fear Collective’s mission is to scale big data, fundraising, social innovation, and large-scale initiative management to a six-county region in Southeastern North Carolina. CFC employs data scientists, strategists, journalists, and process improvement experts who partner with anchor institutions from across the region. Stay tuned for links to the interview coming soon.

List of Current Member Companies and Non Profit Organizations

Our list of collaborators is growing rapidly and we welcome new community members. Here is a list of our current member companies, non profit organizations and partners:

Cape Fear Collective https://capefearcollective.org/

Carolina Small Business Development Fund https://carolinasmallbusiness.org/

Opiaid http://www.opiaid.tech/

Unexo https://www.unexosystems.com/

KWHCoin https://www.kwhcoin.com/#/

Jayski’s Rub a Dub LLC https://www.jayskisrubadub.net/

On Thyme Catering https://www.facebook.com/OnTHYMECatering/

Innate Health Family Chiropractic & Wellness http://www.dradaaniniba.com/

Tracey’s Turmeric Toddy https://www.facebook.com/Traceysturmerictoddy/

Come Visit Jamaica https://comevisitjamaica.com/

Health Begins From Within https://www.healthbfw.com/

Jones Sunset Sauce LLC https://www.facebook.com/JonesSunsetSauce/