Starting a business is hard even in the best of times, but doing so during a global pandemic is incredibly challenging. In spite of this, the American entrepreneurial spirit has created 4.4 million new businesses last year – the most ever recorded.  

Earlier this year, Salesforce surveyed business owners about being an entrepreneur during the pandemic and 57% said creativity and the desire to be their own boss were key factors in building their business. This, combined with low barriers to digital-first tools, meant many could accelerate their entrepreneurial dreams during this challenging time.

That said, it hasn’t been easy.  Small and medium enterprises have been hardest hit during the pandemic, especially sectors like retail, hospitality, food services, entertainment, and construction.  Over the last year, we’ve rebuilt our software to meet the changing needs of small businesses who are hosting virtual events & services, spinning up online stores, podcasting, creating digital content, and using apps to make it easier to deliver services and products directly to their customers.

We’re grateful to the local businesses and organizations who have worked with us as we’ve redesigned EarlyGroove and are now ready to open our doors to all the wonderful US small businesses, nonprofits, and public organizations who comprise the backbone of our local economies and communities.

The EarlyGroove directory and community marketplace is free to use. In the near future we will have additional features that businesses can subscribe to for an affordable monthly fee.  Features that make it easy to auto-publish content to other channels, customer engagement tools, analytics, and more!

As a thank you to our local community, the first 500 North Carolina businesses and organizations who sign up or claim their listing on EarlyGroove will receive a FREE lifetime membership to our upcoming Pro subscription plan. These Founders 500 members will have early access to new features and the opportunity to help drive the future of EarlyGroove!

At EarlyGroove, we’re building a better way for communities to connect. One that addresses the needs of local businesses, while respecting and valuing the needs of individuals. We invite you to join us in creating tech that serves humanity and strengthens communities.