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The Advancement Foundation

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The Advancement Foundation

The Advancement Foundation (TAF) creates opportunities for dynamic community development by facilitat

09/02/2026

🚀 Calling all entrepreneurs — The Big Four Networking Series is here!

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been growing your business for years, The Big Four is designed to connect entrepreneurs with the people, knowledge, and resources they need to build stronger businesses.

We’re kicking off our first networking event of the year with one of the most important pillars of any successful business: OPERATIONS!

📅 October 19
⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 245 W 21st Street | Buena Vista, VA
⚙️ Topic: Operations
🤝 FREE support, connections & resources for entrepreneurs!

Four events. Four essential pillars. One stronger business. 💡

Come ready to meet fellow entrepreneurs, make valuable connections, ask questions, and walk away with practical ideas you can put to work in your business.

✨ This event is FREE, but registration is encouraged!

👉 Sign up for The Big Four Networking Event⁠

09/01/2026

🍂 Mountain Day is coming to Junction 245 & the Virginia Innovation Accelerator! 🍂

Join us October 10th from 10 AM–9 PM for a full day of shopping, sipping, family fun, and opportunities for entrepreneurs right in the heart of Buena Vista! ⛰️✨

🍺 Enjoy b**r & w**e flights featuring selections from our menu
🛍️ Shop 20+ new products throughout the Junction 245 Marketplace
🍵 Stop by Mitcha Matcha and try something new
🧁 Grab something delicious from our new baker
🐴 Bring the kids for pony rides & a petting zoo
🍽️ Enjoy food, drinks & shopping all day long

And entrepreneurs—we have something for you, too! 💼 During Mountain Day, come inside the Virginia Innovation Accelerator to tour the facility and discover the resources available to help your business grow. Learn about our networking events, manufacturing space, one-on-one mentorship, Marketplace opportunities, and more. You’ll also have the chance to meet the President of The Advancement Foundation and learn how VIA can help take your business to the next level.

Whether you’re coming for Mountain Day festivities, bringing the family, supporting local entrepreneurs, grabbing a drink, or discovering resources for your own business—make Junction 245 & VIA part of your Mountain Day adventure! 🍁⛰️

📍 Junction 245 | Virginia Innovation Accelerator
📅 October 10th
⏰ 10 AM–9 PM

Come shop. Sip. Explore. Connect. And celebrate Mountain Day with us! ❤️

08/21/2026

🚀 Introducing The Big Four — a new regional networking series for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone ready to strengthen their business!

Building a successful business takes more than a great idea. It takes the right operations, marketing, financial knowledge, and strategy — and, just as importantly, the right people in your corner.

That’s why The Advancement Foundation is bringing The Big Four to communities across the region! 💡

Each FREE event will focus on one essential area of business and give you the opportunity to:

✨ Learn from experienced speakers
🤝 Connect with entrepreneurs and business leaders
💬 Get real answers to real business challenges
📈 Discover practical solutions and resources
🔗 Build meaningful relationships

Whether you're just getting started, growing an established business, exploring an idea, or looking to expand your business knowledge, there’s a place for you at The Big Four!

OPERATIONS • MARKETING • FINANCE • STRATEGY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

🎟️ All events are FREE, but seating is limited and RSVP is required!

You can attend one, multiple, or ALL FOUR events.

👉 REGISTER HERE:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfC5pYJlq9T5gmX8Kd-Ev7ZiYYV22c3IjfxH6NERsmMTfhF9g/viewform?usp=header

Come ready to learn, connect, share, and find solutions. You don’t have to build your business alone! 💙

08/17/2026

⛰️🍂 Make Junction 245 part of your Mountain Day adventure! 🍂⛰️

Join us on Saturday, October 10 for a full day of fun, community, and opportunities at Junction 245! Bring the whole family and enjoy our petting zoo, animal feeding, and pony & horse rides from 10 AM–4 PM, along with special kids’ activities hosted in partnership with a local community group. 🐴🐰🎨

While you’re here, stop by the taproom for b**r & w**e flights from 10 AM–9 PM, grab something delicious to eat, and shop a variety of products from the local entrepreneurs and small businesses inside Junction 245. 🍺🍷🛍️

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are invited too! Come take a tour of the Virginia Innovation Accelerator, learn more about the resources and opportunities available to help your business grow, hear about our upcoming regional networking events, and get a sneak peek at the big entrepreneur event we’re planning for this spring! Whether you’re just getting started or have been in business for years, we’d love to connect with you and show you how you can get involved.

There’s something happening for everyone, so gather your friends and family, celebrate Mountain Day with us, and make Junction 245 one of your stops on October 10! 💛⛰️

📍 Junction 245 | Buena Vista, VA
📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026

08/13/2026

🍻✨ CRAFT. CREATE. CONNECT. ✨🍻

Join us at Junction 245 for a fun, hands-on experience with Signal 4 Apothecary! Create something uniquely yours while enjoying a craft b**r, learning about thoughtfully selected ingredients, exploring fragrances, and mingling with great people. 🌿

Your ticket includes:
🍺 A craft b**r
🧴 All materials
🌿 Premium ingredients selected for skin & beard care
✨ Fragrance exploration to create a scent that’s uniquely yours
🏷️ The chance to personalize & label your creation
🤝 A fun, laid-back experience to connect & mingle

Whether you bring a friend, make it a date night, or come ready to meet some new people, this is the perfect chance to sip, create, and take home something made by YOU!

🎟️ Spots are limited, so reserve yours today!
📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer to purchase your ticket.

Follow for more!

07/14/2026

🌿✨ NEW VENDOR HIGHLIGHT ✨🌿

Please join us in welcoming Signal 4 Apothecary to the Junction 245 family! 💚

Owned by Sherry Willis, Signal 4 Apothecary is a Virginia-based handcrafted skincare and grooming company dedicated to creating high-quality, artisan products that help you look and feel your best.

You’ll find a beautiful selection of handcrafted favorites, including:
🧴 Whipped Body Butters
🌿 Tallow-Based Skincare
🧔 Beard Care Products
🌸 Botanical Self-Care Essentials

Every product is thoughtfully handcrafted with quality ingredients and a passion for natural self-care. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or searching for the perfect gift, Signal 4 Apothecary offers something special for everyone.

Stop by Junction 245 to browse Sherry’s amazing collection, support a local small business, and discover your new favorite skincare products!

📍 Available now at Junction 245 Marketplace

Let’s give Signal 4 Apothecary a warm Junction 245 welcome! 💙

07/10/2026

We were honored to welcome Senator Tim Kaine to the Virginia Innovation Accelerator to see firsthand the exciting progress taking place through The Advancement Foundation’s new Rural Prosperity Program. During his visit, Senator Kaine met with several of our incredible entrepreneurs who are building and growing their businesses right here inside the Innovation Accelerator and learned more about the transformational opportunities this initiative will bring to our region.

Thanks to this funding, The Advancement Foundation is launching a comprehensive business and workforce development initiative serving the southern Shenandoah and Roanoke Valleys, including the counties of Rockbridge, Rockingham, Augusta, Botetourt, Roanoke, Alleghany, and Bath, along with the cities and towns throughout those communities.

Over the next 12 months, the Rural Prosperity Program will create a permanent ecosystem designed to help entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, and the regional workforce thrive through:

✨ Business development and workforce training
💡 Innovation and collaboration spaces
🛠️ Product development, makerspace, manufacturing, and commercial kitchen resources
🚀 Hands-on immersion experiences that prepare entrepreneurs for long-term success

Together, these efforts will accelerate 50 businesses, introduce 10 new workforce training and certification programs, encourage innovation, support value-added food and beverage businesses, strengthen regional partnerships, and create lasting economic growth throughout rural Virginia.

A huge thank you to Senator Kaine for taking the time to visit, hear the stories of our entrepreneurs, and support the future of innovation and economic development in our region.

🎥 Watch Senator Kaine’s interview and learn more here: https://share.google/lLY4gkl70DXVoFxrd

06/11/2026

We’re honored to be featured in Business Front Magazine! 🎉

The Virginia Innovation Accelerator was highlighted across 8 pages, showcasing our ribbon-cutting celebration, the incredible community of Buena Vista, and the exciting work happening inside our 37,000-square-foot innovation and entrepreneurship hub.
From Junction 245 Marketplace, Café & Taproom to our commercial kitchen, manufacturing space, business support programs, event spaces, and entrepreneur network—there’s so much happening, and we’re just getting started!

Take a few minutes to read the article and learn more about how we’re helping entrepreneurs, businesses, and our community grow together.

🔗 https://issuu.com/berryfield5/docs/valley_business_front_issue_213_june_2026

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this vision and helped bring it to life. The best is yet to come! 🚀

04/24/2026

The 12th Annual Gauntlet a d QUEST Awards Ceremony is in the books! The pre-ceremony entrepreneur, expo featured fireside chats in artificial intelligence, investor, readiness, and marketing strategies for growth. Fantastic VIP reception hosted by the Bank of Botetourt was a great time in our new TAPROOM !!! thanks to all of our phenomenal entrepreneurs, innovators, mentors, sponsors, faculty, partners, and staff!

What a NIGHT!

04/23/2026

Tonight's the night! Join us in Buena Vista for the Cross-Regional Entrepreneurs and Innovators Expo, featuring key businesses from Main Street to technology, services and agriculture. More than 50 entrepreneurs will showcase their products and innovations, and attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite!

We will also be announcing the awards for our two entrepreneurial development programs, The Gauntlet and Quest!

We welcome community leaders, colleges, media, sponsors, industry experts, mentors, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as program participants and alumni from the past 12 years.

The event will also highlight our newly opened taproom, café, marketplace, and commercial kitchen. Guided tours will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible progress taking place within this reimagined 40,000-square-foot industrial site—now home to Virginia’s Innovation Accelerator.

RSVP Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdZ8OZkAaO1OEsSOCwQP4MtNbDUpfhwS9Nw34uINxCVWXoAQ/viewform

Address

245 W 21st
Buena Vista, VA
24179

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 9pm
Friday	11am - 9pm
Saturday	11am - 9pm

Website

http://www.theadvancementfoundation.org/

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