Heather Fay and Anthony Grafsky

Heather Fay serves as the executive regional administrator and the director of the Greater Roanoke and New River Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC). She has worked in higher education and economic development over the course of her career, holding roles in admissions for several public and private universities and serving as the director of events and member engagement for the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council and the assistant director for the Botetourt County Department of Economic Development. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from William Woods University and a Master of Higher Education with a certification in enrollment management from Capella University.

Anthony Grafsky serves as a business advisor for the Greater Roanoke and New River Valley SBDC. Prior to joining the SBDC, he worked in the retail service industry and healthcare in strategic planning, marketing, and operational roles. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a Master of Business Administration from Ohio State University.

Their GO Virginia Region 2 project will build capacity to support existing businesses, mitigate risks, and foster long-term economic resilience through GO Virginia’s Helene Business Recovery Initiative. The program’s offerings – which include workshops, GrowthWheel peer groups, and one-on-one advising – are available at no cost to businesses.

1. What is your favorite part of your roles at the Greater Roanoke & New River Valley Small Business Development Center?

HF: My favorite part of my role is working directly with small business owners and being part of their journey from early ideas to growth, management, and even transition or exit. Every business is different, and I enjoy helping owners navigate challenges in a way that aligns with their goals.

Since stepping into the director role last summer, I have also gained a deeper appreciation for the collaborative side of our work. Initiatives like the Helene Business Recovery Initiative have created opportunities to partner more intentionally across the New River Valley region and explore new ways to support small businesses together.

What makes this work even more meaningful is the impact we’re able to have. Through funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, matched locally, we’re able to provide no-cost, one-on-one advising to the businesses we serve. As part of the Virginia SBDC network, we work collaboratively to strengthen small businesses, which are truly the backbone of our communities. Every $1 invested in the SBDC generates a $5 return, amplifying the impact of small businesses in our communities.

AG: My favorite part is every day is a little bit different. Our clients come from all sorts of backgrounds. You have to be creative with these businesses because they’re so resource constrained. A lot of our businesses are micro businesses. They have few, if any, employees. The business owners wear a lot of hats, and our resources can help them prioritize and focus their energy into activities that add the most value to their business.

2. What inspired your GO Virginia project?

HF: One of our guiding principles is doing the right thing for the right people at the right time. When we learned about the opportunity through GO Virginia focused on hurricane disaster recovery in the New River Valley, we knew it aligned closely with the needs we were seeing in our region.

You never know when a disaster will occur, so we wanted to be proactive by creating tools and resources that help business owners prepare, not just respond. At the same time, this project allowed us to expand our capacity in the New River Valley.

Anthony Grafsky has been instrumental in building relationships and strengthening connections across the region, which has helped ensure this work is both relevant and impactful for the businesses we serve.

AG: Last year, we attended the annual training event hosted by America’s SBDC. We both attended a session about another SBDC office’s disaster recovery efforts following tornadoes in their region. It was inspiring to hear the stories of how essential these SBDCs became in helping small businesses make some sense of all the chaos and – for those businesses that were able to continue – emerge from these natural disasters and be in a better position to sustain future events.

3. What have you accomplished with the project so far?

HF: So far, we have made strong progress in building both the foundation and the programming for this initiative.

We have partnered with regional stakeholders to launch the New River Valley Small Business Collective. Kevin Byrd, executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission, described this group as “small business first responders,” which really captures the intent. It’s a network of trusted, on-the-ground partners who live and work in these communities and can quickly share information and resources with businesses, in times of crisis and during day-to-day work. This group has also been incredibly valuable in helping us think through how we communicate more effectively with business owners across the region.

We have also begun developing our “Ready for Anything” program. We have finalized the workshop topics and are actively building out the content. These sessions will focus on continuity planning and communications, financial resilience, disaster preparedness, risk management, cybersecurity, and marketing. We will offer three workshops this year and three next year, and business owners can attend any or all sessions. Each workshop will be recorded so participants can revisit the content as needed. The desired outcome is for business owners to develop a practical, adaptable continuity plan they can use as their business evolves.

In addition, we are starting recruitment for our GrowthWheel peer groups. We will host and facilitate two groups, supporting up to 20 businesses total and providing time for business owners to work on their businesses, opportunities and challenges, share strategies, and learn from one another in a structured environment.

4. As you move forward with the project, is there anything in particular you are looking forward to learning or doing?

AG: I’m looking forward to this program taking some of the burden off small businesses. Some of the things we’re going to cover can be adopted and applied to their current businesses, absent of a disaster. This project will help them be prepared and know what to do in the event of a natural or economic disaster. Taking this kind of proactive approach will strengthen their business practices.

5. What do you hope the long-term impact of this project will be on businesses?

HF: My hope is that this project strengthens the overall resilience of businesses across the New River Valley and expands our ability to reach and support more business owners before, during, and after challenges arise.

Long-term, I see this work helping shift businesses from reactive to prepared. The resource guide, in particular, is designed to be something owners can rely on and will serve as a practical tool they can pull off the shelf. Instead of navigating a crisis in real time, they’ll have already thought through their approach, messaging, and next steps. That level of preparedness not only reduces stress, but allows businesses to respond with clarity, confidence, and continuity when it matters most.

6. What partners are you working with on this project, and what do you like most about working with them?

HF: This project truly brings together a broad network of partners who are all connected to supporting small businesses. That includes localities across the New River Valley, the New River Valley Regional Commission, higher education institutions, tourism partners, and chambers of commerce.

What I value most is the shared commitment; it genuinely feels like we’re all working toward the same goal. This is very much a “rising tide lifts all boats” approach, where each partner brings unique strengths to better support our small business communities.

The level of engagement has been terrific. Our partners are not only willing to be part of the conversation, but they actively contribute thoughtful feedback and insights that help shape and strengthen the ideas we’re developing.

AG: There’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm in our group of partners. I think a lot of our partners would love to be able to do this kind of thing, but they recognize the SBDC has a large network and some leverage in terms of the resources we bring to the table. This grant gives us the additional capacity to develop and deliver this program. Our partners are happy to help us connect with businesses who can take advantage of the resources and programs we’re putting together.

7. What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 

AG: I recommend Build for Tomorrow by Jason Feifer, who serves as the editor in chief for Entrepreneur magazine. The book is about navigating change both in life and in business and how to leverage unexpected changes into opportunities. He takes examples from history and spins change in a positive light.

HF:  One of the last books I read that I’d recommend is The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace by Lindsey Pollak. It highlights the power of collaboration and how combining different strengths, ideas, and perspectives can lead to stronger outcomes. That message resonated with me, especially in the work we’re doing bringing partners together to support small businesses in a more connected and impactful way.

The Helene Business Recovery Initiative is a special funding opportunity created to respond to the effects of Hurricane Helene. The initiative offers funding for business technical assistance for GO Virginia Regions 1, 2, and 3, with relaxed program requirements and is available through June 30, 2026.