Expo helps businesses connect with X
consumers across Triad and beyond
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
For the past eight
years Reginald McCaskill,
founder and owner of
Maximum Enterprises,
has made it his goal to
help local entrepreneurs
and small business own
ers succeed and build re
lationships with their peers
and consumers with the
Triad Minority & Wom
en’s Business Expo. It’s
safe to say McCaskill is
still hitting his mark. This
year the event spanned
over two days, two cities,
featured several different
workshops for business
owners, all free of charge,
and included nearly 100
different vendors.
McCaskill said he is
excited to see the event
grow, but he’s even more
excited for the business
owners.
“I’m more excited for
our businesses, especially
with us being in a pandem
ic,” McCaskill said. “From
what I’ve seen, businesses
have not just laid down.
“We know it’s been
difficult for a lot of them
and our goal with the Triad
Minority Business Expo
and Maximum Enterprises
is to ensure that these busi
ness owners know they
have resources and outlets
... and it goes beyond the
Submitted photo
Last weekend Maximum Enterprises hosted the Sth Annual Triad Minority & Women’s Business Expo.
Expo because of the class
es and workshops to make
sure their businesses stay
relevant.”
The Sth Annual Triad
Minority & Women’s
Expo began on Friday,
Aug. 27, with The. Em
powerment and Wealth
Building Summit. The vir
tual event featured work
shops on several different
topics including “Under
standing the Numbers of
Your Business,” “Net
working Strategies,” and
“Bank on Your Success:
Growing Your Business.”
There was also an awards
ceremony where business
owners and entrepreneurs
from Greensboro, High
Point and Winston-Salem
received awards for Busi
ness of the Year, Newcom
er of the Year, and Pioneer
Award.
The Expo on Saturday
was held in two different
locations: in Winston-Sa
lem at The Enterprise Con
ference and Event Center,
and in Greensboro at The
Khalifa Event Center.
According to Mc
Caskill, there were about
45 vendors at both loca
tions and 10 interacting
virtually. McCaskill said
he wanted to expand the
event to let entrepreneurs
in other areas Of the Triad
know that.they’re here for
them too.
“We wanted to be in
clusive to all the areas in
the Triad,” McCaskill said.
“It was important for us to
let people know in Greens
boro, High Point and Win
ston-Salem, that we are
there.”
There were several
vendors at The Enterprise
Center who were attending
the Expo for the first time,
like Gwen Davis, owner of
Mrs. G’s Gourmet Cheese
Straws. Davis said she had
doubts about signing up at
first, but she’s glad that she
did.
“I usually don’t come
to events like this, but I
have really enjoyed it,”
Davis said. “What I’ve
enjoyed most is that it’s
given me an opportunity to
meet other business own
ers in the area.”
Several business own
ers took to social media to
talk about their experience
at the Expo. Melanie Ed
wards, president and CEO
of Camel Consulting LLC,
wrote, “I really enjoyed the
Sth Annual Triad Minor
ity & Women’s Business
Expo. Although I now live
in Atlanta, Winston-Salem
is my hometown and this
was great exposure for my
business since I serve cli
ents nationwide.
“I made really great
connections that I am con
fident will turn into future
contracts ... thank you Mr.
Reginald McCaskill for
this opportunity. I WILL
be back!”
Although he just
wrapped up this year’s
event, McCaskill is al
ready planning for next
year. The 9th Annual Tri
ad Minority & Women’s
Business Expo is sched
uled for Saturday, Aug. 20,
2022 in Greensboro and
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 in
Winston-Salem.
For more information
on the Triad Minority and
Women’s Business Expo
visit https://triadminori-
tybusinessexpo.com/ or
“Triad Minority Business
Expo” on Facebook.
New school offers ‘The Magic Touch’ for those wanting to
learn barbering trade
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Although not as big as
other homegrown brands
like Krispy Kreme, RJ
Reynolds, or Hanes, here
in Winston-Salem the
Magic Touch brand is well
known throughout the
community. The Magic
Touch Barbershop, The
Magic Touch Beauty and
Nail Salon, and The Magic
Touch Ink Tattoo Parlor
are all owned by Michael
Gaither. And now he has
added The Magic Touch
Institute of Barbering to
his list of ventures.
Gaither said he al
ways wanted to open his
own barber school to help
young men in the commu
nity become entrepreneurs.
He said when he decided
to attend barber school,
there were three different
options in the area, but
that number has dwindled
down to one, Winston-Sa
lem Barber School located
on Silas Creek Parkway.
“I remember it was
three. There was Pyramid
Institute of Barbering,
Winston-Salem Barber
School, and Triad Bar
ber School, and now it’s
just one,” Gaither said.
“So I felt like there was a
need for it because a lot
of young men don’t have
anything to do.”
The Magic Touch In
stitute of Barbering offi
cially opened with a rib
bon cutting ceremony in
early August. The facility,
located on Old Walker
town Road, includes class-
rooms, office space for the
administrative team, more
than half a dozen barber
chairs, an industrial kitch
en, and a children’s play
area. Students at Magic
Touch will be taught the
latest industry standards
www.wschronicle.com
CZ1
and techniques needed to
pass the N.C. Barber Li
censure exam.
Students will also learn
cutting, trimming, sham
pooing, styling, trimming
beards, hot towel shaves
and more. Most people
finish the program in less
than a year and because he
owns a shop and has plans
to open others, Gaither has
the power to help students
get in a shop right away.
Gaither said he will
also pass on knowledge to
students on how they can
own their own business.
“I just want to help
people find a way to be
their own boss,” Gaither
said. “I want to be able to
help people in the com
munity support their fami
lies.”
Alvin Johnson, who
serves as marketing direc
tor for The Magic Touch
Institute of Barbering, has
known Gaither for more
than 30 years. He said it’s a
blessing to know someone
personally from Winston-
Salem creating jobs and
opportunities for people
right here in the city.
“A lot of people want
to be their own boss and
he’s actually giving them
an opportunity to actually
succeed in doing that,”
Johnson continued. “I just
think that it’s a blessing
the things he does for Win
ston.”
During the ribbon cut
ting ceremony, Winston-
Salem City Councilmem
ber Barbara Hanes Burke
applauded Gaither for his
vision. “When I heard
about his interest in open
ing this barber institute, it
just blew me away,” Burke
continued.
“Mr. Gaither doesn’t
know this, but his vision
and all the initiatives that
he has going on through
out the city already, and
for what he will have go
ing on in this building
right behind me, they line
up beautifully with a lot
of the city’s initiatives and
our strategic focus.”
Forsyth County Com
missioners Tonya McDan
iel and Fleming El Amin
also praised Gaither for his
efforts during the ribbon
cutting ceremony.
For more information
about The Magic Touch
Institute of Barbering, in
cluding enrollment infor
mation, visit www.magic-
touchinstituteofbarbering.
com or call 336-893-
9100.