That is the idea behind the new Gateway Center for Enterprise, a program that pools resources for entrepreneurs into one place, located at the Virginia Gateway Region office in Colonial Heights.

The Virginia Gateway Region, along with The Center for Women's Enterprise at REDC Community Capital Group and the Crater Small Business Development Center of Longwood University, opened the center Wednesday.

Described as ground zero for small business expertise and regional resources, the center will offer entrepreneurs a mentoring program, special classes and access to business organizations.

Renee Chapline, executive director of Virginia Gateway Region, said that the emphasis on entrepreneurs is a national trend that the VGR is capitalizing on.

Since 1982, the number of small businesses has increased by 49 percent, according to VGR research. At the same time, Chapline said that she has seen fewer corporations touting a 500,000-plus workforce coming to the Tri-Cities.

"We are being progressive. This is the world that we live in and we have to be on board with it," Chapline said.

More small businesses will have a positive ripple effect on the community, Chapline added. In her experience, locally-based businesses bring with them a certain loyalty that large corporations don't.

"These business owners are invested in the community," Chapline said. "When you grow your business local, it keeps the dollars local."