Stone Center For Family Business, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation
Empowering EntrepreneursIgniting Pathways of Innovation and Collective Success
The Stone Center was made possible due the generosity of the Bob and Tish Stone family and their multigenerational family business, Systems and Methods, Inc. (SMI), founded in 1971 in Carrollton, GA.
The center is a resource for family businesses in the West Georgia region seeking to navigate the opportunities and challenges that face family businesses including succession planning, family business governance, integrating non-family employees, family business culture, and exit strategies, just to name a few. The center is also a key driver of campus programming like Entrepreneurship Week and the Wolf Den Pitch competition that supports the entrepreneurial endeavors of UWG students.
Learn more about Bob Stone in his interview with the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Family business Programming
Family businesses play a crucial role in the Carrollton Community. However, ensuring longevity for future generations can be a challenge as technology advances and new business apps emerge. At the Stone Center, we are committed to assisting the growth and prosperity of family enterprises.
Upcoming Events
the Family Business retreat
The Stone Center is a resource for family businesses in the West Georgia region seeking to navigate the opportunities and challenges that face family businesses including succession planning, family business governance, integrating non-family employees, family business culture, and exit strategies, just to name a few. The center is also a key driver of campus programming, such as Entrepreneurship Week and the Wolf Den Pitch competition, which supports the entrepreneurial endeavors of UWG students.
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Family Business Retreat
Save the Date: July 23-24, 2025
Student programming
The Stone Center is dedicated to supporting new entrepreneurs in starting their businesses from the ground up. This involves guiding you from the initial idea phase all the way to creating a comprehensive business plan.
2025 10-Week Start-Up Boot Camp
The Start-Up Boot Camp is a program that provides resources, preparation, and support for UWG students interested in developing a business or social venture idea they have been working on or thinking about. This is an in-person program that focuses on how to identify and design solutions for a scalable business or social problem.
The 10-week program will take place in the Fall semester of 2025 and will conclude with the Wolfden Pitch Competition at the end of the 10 weeks in the UWG campus center, where participants will compete for $5,000 in cash awards.
Students can apply to the program individually or with a team. The boot camp is free to current UWG students in good standing and is sponsored by The Stone Center for Family Business, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation.
Richards College of Business
Stone Center Contacts
