Q&A with Bull City Forward

Bull City Forward recently made the honoree list for “Best Places for Young Professionals to Work” at the Bull’s Eye Awards. Below is the dialogue from my conversation with Alison Dorsey, Co-founder and Director of Operations and Strategy at Bull City Forward, about the award:

Q: What is BCF’s mission?
A: BCF's mission is to enable entrepreneurs to create positive change.

Q: What is the organizational culture like at BCF? Why is it an attractive working environment for young professionals?
A: We have a very fast pace environment at BCF and everyone is responsible for his or her own work. We expect all members of the team to run with their individual ideas and own their program areas. I think young professionals are looking for that kind of responsibility early in their careers. BCF is also an exciting place to work because of the different people constantly flowing through the space. From members, to partner organizations, to city leaders, there's a chance to run into anyone here. Also, many young professionals are not sure yet what industry interests them most. By working at Bull City Forward, they're exposed to a diverse array of businesses and potential future career paths. But mostly, we all share projects, lunch, and a commitment to social impact, so we get along with one another and it's fun to work in a place where you can count your co-workers as friends.

Q: What’s unique about Durham and the region, as it relates to entrepreneurs?
A: Durham is an appealing place to entrepreneurs because it’s a city in transition. The same energy BCF members feel for their start-ups -- that each day the business is further along than it was the day before and that they are fully committed to it's success -- is the way a lot of the community feels about this city, which makes it the right environment for passionate, hard-working social entrepreneurs. The most highly skilled workforce in the country, available capital, inexpensive office space, and local research institutions are all great assets of Durham that are very attractive to entrepreneurs as well.