Support Navigator - A Personalized, Embedded Tool for Resource Discovery
The Situation
After launching a statewide Support Directory with NC IDEA, we saw two major issues: Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) didn’t want to send users off their websites, and entrepreneurs weren’t getting matched with the most relevant resources. The original tool lived on Supportedly.com and used broad categories that made it hard to find the right fit.
We needed to build something better. A more dynamic, customized tool that ESOs could truly own, and entrepreneurs could actually use.
What I Did
I led the redevelopment effort and helped launch the Support Navigator as a standalone, embeddable tool.
Product Strategy and Development
Built as an iframe so ESOs could embed it directly into their websites
Designed a dynamic question flow that guided entrepreneurs to the right resources based on business stage, industry, and specific needs
Improved UI/UX for both desktop and mobile use, focusing on clarity and ease
Customization and Partnership Enablement
Made the Navigator semi-customizable so ESOs could add their own branding, including colors and logos
Shared search data with ESOs to help them better understand what local entrepreneurs were looking for
Provided onboarding and implementation support for partner organizations
Project Management
Oversaw development timelines and testing cycles, including accessibility reviews and stakeholder feedback sessions
Created documentation and training tools for partner use
The Results
Embedded on 15+ partner websites
Significantly improved entrepreneur engagement and satisfaction with resource discovery
Gave ESOs access to valuable data without asking entrepreneurs to leave their site
Recognized by funders and regional leaders as a model for scalable digital tools
