Economic Development Training Class

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Development Strategies

Date: May 31 - June 1, 2009
Location: Raleigh, NC

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Small businesses stimulate job creation, develop crucial innovations in both products and services and promote the diversification of the economic base. Thus, it is critical that communities and economic developers dedicate resources to developing and promoting new business startups and establish effective support systems. A community that meets the needs of its entrepreneurs increases its chances of job growth by small businesses, which translates into a more vibrant community. As large businesses downsize, a healthy business climate that supports smaller businesses will also help with the retention of skilled workers.

This course will identify the tools economic developers need to create a climate that caters to small businesses. In addition, the course will cover the characteristics of entrepreneurs and small business owners, the barriers they face and how communities can promote their development.

This course will cover:

Characteristics of entrepreneurs and small business owners
Promoting small business development in your community
Identifying and addressing the needs of entrepreneurs
Providing technical assistance
Growth potential for microenterprises
Development of business incubators
How to attract private investors and lenders
Micro-lending programs, SBA programs, venture capital and other innovative financing tools

Agenda

May 31
8:30 - 9:00 am	Registration
9:00 - 10:15 am	Introduction to Entrepreneurship This course begins with a description and deeper analysis of entrepreneurial trends, survival rates, job creation, patent growth and etc. Specifically, this session will lay out the characteristics of entrepreneurs and small business owners, the barriers they face and how economic development organizations can promote entrepreneurial development by making their regions more fertile for entrepreneurs.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm	Who are Entrepreneurs? (Interactive Discussion) This session will introduce attendees to assessment tools such as self-reporting surveys and questionnaires that can help them better understand the entrepreneur. Also, this session will review the different types of entrepreneurial businesses (e.g., survival, micro-enterprise, lifestyle, second-stage growth and etc.) to help practitioners better understand what resources are needed to assist an array of entrepreneurs. As an economic developer, you will not be able to make someone an entrepreneur. Therefore, your charge will be to identify those that have what it takes and nurture them in the best way possible.
12:00 - 1:15 pm	Lunch on your own
1:15 - 2:45 pm	Rural Entrepreneurship Encouraging entrepreneurship is a growing strategy in rural America and beyond. This session addresses how to provide rural entrepreneurs and small business owners with the necessary skills to help them establish networks of business service providers, manage a wide-variety of clients and employ the most recent innovations in technology to help grow their rural-based businesses.
3:00 – 4:30 pm	Interactive Case Study (Accelerating Minorities and Women in Business) This session will focus on a minority and women-focused entrepreneurial and small business development program. Specifically, micro-enterprises, micro-lending and minority and women-focused economic development are important economic functions to consider in an entrepreneurial and small business development growth strategy. Practitioners should encourage these enterprises because they can often help diversify the business climate within your community and add to the overall strength of your economic base.

June 1
9:00 - 10:15 am	The Role of Economic Development Organizations This session will discuss the types of assistance (e.g., micro-lending, economic gardening, rural entrepreneurship, tech-based economic development, university connections/partnerships and etc.) typically available to entrepreneurs. In today’s knowledge economy, the role of entrepreneurs (e.g.: individuals that transform ideas into commercial and industrial uses) are key concerns to a community’s business climate and diversity. Economic development organizations need to have an entrepreneurial and small business development strategy that works to grow and diversify their business community.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm	Small Business Development Strategies Running a business requires a variety of skills and business know-how, including writing a business plan, staff and cash flow management, and marketing ability. Often entrepreneurs and small business owners lack these skills. This session addresses how to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with these skills and help them establish networks of business service providers.
12:00 - 1:15 pm	Lunch on your own
1:15 - 2:30 pm	SBA Financing and Small Business Lending Capital is critical at every stage of business development - start-up, expansion and to remain competitive. After evaluating how much cash a small business owner has on hand, an economic developer can guide small business owners to capital that can be used to translate business ideas into products and services, and purchase fixed assets, such as buildings and equipment. This session will highlight financial programs that support small business development and will teach you how to help make small businesses more attractive to private investors and lenders. Topics included are SBA programs and other traditional funding programs.
2:45 - 4:30 pm	Incubator Support In order for businesses to be successful, entrepreneurs and small business owners need to identify a location where they can operate, sell and/or manufacture products or services and where it can have access to a network of business support services. Incubators across the country support small and emerging businesses by fulfilling these basic needs. During this session attendees will learn how to develop business incubators to foster small business growth in their community.
4:30 - 4:45 pm	Wrap-up and Certificates

* Agenda subject to change
PLEASE NOTE: In order to receive full IEDC certification credit for this course and a certificate indicating course completion, participants must attend the entire course and stay through the final session on the last day. Please make travel plans accordingly.

Instructors

Kevin D. Johnson, CEcD
Vice-President of Business Development
Research Triangle Foundation

Mr. Johnson officially assumed his duties as Vice-President of Business Development with Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina on July 11, 2005. TTF serves as owner and developer of Research Triangle Park. It is located in the Raleigh-Durham MSA and currently houses 138 research and development facilities. By the year 2020, the Foundation will lead the Research Triangle Park to become the world’s leading regional center of innovation, technology commercialization and quality job creation.

Mr. Johnson came to RTP from Phoenix, Arizona where he served as Vice-President of Business Development with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. During his three years in Phoenix, Johnson helped generate $267 million in capital investment which created 2,000 new jobs. Prior to going to Phoenix, Johnson served as President of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce in Georgia. Under his leadership, the chamber focused on modernizing operation procedures, improved member services, increased workforce development activities and raising the profile and relevance of the Chamber in the community. The chamber aggressively pursued a fundraising campaign during this tenure resulting in $1.5 million in pledges – the most successful campaign in the 100-year history of the Chamber.

Johnson served as President of the High Point Economic Development Corporation (EDC) from 1996-2000. He also served as Assistant County Manager and Director of Economic Development for the Caswell County (NC) Municipal Government, and a Staff Planner and Industrial Recruiter for the Anderson County (SC) Municipal Government.

As President of the High Point EDC, Johnson actively recruited new businesses and assisted in the expansion of existing industry, while developing programs targeted to specific interests in the marketplace. A Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), Johnson’s accomplishments included attracting and fostering the development of $605 million in new capital investments and the creation of 5,500 new jobs in the High Point area. In addition, Johnson developed the first High Point EDC website, published the award-winning Permitting Process for Business Facilities Guide, and was a frequent guest lecturer for the Basic Economic Development Course at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Named one of the “40 Leaders Under 40” by the Triad Business News, Johnson served on the board of directors and was a key member of the merger team between the American Economic Development Council and the Council of Urban Economic Development to create the over 4,000 member International Economic Development Council, the largest economic development organization in the world.

An active civic leader, Johnson served on the board of directors of The Herberger Theatre and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. He has served as Chairman of the Guilford Technical Community College (High Point Campus), Board, and is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Raised in Myrtle Beach, SC, Johnson received a BS in Political Science/Pre Law from South Carolina State University. His wife Jacqueline, originally from Manning, South Carolina holds a BS and MS in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University. They have two children, Nile (9) and Pierce (7).

Sergio Bento
Director
Center for Innovation – Arlington, TX

Sergio Bento is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has lived in the United States for over 20 years. He has been the owner of 4 successful companies and for the past years has dedicated his time and effort to help individuals start winning organizations. Today he is the Director of the Center for Innovation at Arlington, TX where he manages the Arlington Technology Incubator, is the project manager for the development of the Center for Entrepreneurial Development and is in the process of creating an angel investment group in North Texas. He is a member of several committees including the North Texas Commission Mentor-Entrepreneur Steering Committee, the Tarrant Community College Engineering Advisory Committee, the UT Arlington Intellectual Property Committee, the Arlington Technology Business Council and the Dallas Cowboys Fair Share Agreement Committee.

Sergio is an avid speaker on topics such as business and strategic planning, business ethics, business and personal visualization among others topics. Sergio holds a Master of Business Administration.

Accommodations/Training Location

Raleigh Marriott
City Center
500 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 833-1120
Website: www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/rdumc-raleigh-marriott-city-center/
Hotel rate: $124 single/double
Hotel cut-off date: April 27, 2009

Registration

By April 16

April 17 - May 14

*After May 14

IEDC Member

$425

$525

$565

Non-member

$525

$625

$665

*Walk-in registrations will be accepted. Full payment must be made on-site in order to attend the course.

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