Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
February 22, 2007 issue
Celebrate EntrepreneurshipWeek USA
High Country Offers Multiple Resources for Entrepreneurs
Story by Kathleen McFadden and Allison Peacock
More than 70 percent of young Americans envision starting a business or doing something entrepreneurial as adults. The problem is very few of them ever actually do it.
From Saturday, February 24, to Saturday, March 3, EntrepreneurshipWeek USA will feature the contributions of American entrepreneurs and encourage the development of entrepreneurs of the future. The week is aimed at 14 to 25 year olds and its theme is What’s Your Big Idea? Take it On!
Designated by Congress, the week is designed to stimulate ongoing interest from uninitiated individuals and organizations and to inspire young people to begin a journey to fulfill their potential as self-starters and entrepreneurs. Nationwide, the week will feature thousands of activities, ranging from high school competitions to academic gatherings and local town halls to a national policy summit.
The idea of EntrepreneurshipWeek USA resonates with people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and walks of life. It is a celebration and acknowledgement of what has made America great from the start. During the past 15 years, businesses less than five years old have accounted for about 70 percent of the net job creation in the United States, according to USA Today.
EntrepreneurshipWeek USA is designed to help kids actually see themselves as entrepreneurial thinkers—using creativity and innovation to start their adult lives. According to Kauffman Foundation research, 41 percent of children aged 9 to 12 say they would like to start their own businesses.
In addition, over the last decade, on average 500,000 new businesses were created each month. In fact, entrepreneurial activity appears to be higher in the past few years than in the late 1990s during the height of the Internet boom.
About 10 million American adults are attempting to create a new business at any given time. With nearly one-half of all new ventures started by teams of people, this statistic represents about 5.6 million potential new businesses.
Within the past few years, Appalachian State University, Chambers of Commerce and Watauga County have teamed up to promote entrepreneurship in the High Country, giving rise to several entrepreneurial opportunities: the High Country Business Network, free Start Your Own Business workshops, the formation of a SCORE chapter and the development of the Center for Entrepreneurship at ASU.
Just this week, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners approved an architectural contract for renovating the Appalachian Enterprise Center into a business incubator space.
Also just announced this week is a series of three workshops for food-business entrepreneurs who can use the new Creative Food Ventures Kitchen at Ashe Family Central in Jefferson.
A number of special activities are planned this week and in March specifically targeted to entrepreneurs.
Business Strategy Workshop February 27
A workshop on Combining Entertainment, Food, and Fun as a Business Strategy will be held Tuesday, February 27, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Raley Hall Faculty Lounge on ASU campus. Jason Richardson, the founder of Bo’s Bodacious Family Entertainment Center in Lenoir, will speak to the Association of Student Entrepreneurs Club. Free pizza will be provided, and the first 25 guests will each receive a one-hour bowling pass for up to six people. The free seminar is open to the public. For more info, contact Bryan Toney at 828-262-6196 or toneybc@appstate.edu.
Business Startup Workshop February 28
A Business Startup Workshop will be held Wednesday, February 28, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Raley Hall, Room 4012, at Appalachian. CPA Keith Buchanan will conduct the workshop and discuss some of the mechanical issues related to starting a business. The public is welcome to attend this free workshop. For more info, contact Bryan Toney at 828-262-6196 or toneybc@appstate.edu.
Young Entrepreneurs Symposium March 1
Young entrepreneurs and Appalachian State University graduates will return to campus March 1 for a Young Entrepreneurs Symposium. A panel discussion featuring six successful entrepreneurs will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the fourth floor faculty lounge in Raley Hall. The public is invited to attend.
Participants are Jon West, co-founder of 3tailer.com; Whitney Graham, owner of Bejeweled; Jason Berry, general manager of Footsloggers; Tyler Brunson, owner Waste Consultants and United Shipping; Jonathon Seabolt, co-owner of Bolt Investments; and Chad Michael, owner of ArborCare Tree Service.
The symposium is being coordinated by the Center for Entrepreneurship in Appalachian’s Walker College of Business and is being held in conjunction with national Entrepreneurship Week USA.
“This event will showcase just a few of the many young entrepreneurs who come out of Appalachian each year,” said Bryan Toney, director for the Center for Entrepreneurship. “They will share their secrets to success and talk about opportunities and challenges that face young entrepreneurs. We hope the result will be to inspire even more of our students to pursue entrepreneurial careers.”
The event will be sponsored by the local owners of Family Only Inc. that owns Back Yard Burgers restaurants in Boone and Hickory and the Marble Slab Creamery in Boone.
Scott Prewitt, co-owner of Family Only Inc., has been involved with Appalachian’s entrepreneurship programs for many years, participating in the annual Carole Moore McLeod Entrepreneur Summit and serving as a guest lecturer in business classes.
Entrepreneur Technology Conference March 8
The Ashe Chamber of Commerce and Wilkes Community College are sponsoring an Entrepreneur Technology Conference on Thursday, March 8, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Ashe Campus of the Community College. The registration deadline is Thursday, March 1. The conference will include concurrent sessions for beginner and advanced, as well as eBay sessions. Registration is limited to 50 participants, and the fee is $35 that includes continental breakfast and lunch. Within the next week, we will mail an electronic brochure. If interested, you may register with the Chamber of Commerce – registration checks should be made to the Ashe Chamber of Commerce. Call 336-846-3900 or 336-846-9550 for more information or to register.
Food Business Classes Begin March 8
The new Creative Food Ventures Kitchen at Ashe Family Central has teamed up with Wilkes Community College to offer a series of four FREE classes on Tuesdays in March from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. to help food-business entrepreneurs get started on the right track. All seminars will be held at the Family Central Conference Room, and preregistration is required. To register or for more info, call Celia Robinson at the Wilkes Community College Small Business Center, 336-846-3900, ext. 223. Here’s what you’ll learn:
• March 8, So, You Think You Want To Cook?—Business basics 101 for anyone wishing to produce and sell a food product. Students will learn the basics for starting a food-based company including the need for incorporation, financial reporting, food costing, marketing, distribution and other related topics. The class will assist potential entrepreneurs in determining if there is a need for their product and how to assess interest.
• March 15, Regulatory Compliance for Food-Based Companies—This course will teach individuals how to produce foods that are compliant with all Department of Health and Department of Agriculture regulations. Students will learn how to access resources necessary to ensure their food is produced, handled and delivered in a satisfactory manner.
• March 22, Marketing Cakes, Molasses, Hot Sauce and Other Food Products—This course will explore different marketing strategies for selling food-based products. From major distributors to local stores, learn what consumers are looking for and how to meet their expectations. Students will see several real-life examples of marketing strategies for food-based companies that have worked and some that have not worked so well.
• March 29, Packaging 101 For Food Sales—Learn the importance of the proper packaging for your food product based on the anticipated end user. The class will learn proper packaging techniques, how to create a realistic marketing plan and how to get a product in front of potential buyers. The class will also address proper labeling and design, as packaging for larger food batches.
Free Start Your Own Business Workshop Series Begins March 20
Registration Deadline March 15
Have you ever thought about starting your own business, but did not know where to start? Working for yourself can open a new world of possibilities, including financial independence, flexibility in scheduling and the ability to make a living doing something that you enjoy.
The Watauga Entrepreneur Development Partnership (WEDP), a program designed to support and develop local entrepreneurs, small businesses and the community, is hosting its fifth Start Your Own Business workshop series to boost aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in the Watauga County area.
The workshop series is FREE to participants and is open to anyone wanting to start or grow his/her own business. All workshops are held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Appalachian Enterprise Center located next to the new Health Department off of the Poplar Grove Connector. You must attend all three workshops to complete the series. The registration deadline is March 15.
For more info, contact Chilton Rogers at 828-262-6662 or Joe Furman at 828-265-8053, or email ARDI at ardi@ardi.appstate.edu.
Register online at www.ardi.appstate.edu/abc/register.php or pick up a brochure at area businesses, banks community centers or grocery stores and fax the registration section to 828-262-6553.
Two of ASU’s Walker College of Business entrepreneurship professors developed the course material and will lead the following workshops:
Tuesday, March 20 – Business Idea Development: Evaluate the pros and cons of entrepreneurship and focus on business idea development. Participants will create and assess various business ideas according to their skills and interests, along with how the ideas align with the needs of the community.
Tuesday, April 3 -- Key Elements of Running A Business: Learn about the key components of running a business such as production, marketing, finance, planning and risk analysis and begin developing your own business strategy and plan.
Tuesday, April 24 – Making It Happen!: Put knowledge, ideas and skills to work to start your business. Participants will learn how to assess markets with the help of existing entrepreneurs and community leaders. Each participant will be paired with a mentor from the EFC who will review and give constructive feedback on business plan drafts.