Entrepreneurship & Incubating Small Businesses--Summary

Entrepreneurship & Incubating Small Businesses–Summary

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INCUBATING SMALL BUSINESSES–Theme Group Summary

Local First Ithaca for the education of citizens and changes in local investing
Business Cents Program (AFCU) offers Community enterprise networking and training services
Development of “B” Corporations certification process-Supports businesses that hold and uphold social values
Big Red Microcapital-gives loans to small businesses and free business coaching
CLE offers back office support green energy, local food, green building, market and resource development
SEEN-Sustainable Enterprises and Entrepreneurs Network
Worker-owned cooperatives
Sustainable Tompkins’ Mini grant program
Danby land bank
Natural Leaders Initiative (NLI), a 10 week leadership support project
ELAB-aggregate and organize the scattered small business and start-up support systems
Groundswell Center-programs for new farmers and markets

-New farmer training

-Business planning course

-Farm enterprise incubator

Start LION: Local Investment Opportunity Network (idea: include not-for-profit in small business category)
Challenge state and federal policy impediments
Connect to state actors (politicos and bureaucrats)
Support youth/intergenerational work and work for differently abled people
Shift to local financing if we can. Find political support and funding in agriculture, technology, transportation, social ventures, and light manufacturing.
Develop entrepreneurial skill training for young people
Figure out how to support struggling businesses owned by AA, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans
Create a directory of businesses and small business services and distribute the information widely throughout our networks
Commit to asking entrepreneurs how they are doing

Recognize that the self-employed are often the lowest paid workers
A sense of accountability within the community and business community to support entrepreneurs and “make” them successful
Build informal networks and support systems
Consider micro-consignments
Develop a more holistic approach to economic development that studies and responds to “value chain” and filling gaps in the chain
Acknowledge that entrepreneurial labor is heavy lifting, one-on-one, high cost
Be willing to ask around to find others who know something about how to price risk, how to learn about the costs of capitalization, operations, and equipment v. the OLD HABIT of thinking “I have to reinvent it by myself”