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Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture/Community

Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture/Community. Dr. Deborah M. Markley Co-Director RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. Unique Challenges to Rural Entrepreneurship. Culture often does not support entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs are isolated from peers and mentors – networking difficult

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Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture/Community

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  1. Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture/Community Dr. Deborah M. Markley Co-Director RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship 7th Annual National Value-Added Ag Conference Indianapolis, Indiana June 16-17, 2005

  2. Unique Challenges to Rural Entrepreneurship • Culture often does not support entrepreneurship • Entrepreneurs are isolated from peers and mentors – networking difficult • Entrepreneurs fly below the radar screen of local economic development officials • Rural communities “waiting to be saved” – dependency alive and well • Need to take a portfolio approach to investing in entrepreneurship - challenging

  3. Why create an entrepreneurial culture/community? • Entrepreneurs thrive in a supportive environment • In a supportive culture, leaders accept losses that WILL occur but continue support for entrepreneurship anyway • Outcomes from entrepreneurship occur over the long term – need a culture of entrepreneurship to stay in the game for the long haul

  4. How to create an entrepreneurial culture/community • Leadership • Youth engagement • Celebrate Success • Learning from others

  5. Leadership • Broad based: immigrants, women, new arrivals, young people • Involve entrepreneurs: “by and for entrepreneurs”, engage them where they are • Engage community in strategy development: seek input; share results • Policy change: entrepreneur-friendly policies send a message (e.g., zoning for home-based businesses)

  6. Example: Georgia’s Entrepreneur Friendly Communities • Statewide, community-based Entrepreneur Network (ENet): GA Tech in partnership with state ED • Community process to establish entrepreneur support program: review visit to determine E Readiness; strongly focused on assets • Learning network of E Friendly communities

  7. Example: Home Town Competitiveness • Leaders are made, not born • Ord Nebraska: Leadership Quest program • Formal, skill building program: 20-25 people annually (including youth) • Meet monthly for 9 months • More people running for office, working on community projects, serving on boards • Recognized by Nebraska as top rural development strategy in 2003

  8. Youth Engagement • View youth as change agents • Leadership (as in HTC) • Entrepreneurship education in schools, after school programs • Need to move from “teacher driven” to institutionalized approach • Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education national standards

  9. Examples: Curriculum and WV Dreamquest • Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL): curriculum for K-16; experiential learning (www.realenterprises.org) • Mini-Society: 8-12 year olds; experiential (www.minisociety.org) • WV Dreamquest: high school business plan competition (www.wvdreamquest.com) • 1st year, over 150 students participated

  10. Celebrate Success • Celebrate to reinforce cultural change (news stories about entrepreneurship) • Celebrate to maintain and build momentum (highlight successful entrepreneurs, E of the year) • Celebrate to influence policy makers (joint ribbon cuttings) • Encourage innovation (business plan competitions, youth entrepreneurship awards)

  11. Example: Fairfield Iowa’s Entrepreneurs’ Association • FEA created in 1989 – by and for entrepreneurs (mentoring, networking, seminars, “boot camp for entrepreneurs”) • Celebrate E of the year, E Hall of Fame, new start ups • Over 20 years: created 2,000 jobs; tripled per capita income; rank in top 5 in per capita charitable giving; “Silicorn Valley;” headquarters location for 50 companies

  12. Where do you begin? • Important to get started – don’t need elaborate strategy to write a story or feature entrepreneurs at a chamber dinner • There are tools and resources available – coming soon! E2 Energizing Entrepreneurs: Charting a Course for Rural Communities • Visit our website – www.ruraleship.org

  13. Right now… • Start by networking • Find one person in this room who you DO NOT KNOW • Introduce yourself and ask what is happening in his/her hometown to encourage entrepreneurship or to build an entrepreneurial community • Share what you are doing in your community • Exchange business cards, follow up!

  14. For More Information • Deb Markley • dmarkley@nc.rr.com • Don Macke • don@ruraleship.org • Brian Dabson • brian@rupri.org • www.ruraleship.org

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