Introduction to Microenterprise Development

1. Introduction to Microenterprise Development Elizabeth Wilson, Senior Director Association for Enterprise Opportunity

2. “In summoning people to match their talent and labor with small amounts of credit, micro-enterprise development meets low-income communities where they are, introducing new opportunities to create work, income and assets, and thereby affirming human worth and dignity.” Jack Litzenberg, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation “There is nothing better than being charge and responsible for your own future.” Jenny Smith, Drain Wizard, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Introduction Association for Enterprise Opportunity

3. 9:00 Introduction to Microenterprise, New Directions, Challenges to the Field 10:30 Break 10: 20 Program Design for 2009, Client characteristics, Marketing 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Training and TA, Pew Practices in Client Curriculum Development 2:00 Microlending, Microfinance, Microequity 3:00 Break 3:20 Funding, Technology Support Services for MDOs, Opportunities in the Stimulus Package for MDOs 4:00 Evaluation Services, Microtest 4:30 Q&A and Wrap up 5:00 Adjourn Agenda Association for Enterprise Opportunity

4. AEO’s Mission AEO supports the development of strong & effective U.S. MDOs to assist underserved entrepreneurs in starting, stabilizing, & expanding businesses. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

5. AEO’s Vision Underserved microentrepreneurs will have successful businesses, which will create wealth, assets and economic well-being for them and their families, resulting in healthy connected communities. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

6. AEO Organizational Capacity • In-Depth Knowledge of the Industry • Commitment to Low-Income Entrepreneurs • Comprehensive Training and Education • Effective Advocacy & Research • Special Public-Private Partnerships to Strengthen the Industry Association for Enterprise Opportunity

7. What is Microenterprise Development? An income generating strategy that helps low income people start or expand very small businesses Association for Enterprise Opportunity

8. Success Story: Noah’s Art Association for Enterprise Opportunity

9. Success Story: Noah’s Art Digitally combining photographs and rough geometric shapes, called fractals, Noah Trembly creates and sells original digital artwork. Noah’s father, a jewelry design artist, introduced him to painting and drawing as a boy, but Noah was more drawn to computers and the digital world of graphics. Early on, computers and technology became both a necessity and a blessing for Noah. Born with cerebral palsy, Noah is quadriplegic and mute, but technology has enabled him to unlock the full potential of his artistic creativity. Noah speaks using an electronic device that looks like a cross between a laptop computer and an old-fashioned compact telephone switchboard. He looks at a key or a phrase on the device and, after a few seconds, the device emits an audible voice. On the computer, Noah’s talents truly shine. He began studying graphic design in 1995 and continues to keep pace with the latest software and design techniques by attending workshops and seminars. “In the graphic design world today computers are the mainstream. This makes it possible for people with disabilities to work in graphic design. I mean, sitting in front of a computer all day is perfect for me,” says Noah. After working for a while in the graphic design and web development fields, Noah decided to dedicate himself to his art fulltime. Since 2004 he has worked as an independent artist, promoting his work online and at regional art shows. In 2008, Noah joined Art of Ohio, a networking and marketing community for select Ohio artists. Art of Ohio is supported by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) and the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACE Net). Through ACE Net, Noah was chosen to receive a $1,600 eBay Foundation Techquity award. Noah used that award and $400 of his own money to purchase a new computer with additional memory for his artwork and graphic software. With the help of ACE Net and Art of Ohio, Noah has been able to better focus on his target market. He has gotten his name out in the community and been able to network with other local artists. This year, he was part of Art of Ohio’s exhibit at Ohio University’s Multicultural Gallery. Two local newspapers have since written articles on Noah’s work and his involvement with Art of Ohio. The eBay Techquity award has allowed Noah to stay on the cutting edge by running the latest software programs and staying connected to the world. “Today’s computer world has given me a gift – the opportunity to convey my inner soul to humanity. In my world, art and technology are one. They blend together to form a new level of artistic expression. And, my website gives the world a link to me Association for Enterprise Opportunity

10. How MED Helps People • Creates income, assets and fulfills personal and family needs of microentrepreneurs. • Contributes to employment creation and local economic development. • Helps the poor work their way out of poverty, fulfill their dreams, contribute to their community. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

11. What are the roots of the MED field in the U.S.? • MED programs appeared in the mid-1980s as response to the changing structure of the economy & the failure of traditional business assistance & financial institution to respond to specific markets. • Professionals in poverty alleviation & community-based economic development began to consider self-employment programs as one approach to help people improve their economic & financial security. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

12. What are the roots of the MED field in the U.S.? • In the late 1980’s the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) a national organization that promotes asset-building & economic opportunity strategies, primarily in low-income & distressed communities, led the effort to create a national self-employment demonstration project. • CFED operated the Self-Employment Investment Demonstration (SEID) from 1988 to 1992, testing self-employment as a self-sufficiency strategy for welfare recipients. Also, the U.S. Department of Labor initiated demonstrated projects in the states of Washington and Massachusetts. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

13. What is a Microenterprise ? • A sole proprietorship, partnership, or family business that has fewer than five employees. • Small enough to benefit from loans under $35,000. • Too small or otherwise unable to access commercial banking services. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

14. What is a Microenterprise ? • Retailers • craft shops, florists, used clothing stores • Service suppliers • hairdressers, caterers, graphic design • Manufacturers • carpenters, craft artisans, bakers Association for Enterprise Opportunity

15. Profile of a person served by a microenterprise program: • Working poor • People caring for families • People with disabilities • Public assistance recipients • Immigrants and refugees • Recently unemployed Association for Enterprise Opportunity

16. ME Client Profile • 78 % women • 42% African American • 81% with no college degree • 47% with business sales under $1,000 per month • Median income of $26,227 for poor and non-poor clients Association for Enterprise Opportunity

17. Who Provides MED Services? • Microenterprise development agencies • Traditional business development agencies • Community economic development organizations • Employment & training organizations • Human services and faith based agencies • Target group focused organizations Association for Enterprise Opportunity

18. Success Story: The Vintage Shoppe Association for Enterprise Opportunity

19. Success Story: The Vintage Shoppe • Gretchen Gentsch started the vintage Shoppe as an offshoot of the Extend the Dream Foundation in October of 2006. Gretchen Gentsch, who suffers from depression, became a member and client of Extend the Dream Foundation prior to launching her business. She became affiliated with the organization, as they were a pioneering group in the initiative of helping individuals who are handicapped become business owners. She at first operated a clothing store and later decided to fulfill a long-standing dream of hers by branching off into selling antiques. However, she had no prior knowledge of how to attain or market her products. Through use of the HP equipment and the training offered, she said she got a more practical understanding of technology and gained tremendous knowledge in matters relating to the acquisition and marketing of antique products. She made special mention of a training done on utilizing the marketing tool EBay, which she found extremely helpful. Through the help she has gotten from Extend the Dream Foundation and her various successes she said she his happy and since opening her business she has not had a relapse of any depressive spell. She left with these words of advice and encouragement for anyone seeking to become an Entrepreneur: “Reach into the community around you and get their support, [but] also think self sufficient; have belief and be happy with what you created.” Association for Enterprise Opportunity

20. MED Program Goals Business Development Poverty Alleviation Employment Creation Empowerment Community EconomicDevelopment Association for Enterprise Opportunity

21. MED Program Profile • Average operating budget: $378,781 • Staff: 4.1 full-time staff members. • Target Market: poverty alleviation is a primary goal for most programs & 70% report that > 50% of their client’s household income was < 80% of the HUD median income for their location. • Gender: Fully 62% of the programs had a client base of more than 50% women. • Persons of Color: Fully 45% of the programs had a client base of more than 50% persons of color. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

22. MED Program Profile • Client load: On average, programs serve 362 participants, including 175 clients who received more significant levels of service. Programs make an average of 50 loans. • Capital: • The average capital available per agency was $595,492. Loan sizes are from $15,000-$25,000 • The average outstanding portfolio was $341,025. and 57% of total loan capital was outstanding to borrowers during FY 2002. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

23. MED Program Profile • Technical Assistance: the average number of clients served is 161 and the average number of hours of assistance is 14. • Business Training: the average number of clients served was 156 and the average number of hours of training was 43. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

24. What products & services do MED programs typically offer? Training & Technical assistance to help microentrepreneurs develop the skills they need to plan, market, & manage their own business. Typical curricula also include basic business financing and personal effectiveness (communication skills, time management and goal setting). Association for Enterprise Opportunity

25. Typical Skills Expected to be Learned by Clients of MED • Define and clarify the business vision • Identify the target market • Identify and assess competition • Develop a pricing strategy • Develop a marketing strategy and plan • Develop a sales technique • Develop sales and production cycles • Establish recordkeeping procedures Association for Enterprise Opportunity

26. Typical Skills Expected to be Learned by Clients of MED • Analyze business costs and make a budget • Make cash flow projections • Use break even analysis • Understand basic financial statements • Research and seek financing and funding • Computers: QuickBooks, Windows, Internet, • e-commerce • Access community resources and referrals • Understand & manage regulatory/ legal aspects • Understand and manage risks Association for Enterprise Opportunity

27. Fast Facts About Training and Technical Assistance Substantial numbers of low-income individuals start, stabilize and expand their businesses within 18 months of completing training. At four programs studied by Aspen, ownership increased by an average of 49 percent among those who entered training prior to business start-up. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

28. What Matters • Readiness for business • Financial skills development • Training styles • Training markers • Ongoing support services Association for Enterprise Opportunity

29. Microlending Capital in the form of individual or “peer” group loans from in-house loan funds or from collaborating banks provides disadvantaged entrepreneurs with financing for their businesses in affordable amounts and terms. Loans range from $500 to $25,000. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

30. Success Story: Big Cool Association for Enterprise Opportunity

31. Challenges of Micro-Lending • Microloans are small so the economics of lending require keeping the costs of analyzing, approving and administering loans low and maximizing interest and fee income to help cover those costs • Microloans are risky because borrowers have limited cash savings to make payments when cash flow from the business doesn’t materialize and few assets to use as collateral (a secondary source of repayment). Association for Enterprise Opportunity

32. Challenges of Micro-Lending Microlenders are different from traditional finance institutions in several ways: • Clients are low-income • The methodology is characters and cash flow based rather than collateral-based lending; • The portfolio is made up of many loans of small size, short maturities, and more volatile delinquency. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

33. Common Pitfalls of New Programs • Lack of standardized lending policies and underwriting guidelines, resulting in poor loan quality and high costs per loan. • Over-emphasis on character-lending and not enough focus on business cash flow • Insufficient focus on collections procedure resulting in high delinquency rates; and • Inadequate information on portfolio quality and poor risk management. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

34. Success Story: www.momswithspecialneeds.com Kathy George Foster Association for Enterprise Opportunity

35. Success Story: www.momswithspecialneeds.com Kathy R Foster Holmes-Bass is the founder of this company, www.momswithspecialneeds.com.  At the age  of 30, she lost her vision overnight to a severe bout of meningitis and encephalitis. At the time of this occurrence, in 1996, Kathy's older child George Bass was 3 years 10 days old and her younger child Foster Bass was two months two days old. Eight years later, in 2004, Kathy's life has been a journey of challenges, opportunities, laughs, and smiles. Since the loss of her sight, Kathy has been featured on a PBS documentary (1999). In 1999, Kathy was also hired blind as a adjunct faculty member where she taught a upper-division social work course to sighted students at a major university. After extensive rehabilitation training, Kathy was accepted and enrolled in a PhD program at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. She has successfully completed all her coursework in the School of Public Policy at the university and is currently working on her dissertation research in the area of Micro enterprises. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

36. Step-by-Step Functions • Understand your clients and their need for credit. • Design loan products that meet their needs and acceptable risk as a lender. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

37. Step-by-Step Functions • Make Good Loans -- Develop clear loan policies and underwriting guidelines; -- Screen applicants carefully and design a good loan application; -- Assess loan applications to understand the borrower and the business -- Review/approve loans -- Close and disburse loans Association for Enterprise Opportunity

38. Step-by-Step Functions • Manage the loan fund prudently • Periodically review program outcomes and efficiency and revise and modify for improvement. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

39. CASE STUDY • Toni of Toni’s Touch of Class Florist has completed your organization’s Entrepreneurial Training Program and has come to your loan review committee in January for an $8000 loan to expand her business. She is requesting the funds for inventory and flowers for Valentine’s Day. She has just signed on with the Teleflora wire service and she expects to double her sales this season. She grosses $80,000/year and has one part-time floral designer. She recently moved her business from a flea market to a storefront and had a 3 year lease. Personally, she has gone through many difficulties and a divorce which caused her to file bankruptcy two years ago. She has a business plan, but no financial statements. She also has several corporate customers who have provided her with letters of recommendation. • Would your committee give Toni a loan? If so, why? If not, why? Association for Enterprise Opportunity

40. Additional Service: Economic Literacy and Financial Education • Many practitioners also offer financial education training and counseling to help clients • Reach immediate financial goals • Become long-term savers and asset owners • Plan for their financial future & well-being • Make effective financial management decisions Association for Enterprise Opportunity

41. Funding MED Programs Association for Enterprise Opportunity

42. Funding Sources Association for Enterprise Opportunity

43. The Stimulus Package • Zero capital gains rate for small business - Obama will eliminate all capital gains taxes on investments made in small and start-up businesses. Unlike McCain, who wants to give $200 billion in new tax cuts to the largest and most profitable businesses, Obama wants to cut taxes for the small businesses that create jobs. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

44. The Stimulus Package • Temporary tax incentives to encourage investment in jobs -Obama will give small businesses additional incentive to make investments and start creating jobs again by providing temporary business tax incentives through 2009. This will be accomplished, in part, by the extension of IRS code section 179 expense deduction to $250,000 which now expires in December 2008. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

45. The Stimulus Package • New tax credits for employee health care costs - The Obama Small Business Health Tax Credit will provide a refundable credit of up to 50% on premiums paid by small businesses on behalf of their employees and to small businesses with no employees. • Opportunity: Never has the industry been in a better time and place. • Microenterprise is being seen as an economic tool for businesses and the community as well as for the individual. • 2) Incoming administration vs. the outgoing administration. • Opportunity: The outgoing administration was hostile towards the field, attempting to eliminate programs specifically deigned by the field, and making significant reductions on other programs. The new administration is favorable towards the field, what we do, who we serve, how we can do it better and for more individuals and communities. • We must focus on program efficiency, be results orientated, and gather and share our data so that the programs are proven to be a good investment for federal dollars Association for Enterprise Opportunity

46. The Stimulus Package • 3) Congress • Opportunity: On the verge of program eliminations we have instead been able to maintain and in some cased grow the support and resources for federal programs. • Including PRIME, SBA microloan and the Women’s business Center, and CDFI • 4) Other: • CDFI Stimulus request, and is also supporting the Rural Economic Development Council’s request for funding through the Farm bill at $21 million. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

47. Does Microenterprise work? What has the microenterprise industry achieved? The short answer is “yes” – the strategy does work. Microenterprise development is a cost-effective strategy for helping a specific niche of low-income people stabilize and increase income and assets, create jobs in local communities, reduce dependency on public assistance, and more fully realize their personal and professional potential. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

48. Fast Facts About Business Ownership • In a longitudinal study of low-income entrepreneurs, the survival rate of micro businesses after five years was 49 % - comparable to the survival rate for businesses with similar characteristics & owners. • More than half - 53 percent - of the poor entrepreneurs in that study had household gains large enough to move out of poverty. For those individuals, their move over the poverty line was an economic change of huge magnitude; in most households, family income nearly doubled over the five-year study period. Association for Enterprise Opportunity

49. Empowerment & Community Development • Increased self-esteem, control over key life decisions, sense of security, support networks, skills. • Increased community networks, economic activity in communities, security, image Association for Enterprise Opportunity

50. Cost-Effective Job Creation & Economic Development • Estimated cost of job created with MED support: $4,114 - $6,155 (comparable or slightly higher than JTPA) • Estimated for every $1 invested in MED returns $2.5 (income for owners & employees, asset growth, reduction in public assistance, unemployment insurance costs, increased tax revenues. Association for Enterprise Opportunity