Download - Southern Entrepreneurship Program
SOUTHERN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
Master Teacher of Entrepreneurship (MTEnt) ProgramJames B. WilcoxCenter for Economic and Entrepreneurship EducationThe University of Southern Mississippi
Overview of the Training Program Day 1 – Entrepreneurship
Fundamentals Southern Entrepreneurship Program Objectives State Entrepreneurship Curriculum What is Entrepreneurship? STAR Profile Recognizing Opportunity Building Local Coalitions Building Business Plans Assessment
Overview of the Training Program Day 2 – The Competitive Advantage
The Building Blocks of Business Types of Businesses Return on Investment Supply and Demand Innovation and Entrepreneurship Developing a Competitive Strategy Customer Service Civic Responsibility Business Plan Review 30-Second Business Plan Presentation (The
Elevator Pitch) Assessment
Overview of the Training Program Day 3 – Marketing and the Business
Plan Working with Mentors Understanding Effective Marketing Advertising and Publicity Successful Selling International Opportunities The Exit Strategy Working with Local Boards/Business Plan
Review Engaging Entrepreneurs in the Classroom 3-Minute Business Plan Presentation Assessment
Overview of the Training Program Day 4 – Business Finance
QuickBooks Business Financing Cash Flow Investing Insurance Protecting Your Credit Panel Discussion: “Where’s the Money?” (Debt
and Equity Financing) 7-Minute Business Plan Presentation Assessment
Overview of the Training Program Day 5 – Corporations and
Management Incorporation Taxes Franchising Doing Business Day-to-Day Managing Employees Assessment
Expectations for the Course
Instructor On time, on task, and on board
Participants ?
State of Mississippi and MCEE Pass the five MTEnt assessments Create and submit two lesson plans (TOY
award at annual MCEE Forum) Participation in two additional
programs/trainings IC3 ?
Today
Day 1 – Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Southern Entrepreneurship Program
Objectives State Entrepreneurship Curriculum What is Entrepreneurship? STAR Profile Recognizing Opportunity Building Local Coalitions Building Business Plans Assessment
SOUTHERN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM“BUILDING FUTURES, CHANGING LIVES”
SEP Overview
Why? The Mid-South Region has a long history
Pervasive poverty (United States Census Bureau, 2008) U. S. 12.7% Alabama 16.1% Arkansas 15.6% Louisiana 19.2% Mississippi 19.3%
Less-skilled workforce Most of the region’s businesses have fewer
than 50 employees or less
SEP Overview
Why? The Mid-South Region has a long history
Educational underachievement Brain drain Manufacturing Decline – from 21% to 10%
from 2000-2010
SEP Overview
Why? Project background
Result of work started at Delta State University
No youth were involved in entrepreneurship programs in the region
Ready and willing partners existed
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What? High school-based program
Capitalized on existing core classes: Personal Finance Entrepreneurship
SEP Overview
Piloted in 4 high schools in 2007-2008 Hattiesburg Petal Gulfport Laurel
Expanded to 8 schools in 2008 Expanded to 16 schools in 2009 Expanded to over 20 schools in 2010When?
During the regular school year
SEP Overview
Program implementation Met with school superintendents, boards,
principals, and teachers (top-down, bottom-up)
Generated support from local communities Economic development organizations Chambers Civic organizations
Started with a lot of faith and phone calls
SEP Overview
Program Objectives – Objective 1 Identify one or two classes of fifteen
students per school district to participate in the nine-month training program Juniors preferred
School districts engage in training using existing classes—entrepreneurship and personal finance
Each school and partner encouraged to make it “your” program
SEP Overview
Program Objectives – Objective 1 “Embedded” Entrepreneurship concept
(Lauer, 2005) results: Strong economic ties Strong community network Development of a small business network Promotion of local business development
SEP Overview
Outcomes – Objective 1 In 2007-2008, of the four schools, 64 of 70
students that started the program finished it (91%) Only two dropped out in a state that has a 38%
dropout rate (Mississippi Department Education, 2008)
In 2008-2009, no students dropped out of the program or school
In 2009-2010, no students dropped out of the program or school
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Outcomes – Objective 1 Seven businesses functioning (2007-08) Fourteen businesses functioning (2008-09) Twenty-four businesses functioning (2009-
10) Additional certifications needed
Nearly half of the high school students indicated that they no longer wanted to be entrepreneurs
SEP Overview
Outcomes – Objective 1 Ice Cream marketing
Tropical Concoctions (strawberry daiquiri sherbet)
College Connections (based on college colors)
Death By…. (dark chocolate ice cream from Hell)
Peanut Butter Heaven (ice cream sandwich)
Southern Belle (vanilla bean, red velvet bon bons)
SEP Overview
Program Objectives – Objective 2 Provide entrepreneurship training to the
participants Program includes basic accounting and
marketing training and also results in the development of a business plan
SEP Overview
Outcomes – Objective 2 Student readiness for core testing in the
high school program and for participation in business competitions
Guest lecturers Entrepreneurs Representatives from financial institutions Business development professionals
(incubator directors and Small Business Development Center representatives)
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Outcomes – Objective 2 New networks Presentation skills FBLA entrepreneurship competition
Gulfport HS – 2nd place in state competition
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Program Objectives – Objective 3 Provide students with QuickBooks
training enabling them to be more effective in their fledgling business efforts
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Outcomes– Objective 3 Students created accounts for their
fictional and actual businesses 2 schools used student-run businesses
established in the high schools Students used QuickBooks to monitor
sales, track inventory, and issue purchase orders
Bootstrapping contest was born
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Program Objectives – Objective 4 Increase the likelihood of new
entrepreneur success by engaging existing business leaders who serve as mentors for the program participants Ideally, program participants are partnered
with mentors in similar business fields
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Outcomes – Objective 4Fall – “Getting Connected”
What is entrepreneurship? Who are entrepreneurs?
Winter – “I Am My Own Boss!” Getting funded Staying in business
Spring – “Building My Future, Today” Business plan competition
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Program Objectives – Objective 5 Provide stimulants for new business
development by providing program graduates opportunities to obtain private funding options Participants present business plans
constructed in the program to panels of funders for funding consideration
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Outcomes– Objective 5 Business plan competitions for high school
students were held with awards and support services provided to award winners
One business plan per high school received one year’s free rent and services at local business incubator This will hopefully continue with future
program participants as available.
SEP Overview
Outcomes– Objective 5 (cont.) Business plan competition (2007-2008)
Uniform Corner Sea Flight The Snow Shack
Uniform Corner
Sea Flight
The Snow Shack
SEP Overview
Outcomes– Objective 5 (cont.) Business plan competition (2008-2009)
The Stained Rainbow i-Cook Fat Daddy’s Seafood H & A Enterprises
The Stained Rainbow
i-Cook
Fat Daddy’s Seafood
H & A Enterprises
SEP Overview
Outcomes– Objective 5 (cont.) Business plan competition (2009-2010)
Bay City Lawn Service Personalize MarkIT Boards by Kristen Formalities Tuxedo Wear O.W.L.S.
Bay City Lawn Service
Personalize MarkIT Boards by Kristen
Formalities Tuxedo Wear
O.W.L.S.
SEP Overview
Outcomes– Objective 5 (cont.) Business plan competition (2010-2011)
HairDo Headbands Petal Afterschool Program BPace Productions Simply Sunless: Custom Airbrush Tanning
HairDo Headbands
Petal Afterschool Program
BPace Productions
Simply Sunless: Custom Airbrush Tanning
SEP Overview
Program Objectives – Objective 6 Conduct on-going evaluation efforts
throughout the program development and implement processes to assure that all tasks in the effort are completed in an efficient and effective manner
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Outcomes – Objective 6 Evaluation measures
Pretests Posttests Results to be distributed back to the schools
and to the communities Results used for program enhancement
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Outcomes – Objective 6 www.theSEP.org
Designed with the students and participants’ assistance
Created with the end user in mind Highly adaptable Best practices
SEP Overview
Program Objectives – Objective 7 Enhance and sustain the work of SEP
partners by enhancing their ability to maintain an ongoing entrepreneurial development program with local funds
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Outcomes– Objective 7 SEP began with no external funding Any external funds identified were used to
augment the ongoing efforts Funds were raised from the business
community Support the schools’ attendance at SEP
symposiums Purchase texts
Additional symposium sponsorships
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Outcomes– Objective 7 Sustained financial support
Line-item budget Additional support will continue to be
sought at the local level from the business community
Affiliated with the Mississippi Council on Economic Education (MCEE) and Mississippi Department of Education
Why SEP and Why Now?
What does it take to be involved? Teacher(s) Texts Training Commitment from project partners Willing students Travel to symposiums/workshops Identification of mentors
Why SEP and Why Now?
Why will SEP work? Ready need Ready support from government, business,
educational, and civic organizations “Let’s be honest—it’s dang sexy.” - Brent
Hales Students get it
Use of electronic media
Why SEP and Why Now?
Can SEP work for me? Use of regional partners
Community Colleges WIRED* Initiative – The Montgomery
Institute Economic Development Organizations Chambers School Boards Media
*Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development
Why SEP and Why Now?
Lessons Learned People/entities want to help Involvement of regional partners Networks matter Involvement of mentors Economic development organizations First generation college students
Seniors dually enrolled in community college Higher educational expectations
Resources / Inputs
Resources provided by Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education (CEEE)/USM
Capital: My/Brent’s time Graduate Assistant Travel to sites for in-class participation Assistance for retreats Telecommunications and printing