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Published bySheryl Anderson Modified over 9 years ago
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My original questions in 2004 – Is rural Kentucky entrepreneurial-friendly? Is there a culture that values and helps entrepreneurs emerge and prosper?
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What I Learned from My Research? Lack of community support for “new ideas” or entrepreneurship; Lack of regional identity; focus on local counties; Lack of grass-roots entrepreneurial leaders and coaches; Limited understanding of resources for entrepreneurs; Limited networking among natural coaches; Lack of training for local leaders to become advocates and coaches; Limited understanding of entrepreneurial culture ; Hidden entrepreneurial culture exists. People care about their community People want to learn more about entrepreneurship
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What can we do to strengthen the foundation for an entrepreneurial culture in rural Kentucky? Response: Start with the local leaders (bankers, barbers, bartenders... elected leaders, entrepreneurs, farmers, homemakers, retailers, retired people).
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Build a Leadership Program Recruitment: grass roots leaders in region. Competitive process. Benefits: All expenses paid. Stature and skills, knowledge and network enhanced. Travel and growth.
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Set high expectations: Must want to improve community and build entrepreneurial culture WITH others. Must attend all seminars and travel experiences – 22 days over a 16 month period. Must do homework between sessions – interviews, regional projects Must donate hours back to region after graduation.
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Next Step: What are the skills, knowledge, and attitudes we want to nurture among grass-roots leaders in the region to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture? Responses came from rural entrepreneurship experts and from almost 200 people in the region.
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Overall goals: Stimulate the imagination of local leaders and give them tools to lay the foundation for an entrepreneurial culture. Give them the venue to create a regional identity, build a strong support network and insist that they make change. Make rural Kentucky the most entrepreneurial-friendly culture in rural America
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What do we want to nurture in entrepreneurial leaders?
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Stimulate imagination—see and meet entrepreneurs from a variety of perspectives. Creativity – Create in groups. What should they learn?
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Learn about appreciative inquiry and how to apply it. The question: What’s working well? Why? Gratitude committee.
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What the Economic Development consultant saw were problems: “Windy roads” “Rolling terrain” “Sparse population” “Only strategy: Connect to other places” Elliott County, KY
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“Windy roads are scenic” “Rolling terrain is interesting” “We have dramatic gorges, clear trout streams and nationally-known folk artists, e.g., Minnie Adkins” “Located near Natural Bridge State Park which receives 1 million visitors a year!” Another View Local Leaders, Elliott County
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Scenic Roadways
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Folk Art, Barn Mural
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Natural Beauty, Trout Streams
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Know thyself and others in the team: Natural leadership styles: (Gallup) strengths, limitations, team gaps Natural Listening Styles Asking probing questions
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The Importance of Emotions For Learning “You change people by delight. You change people by pleasure” - St. Thomas Aquinas, 13 th Century Mystic and Philosopher
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Create sense of belonging and connection; Share rooms, meals, rides. Small groups Hospitality Problem-solving Developing shared visions
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Appreciation of local culture – artistic interludes – poetry, music, dance, farm to table meals.
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Entrepreneurial coaching “across the kitchen table” building a relationship with an entrepreneur by asking questions over 5-7 sessions to create a business plan involving competitive advantage, marketing research and sales projections, finances, management team needs, partnerships and other issues. no advice or judgment.
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Making it visceral: Every participant must coach an entrepreneur Mini- grants for practical experiences. Regional teams form to stimulate entrepreneurship during 6 month period - youth entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial contests about waste products, entrepreneurship centers in local libraries, policy work with government leaders
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Expand awareness of entrepreneurial support network in region and nation – conversations with key providers. Business GovernmentCivic life
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What local, state and national policies limit and encourage an entrepreneurial culture or mind-set?
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National or international rural entrepreneurship mobile tour: We’re not alone. How other rural area compete and nurture entrepreneurship Importance of global markets
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So what? Individual and group reflections – especially, about mini- grant teams and lessons learned from the experience.
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Donated over 9,000 hours to the community and region; Made 758 presentations to groups and organizations; Launched 68 entrepreneurial-friendly community initiatives; Coached 486 individuals or teams; Created 224 new jobs as part of coaching efforts (valued at approximately, $8,151,360 for a one year period ) Saved 42 jobs as part of coaching efforts (valued at approximately, $1,528,380 for a one year period)
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Over 68 entrepreneurial-friendly community initiatives have been launched including youth entrepreneurship in schools, entrepreneurial contests, new networks, incubators in rural areas, entrepreneurial help centers in rural libraries. ... and a tight network of 115 volunteer grass- roots leaders who are committed to strengthening entrepreneurship in the region.
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Ongoing commitment: Alumni seminars every six months Volunteer commitment for 2 year minimum
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