KY Living Magazine Plugs Entrepreneurship and KECI

Here's what the piece is about, in a quick snip:

Encouraging more Kentuckians to start up small businesses is a key feature of our state's post-tobacco economic development efforts. Successful small businesses pay taxes on their earnings, increase property values, and contribute a sense of vitality wherever they spring up. Helping these businesses start up, then grow and develop strong roots within their communities, takes a special focus.

[Some already have] experience as business owners. But what about the men and women who've always worked for someone else? How can someone make the move from employee to entrepreneur?

Being self-employed or becoming the boss of your own company with employees is a big change. Having a good idea for a new product or service isn't enough--you'll need a lot more to get your idea to the people who want it and will pay for it. Even if you're smart about your industry or know how to do something unique, you might not know how to think like a business manager, or how to make the right connections to money, or where to go to get other information vital to your success.

Fortunately, there are numerous entrepreneurial programs across Kentucky offering assistance... [including the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute].

And here's the part about KECI and some of the work I did w/ Rednour Properties:

The Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute trains volunteer community leaders to help aspiring independent businessmen and women develop realistic plans and achieve their goals. This innovative program operated in 19 counties in northeastern Kentucky when it began in 2004. It has since been expanded to include more than 20 additional counties in south-central Kentucky in cooperation with The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.

Each year, a new group of coaches receives training that equips them to help beginning entrepreneurs fine-tune their business plans and get them ready to turn their ideas into reality. Each coach meets with three to six entrepreneurs eight to 10 times each year for face-to-face discussions; coaches are also available for phone conferences and e-mail conversations.

Johnathan Gay, director of Morehead State University's Innovation Center, learned the finer points of business coaching as a member of the first Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute class in 2004-2005. Gay says, "Here at the MSU Innovation Center, many of our clients are developing businesses that are based on technology to try to grow a new economy in eastern Kentucky." Gay's clients are typically attempting to commercially develop some new form of technology, such as a new software program or invention, so he helps them find ways to protect such intellectual property.

In addition to his duties at Morehead, Gay continues to serve as an entrepreneurial coach. Although he frequently advises entrepreneurs with high-tech products and services, he also has time for more traditional business ventures.

In 2004, Ritchie Rednour of Clay City connected with Gay. "I was just a small-time real estate investor back then," Rednour recalls. "For several years, I'd owned some mobile homes and single-family homes that I rented to people, then I bought a multi-family unit. I decided I wanted to take things to the next level and grow my business."

Starting with 55 rental units and five employees in three counties, just five years later Rednour's business now includes 2,200 rental units and 72 employees in 21 counties.

Such rapid growth was not always easy or smooth, and Rednour credits the Coaches Institute with helping him stick to his plans. "A lot of folks have a false impression of what business is like," Rednour says. "They think you just rake in the money all the time, but it isn't that easy. It's important to have someone in your community who can give advice and provide moral support, that extra encouragement you need that will keep you going along. Some people give up just at the moment when they're poised for success, and the Coaches Institute helped me see that more than anybody." Instead of being discouraged, Rednour and Gay figured out ways to keep developing the business.

Kentucky Direct Marketing Conference

There is a great conference late this week by the Office of Agricultural Marketing & Product Promotion ..........................The 2008 Kentucky Direct Marketing Conference . See link for details

http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/dmc/


Mark Sievers
www.thesieverscompany.com

Entrepreneurship Arises Through Necessity in Rural Iowa Community

“We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest.” Orison Swett Marden

Newton, Iowa made national headlines in 2005 when the community’s largest employer, the Maytag Corporation, announced its intent to sell the company. This is a story that rural communities in Kentucky have known all too well in recent years. During the months following the announcement the community found itself at a crossroads. They could accept this reality and begin to work proactively to create new opportunities for a highly-skilled workforce or they could toss their hands in the air and embrace a why me attitude and wait for the silver lining. Out of necessity, several individuals in the community rose to the challenge.

One such individual was Jordan Bruntz, of Springboard Engineering. Bruntz is a former Maytag laundry R&D team leader who worked with a team of highly-skilled individuals who remained dedicated to the Newton community in the wake of this transitional period. “The conditions to start a business were perfect. It was the perfect storm and we had nothing to lose,” recalled Bruntz who approached several of his team members about branching out and opening their own business during the transitional period after Maytag’s announcement. Through this decision to create Springboard Engineering, the quest for funding, establishment of the company, and its continued growth, Bruntz has remained true to the values instilled in him at an early age, growing up on his family’s dairy farm. From his experience on the farm Bruntz learned the value of hard work and the joy that comes with such efforts, that nothing goes to wasted and that he has a responsibility to take care of his family and friends. These three themes continue to guide Bruntz and his work with Springboard. For him, entrepreneurship is about much more than financial gain. Entrepreneurship is about taking care of the people around him.

Chris Barton, a young entrepreneur in Newton, has also come to embody this way of life. “An entrepreneur is anybody that is willing to do what it takes. I come up with ideas and I’m going to do what it takes and not let up,” emphasized young entrepreneur Chris Barton of Newton, Iowa. “I’m not doing this to make money. I’m doing this because I love it,” said Barton who has embraced and begun to the live the philosophies of competitive advantage, creativity, risk, and care for the people around him well before the age of 35. He has a keen understanding of the assets that exist within his community and ways that he can tap into and serve global markets.

Another example of care for the people in the community and entrepreneurship roots is seen in that of Maytag Dairy Farms. The farm was started in 1919 in the community had has evolved to be a worldwide competitor in the cheese industry. They are best-known for their blue cheese which has been recognized by US Presidents. Maytag Dairy has remained true to his roots and has chosen not to automate the process. Instead, each wedge of cheese is handled with care by members of the community. This is Maytag Dairy Farms competitive advantage.

These are merely a few shining examples of the innovation that exists within the Newton community that the South Central Kentucky KECI Fellows saw during thier E-Communities Tour of Iowa. Throughout the past five years this community has seen and embraced more change than many do in a decade. This change has not come easily or; rather, it has evolved out of necessity. However, many powerful lessons are to be learned from this experience. As community leaders we must question what it will take for our communities to become more entrepreneurial-friendly and continue to strive to create environments in which entrepreneurs thrive. After all, isn’t it the people that matter in the end? The Newton community would argue so.

Agritourism trip to give guests Appalachian experience

By Katie Pratt

SANDY HOOK, Ky., (August 20, 2008) – With its natural beauty, vibrant history and colorful locals, the Appalachian culture has intrigued people for many years, but unless individuals have ties to the area, they likely have never experienced it. That is about to change. During the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 4, visitors will get a slice of life tucked in the hills of eastern Kentucky through a multi-county bus tour focused on agritourism.

The bus tour is the first such venture by the Eastern Kentucky Foothills Eco-Agritourism Corporation, a group comprised of community and business leaders from Carter, Elliott, Morgan, Menifee and Wolfe counties.

“Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute offered a mini project about new opportunities on the farm through agritourism and alternative crops, and these were some of the counties that were interested in it,” said Gwenda Adkins, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension family and consumer science agent in Elliott County. Possessing a background in environmental education and tourism, Adkins has served as an advisor to the group since its formation.

These counties’ economies largely were dependent on tobacco revenues. In the post-buyout period, community leaders see agritourism as an opportunity to generate money for the local economy and educate others about the area’s heritage while helping local farmers diversify their operations.

“We had to do something to help the local farmers,” said Raymond Hurst, Wolfe County judge executive and the board’s chairman. “If this is successful, it could be a big boost to them and the local economy.”

The six-day tour will feature many stops unique to eastern Kentucky including bluegrass music, talented folk artists and craftsmen, historical reenactments and dramatic views of the mountains, gorges and waterfalls. They will also visit farms that produce a variety of agricultural commodities. Unique agricultural stops include a sorghum farm, miniature horse farm and Mountain View Farm in Ezel, one of the largest mule farms in the United States.

The tour also will highlight local businesses. Guests will stay at local hotels or bed-and-breakfasts and shop at local stores that offer a wide variety of crafts and antiques. They will also eat local cuisine, much of which was grown in the area. One of the dining highlights is the Smokey Valley Truck Stop in Olive Hill, featured on the Food Network’s program, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

On Sept. 29, guests will board a bus in Louisville and Lexington and travel to Carter Caves State Resort Park in Carter County where the tour begins.

Space is limited, and slots are available on first come, first served basis. For more information or to register for the tour, contact Hurst at 606-668-3040.

- 30 –

Writer: Katie Pratt, 859-257-8774

UK College of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension to enhance the lives of Kentuckians.

Artists Are Entrepreneurs Too!

Artists are entrepreneurs too!!!

Adrian Swain Curator of the Kentucky Folk Art Center says "Jo Ann Butts is an original and creative folk artist. Her work is colorful and often carries an undercurrent of self-effacing humor. Jo Ann’s work has been selected for use in several temporary exhibitions at Kentucky Folk Art Center. As a member of the broader community of folk artists in Elliott County, Jo Ann Butts executes original work that seems to have remained largely uninfluenced by the many other artists who surround her".

“When I was a child we didn’t have a lot of money so we made our toys. Sometimes it was a piece of wood and we would whittle it into something to play with. That’s where I first started my art”.

This is the story told by Jo Ann Butts of Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Her art depicts native critters she has watched in her yard and in the woods growing up as a child and as an adult. Her inspiration comes from nature. “I like to sit on the porch and watch the birds in the spring” she said. “The little robins get a worm in their beak and they pull and pull until they get it out of the ground. Its so fun to watch them because they bob their heads back and forth just fighting with that worm until they win the battle, or the work gets lose and escapes back into the ground. Then they walk around until they find another one”.

Jo Ann’s signature pieces are roosters and hens. “They were always walking around on the farm and early in the morning that old rooster would crow and wake everyone up then we would have fresh eggs for breakfast” she said.

Her brilliant choice of colors and the whimsical characterizations make her work one of a kind. “I didn’t know my work was art until one day Minnie Adkins said ‘Jo Ann you should sell your work. What you are doing is folk art and a lot of people collect folk art’”. Minnie bought the first piece I ever sold. The next thing I knew I had a booth during A Day in The Country at the Morehead Folk Art Center”.

Jo Ann’s latest piece is a squirrel. “Not many people realize the squirrel uses its big bushy tail as shade from the sun and shelter from the rain” she said. Her smiling squirrel sits with a nut ready to eat and the bushy tail over its head.

Joann, an Elliott county folk artist who sells her work across the country, paints as well as carves. Her latest painting is a 12’X30’ mural on a barn. “It’s what the back porch and back yard of my home looked like when I was growing up” she explained.

Saturday Josh and I drove to Newfoundland to take a picture of the latest mural being painted on a barn. We were pleasantly greeted by the artist, Joann Buts. As we looked at the mural we noticed the boards of the barn overlap to create a perfect row of shingles for the roof of the back porch. “And look” said Joann Butts “the door of the out house is locked from the inside. You can tell because the outside button is pointing up. Yep, someone’s in there”, she said.

The back porch of the yellow house displays a wringer washer; a #2 washtub hangs on the wall, there’s a churn for making butter, and a washboard with a cake of lie soap at the top for treating those tough stains. Among other items used in everyday life on the farm is a lantern. “Everyone used a lantern”, she said. “It was dark going to the out-house at night so a lantern hangs right there on the porch post to use on nights when the moon doesn’t light the way.”

A path of stone leads the way to the out-house. “See the rooster on top of the toilet, yep he crowed every morning. He woke us up early every day”. She said.

Joann sits atop scaffolding with giant umbrellas shading her from the sun. “A humming bird came to the lilac bush” she said as she pointed to the flowering shrub growing beside the back porch. “And the other day, I was just sittin’ here painting and a butterfly lit right on that holly hock” she said with a grin. And as real as the sun in the sky, hens, roosters and baby chicks call the yard home.

A bucket attached to a chain sits on the well box reminding everyone of the days when frost would make the chain stick to little hands who had to draw water for household uses.

The brightly colored rendition of “The Back Yard” has drawn attention by passers by. “People are always stopping to tell me I’m doing a good job” she said. And sure enough, while we were talking, a truck with two young boys in the back stopped to compliment Joan on her work. “It looks just like where I grew up” said the driver of the truck. But it was the blond hair and blue eyes peeping over the bed of the truck that won Joann’s heart “I like that house” he said and waved as the truck pulled away. “Keep Up the good work” the driver of the truck said.

Joann was painting quilts on a clothesline as we walked away. Just before we left she pointed to a quilt on the line and said, “This is my quilt”. With a smile she looked at Josh and said “I have one just like it at home. Its grandmother’s fan”, she explained. Joann painted quilts hanging on the line to compliment The Clothesline of Quilts project.

As you find each little butterfly and baby chick be sure to notice Grandma with her hair pulled in a bun, hanging Grandpa’s long-johns on the clothesline.

Joann is painting the mural on Steve Gray’s barn just a bit after turning on 32 from Route Seven at Newfoundland. It’s a great cultural rendition of life in earlier years. Even if you don’t have a trip planned around route 32 its worth a short drive to see the mural. Thanks to Johnny Porter for the use of his scaffolding. It made painting the mural possible.

Funding for the mural was gained through a grant from the W. Paul and Lucille Caudill Little Foundation.

Institute Gathers at Horseshoe Bend

Just past where the blacktop ends you'll find a hidden treasure in Kentucky's up and coming wine scene. Go off the beaten path in Willisburg, KY and spend an afternoon at Horseshoe Bend Vineyard and Winery with the Karsner family, just as the Fellows and Alumni of the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute did last weekend.

Our outing at Horseshoe Bend brought together members of the current class of Fellows and alumni group for an afternoon of great food, wine and networking. There's so much to be shared among the Fellows from Northeastern and South Central Kentucky! Throughout the past four years we've seen many exciting developments and outgrowths of the Institute. Our alumni continue to give back to the region and push entrepreneurship while our current class is well on its way. We're glad to provide opportunites for the groups to connect, share ideas and develop partnerships as we work to make Kentucky the destination of choice for entrepreneurs. This is one of many collaborative efforts that will surface in the years to come.

So, if you were unable to join us at Horseshoe Bend last weekend I'd like to encourage you to take a "staycation" and visit the Karsner family one Saturday. The view alone is worth the drive! Horseshoe Bend was founded in Washington County in 1986 and has been opperating as a vineyard since 1997. The family began bottling wine a year and a half ago and have opened for tastings on Saturdays.

In the mean time, visit our social networking site (yes alumni, you'll be asked to join) and view some photos from the big day. You can view the album online at: http://kycoaches.ning.com/index.php/photo/photo/slideshow?albumId=2022249%3AAlbum%3A1941. We look forward to seeing you all again soon as we come together for an Alumni Event on September 10-11, 2008 in Maysville!

Don McNay Preaches the Virtues of Entrepreneurship

I spend quite a bit of time on these pages railing about the importance of entrepreneurship. Skills in small business (and enterprises in general) will be crucial for millions of American as our economy changes from one that favored big industry to one that smiles more brightly on small business. The reasons are simple: globalization and technology. Our economy is moving away from one that favored capital investment to one that favors human capital.

Don McNay gets that. Here are snips from his most recent op-ed, the entirety of which I strongly suggest folks read:

Every person in the financial world has skills that can be transferred to a business they own. Media people have a “brand name” with the public. Both groups can take the skills honed at large institutions and use them to make their own fortune.

Entrepreneurs in the next generations won’t have the opportunity of training at a large company. They will have to start business for themselves from day one, instead of learning their craft from experienced hands with vast resources.

[…]

In 1900, only 10 percent of Americans worked for large companies. The other 90 percent were self-employed farmers and shop owners. By 1970, the number of people working for large companies reached 90 percent.

It’s been dropping every year since 1970. We are on a steady march back to that 10 percent number. The recent economy is quickening that march.

So what do we do about it? McNay notes that it’s a challenge to prepare folks used to working for a big business to run their own business. But as he says: “it’s a challenge that must be met.”

But how? For starters, we need to get it. I really think that Governor Beshear gets it. (I'm not saying others didn't, but I think he gets it even more.) He preaches the gospel of growing Kentucky companies here in the state rather than recruiting them from elsewhere. If you read press releases from the Cabinet for Economic Development you’ll see that the Guv is relentlessly on message about the need to grow companies organically.

We should build on this kind of attitude. Pols should actively preach the virtues of that funny French word entre-pruh-neur-ship. That’s important. Because an entrepreneur is more than a small business owner. An entrepreneur is someone who creates new enterprises, taps new markets, does things innovatively.

In the legislature there are periodic attempts to promote math and science education in schools. What about entrepreneurship? The Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute has long advocated for and actually implemented on a smaller scale youth e’ship programs. It’s time we get serious about these here in KY. Pols could play a vital role in the promotion of e’ship here in the bluegrass. Their bully pulpit and the fact that Kentuckians still look to them to do things to foster economic growth means that they can spread this message with ease.

Further, we should evaluate the myriad economic development programs and agencies in KY to see which ones are and which ones aren’t promoting entrepreneurship. We have to let our children know that they should align their college education with the realities of this new economy. And kids should know that lifelong learning is a must. No matter what entrepreneurial endeavor you launch, odds are it will change, possibly even die, in this rapid new economy. This means that they must be nimble and flexible.

The dinosaurs are becoming extinct folks, but the mammals are rising in their place. Don McNay gets that: “When people decide they’re not going to depend on a big boss to hand them opportunity, it is a liberating experience. Like our forefathers, we have the chance to thrive in an environment where we control our own destiny.”

Cross Posted at the New Economy Census blog.