Perry County Looks to Grow Entrepreneurship
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Perry County Development Corp. has announced multiple partnerships in hopes of sparking entrepreneurial activity. The agreements with the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center and other organizations will provide resources including workshops and mentoring services.
April 3, 2014
News Release
Perry County, Ind. — The Perry County Development Corporation announced today it has entered into partnership agreements with the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (SW-ISBDC), the Evansville Chapter of SCORE, and the Perry County Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of fostering both existing and future area entrepreneurial activities.
The partnership with the SW-ISBDC will result in expanded existing business support and community development services for area businesses. The SW-ISBDC, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana, will serve as the “go to” resource for entrepreneurs who are interested in starting a business and for those existing entrepreneurs who are looking for resources to assist with expansion or growth initiatives.
“The PCDC is an organization that supports and encourages its entrepreneurial community to thrive and grow. It has demonstrated its commitment by formalizing our relationship; to bring the tools and expertise of the ISBDC to help small businesses invest, start new businesses and create jobs,” said Kim Howard, Regional Director, SW- ISBDC.
The SW-ISBDC will be offering 'Launching Your Own Business' courses in Perry County and will work closely with the City of Tell City and its revolving loan fund, as well as with local lenders to identify and secure capital for expansion and improvement initiatives. Throughout this process, the SW-ISBDC will schedule one-on-one meetings in Perry County with business owners and entrepreneurs and will provide industry specific reports to ISBDC clients.
The partnership with the Evansville SCORE Chapter will provide targeted, one-on-one mentoring services for existing and potential entrepreneurial business owners who are in need of focused business advice. To further the SCORE Association’s mission to “grow successful small businesses across America, one business at a time,” the organization has established a branch office within the offices of the Perry County Development Corporation.
“SCORE is committed to providing free and confidential mentoring services,” said Jack Buttrum, Evansville Chapter President. “We are pleased to have this opportunity to extend our Chapter’s reach into this new market and are looking forward to establishing many new client relationships.”
Carol Hagedorn, Project Manager of the Perry County Development Corporation, will serve as the Branch Administrator and will work with clients to place each with a mentor to assist with the challenges that client is experiencing. Co-mentors will be recruited on an as needed basis to assist with the client’s needs as the company encounters new challenges. Hagedorn is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) with the International Economic Development Council.
The Perry County Chamber of Commerce partnership will further enhance the assorted resources that will be made available to entrepreneurs. The Chamber provides guides for start-up businesses as well as business workshops, resources and networking opportunities.
“We are excited to be a part of this exciting opportunity to assist with the needs of our local business owners and potential business startups,” said Cheri Taylor, Executive Director of the Perry County Chamber of Commerce. “Perry County is blessed to have a strong local economy with a regional customer base. We want to do our part to make sure our local businesses have every opportunity to succeed.”
“These collaborations allow the PCDC to be the starting point for anyone who wants to start or grow their business,” said Alvin C Evans, President and CEO of the Perry County Development Corporation. “We are looking forward to supporting our entrepreneurs with the significant resources and expertise offered by the seasoned business advisors at the Southwest ISBDC and with area SCORE mentors.”
Both the SW-ISBDC and Evansville SCORE are supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
If you are interested in accessing ISBDC services, please complete the ISBDC Business Survey found at isbdc.org/services.
If you are interested in receiving assistance from a SCORE mentor, please complete the Local Mentoring Request form found at evansville.SCORE.org.
Source: Perry County Development Corp.