• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Economic development leaders hope to provide help for starting new businesses

ELKHORN — Economic development leaders in southeastern Wisconsin are hoping to give aspiring entrepreneurs—especially former General Motors workers—the boost they need to start new businesses.

The Walworth County Development Alliance and partners in Walworth, Rock, Racine and Kenosha counties are offering classes for beginning entrepreneurs, from those who are still thinking about starting a business to those who have been in the market for a few years.

“If you are living, breathing and wanting to start a business, we can get you from start to finish as fast as you want to go,” said Michael Van Den Bosch, director of business development at WCEDA.

The classes will be supported by a $687,100 grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration to promote business creation in Rock, Walworth, Kenosha and Racine counties. The grant brings the class price from $1,000 to $250 per person.

And for former General Motors workers and their families, there is no cost to attend.

“It's getting from where they are now, putting together their vision, and starting to work on that,” Van Den Bosch said.

Gateway Technical College and the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance spearheaded the application process and will match the government funds with $429,287. Other partners are Small Business Development Centers at UW-Whitewater, UW-Parkside and the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation.

Two classes are available in the 10-week program:

-- The new venture program is for getting would-be entrepreneurs off the ground.

-- The growth venture is for companies that have been around for a few years and are hoping to expand.

“It’s a great way for people to be able to take an entrepreneurial training course, including the production of a business plan, at a reduced cost,” said Therese Fellner, director of business development at Gateway Technical College.

The three-year grant can support up to 380 participants and will run until October 2012. The first classes will begin in April.

The programs are based on the Kauffman Foundation method, a business recipe utilized by more than 300,000 entrepreneurs in the Untied States, said Fred Burkhardt, executive vice president of WCEDA. It’s the opportunity for people with little to no experience to learn the basics of business management.

The class walks potential entrepreneurs through concepts they need to know to start a new business or grow an existing one. It helps participants answer questions about their personality, life situation and feasibility of their business plan so they know how to make their plan become reality.