Small Business Primer Outlines Basics of Startup, Steps to Success
CONSTANTINE – Information about starting a small business or being an entrepreneur was provided at a small business primer February 22 at Constantine High School.
More than 40 people attended the 2 ½ hour seminar. The event was co-hosted by the St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation, Service Core of Retired Executives and the Village of Constantine.
EDC Director Dave Allen started the primer with an introduction, followed by Constantine Village manager Don Beavers. Also present for questions were bank officials, insurance representatives, legal authorities, marketing experts and representatives from Glen Oaks Community College.
The business primer started three years ago when both Constantine and Sturgis hosted a seminar, with each town drawing about 40 people. “It was very evident that there was this need to help people who were thinking of starting a new business by answering some basic questions,” Beavers said.
Last year’s session, held at Glen Oaks Community College, had a respectable turnout.
“The basic idea of having a business primer is to bring people in with certain expertise of forming a new business,” Beavers said. “A good example is that we have a banker coming in and we encourage people to develop a relationship with your banker before you need him.”
Another key to starting a small business is legal structure. “So we have an attorney here for people to talk with and ask questions,” he said. Beavers said a lot of people have great ideas and the fire in their bellies to do it. “But when it comes to balancing a checkbook, setting up the paperwork or getting a tax ID number, they have no clue about going about it,” Beavers said. “So that’s where we try to help them out.”
Beavers believes the success of a small town is small business.
“It’s important for people to remember that economic growth is going to be steadily increasing in the small business world,” Beavers said. “It’s great to land a large plant, but those are few and far between. That is why you have to foster what you have.”
Those who attended the seminar were given information provided by SCORE, Small Business Administration and Glen Oaks Community College.
Beavers also told of another resource for people, a junior/senior business class at Western Michigan University that will take on a business and help with a business plan, market studies, whatever the business needs them to do.
“So far, we’ve had five businesses in Constantine in that program,” Beavers said. “That tells me that there is still a lot of interest out there. I think that as people retire you will see a steady increase in the number of people starting a new business after they’ve been through the corporate world.”
