Two years after Cleveland-area entrepreneurs began meeting to share the pains and pleasures of creating a business - an offshoot is offering that same type guidance for small businesses in Summit, Portage, and Medina counties.
The new "Entrepreneur's Idea Exchange" will allow aspiring capitalists a chance to seek help in refining or expanding business prototypes and ideas.
The group's chief organizer is the University of Akron's Director of Outreach for the College of Business Administration, Corrine Beller.
CORRINE BELLER:
"Several heads are always better than one head when you're doing idea development. People look at concepts, issues, ideas, from different perspectives. There can be just diamonds out there that you haven't thought of, and it can help you move your idea forward, and maybe avoid some pitfalls that you might not have seen."
Strong support for the effort is coming from many avenues: business groups, incubators, foundations, and the Urban League among them. All responded to a call from the University, which is spearheading the effort with a sharply defined goal.
BELLER:
"If we can find ways to help the city, the county, the region further develop in an economic perspective, and bring more companies and more jobs, it's better for everyone, including the University."
The procedural help is available to entrepreneurial efforts in any development stage. The first session is at Akron's Business Administration building next Tuesday, March 16th.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
