Our message is simple:

• We foster development that is driven by passion, dreams, imagination and the hard work of local people.  And often what locals come up with lies outside the envelope of any strategic plan and we need to respect and respond to that. 
• We advocate for development supporting the creation of wealth from within a community.  Passionate mentoring of local talent will champion community pride and infuse communities with vigour and local content. 
• Every object we use, the clothes on our backs, our houses, our food, our music and our beliefs are the result of passionate people transforming their talents and visions into good work. 
• The difference between poverty and riches are the social conditions that allow creativity and intelligence to blossom…or to wither and die. 

Enterprise Facilitation^® is a mechanism which allows communities to effectively engage with local citizens who have ideas to start or expand enterprises.  High numbers of small and micro enterprises in any community are important to a sustainable and thriving local economy.

But there is an important message to be conveyed to the entrepreneur:  the success of any business is dependent upon the quality of the team surrounding the entrepreneur.  After 25 years of working with entrepreneurs we have learned that the death of the entrepreneur is solitude.

This message of building a quality team – and finding the team members – is traditionally delivered at the community level by a paid full time professional (the Enterprise Facilitator) and a group of volunteers who share their experience and networks.   Sometimes the Enterprise Facilitator is a new new hire; at times, an existing professional is re-trained in the methodology.

The role of the Sirolli Institute is to build the capacity of the community to deliver this service.

The result?  More robust businesses with success rates of 80% or better after 5 years.

What should we do?

I propose the following course of learning for your leadership.  It combines elements of professional development for your peers, candid actionable advice for entrepreneurs, and community development for local civic leaders.

Self-educate

Philosophy:  http://www.sirolli.com/Evidence/Videos/VideoCategory/VideoPlayer/TabId/61/VideoId/33/The-Philosophical-Underpinnings-Of-Enterprise-Facilitation-.aspx (36minutes)

Entrepreneur:  http://www.sirolli.com/Evidence/Videos/VideoCategory/VideoPlayer/TabId/61/VideoId/35/Interview-With-Rob-Miles-Board-Chairman.aspx  (9 minutes)

City Manager:   http://www.sirolli.com/Evidence/Videos/VideoCategory/VideoPlayer/TabId/61/VideoId/55/Interview-Gordon-Zimmerman-Oakridge-OR.aspx  (38 minutes)

Getting organized

I would suggest  a minimum of 2 days of our time to deliver a one day workshop on the Sirolli Approach - or "effective enterprise development" if a more generic version of the message is desired - followed by a day of meetings, discussions, perhaps a message on the Trinity of Management delivered to the Chamber or business or arts community.

1.  Community Workshop:  “Passion, Entrepreneurship and the Rebirth of Local Economies”

Audience:  citizens, elected officials, entrepreneurs, producers, practitioners in rural/economic/business development

Timeframe:  1 day (10am-3pm)

Intention:  intentional discussion about the opportunities and challenges of the local communities and the merits of Enterprise Facilitation^® as a local economic development tool; participants will understand what Enterprise Facilitation is and where it fits into the economic development continuum

Content: 

1. How do you create an environment which allows the maximum number of people to come forward and ask for help with their dreams?

2.  When they come, what do you tell them?

3.  How do you insure that confidentiality is maintained?

4. How do you avoid issues of dependency?

5. How do you avoid issues of liability?

6. What is the difference between business advice and management advice?

7. How does responsive work with entrepreneurs interact with existing programs and initiatives?

8. What is the most important piece of advice that can be offered to an entrepreneur?

2.  Entrepreneur Seminar:  Passion @ Work                                                                                                        

Audience:  entrepreneurs, producers, professionals with services intended for the business community

Timeframe:  4 hours

Intention:  explain the Sirolli approach to coaching entrepreneurs to create successful businesses

The Sirolli Institute maintains that entrepreneurship has two primary components: passion and skill.  Passion is the “fire in the belly,” that all-consuming dedication essential to the pursuit of any worthwhile activity. Passion, however, is not enough.  Without the necessary knowledge and ability to paint, write, sail, inspire social change or run a successful business, passion is only wishful thinking and the mother of all frustrations.

Skill   is what makes the dream real and transforms passion into good work.

However, it is impossible for one individual to run a business successfully.  Business success requires equal amounts of skill and passion in the areas of production, marketing and finance. Because no one is equally passionate about these three main aspects of running a business, the Sirolli Institute counsels a team approach to business development.

“Right now there is someone in your community dreaming about doing something to improve their lot.  If we could learn how to help that person to transform their dream into meaningful work, we would be halfway to changing the economic fortunes of the entire community.”

Contact Yvonne Fizer, Business Development Director to discuss dates, content and fees.

1.877.747.6554 in North America ~  001 780 413 4464 International callers