Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process

Funding Provided by

Funding Provided by

What is ECAP?Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process

• ECAP is a holistic approach to help communities understand –unique characteristics, – community assets – potential opportunities for growth

Funding Provided by

Helping Nebraska

• Help Nebraska communities chart path to becoming more entrepreneurial– Discover current support – Scan the environment– Build consensus– Learn from other Communities – Focus and leverage strengths– Take Community action – Improve climate and effectiveness

Funding Provided by

• Prior to first meeting – subcommittee/executive committee review process…engagement in committee.

• Who to involve? Core group of people to provide continuity and support for actions developed

Community Vision

• Sense of purpose and identity• Sense of commitment• Respect historical perspective• Communication open and inclusive• Support innovation and opportunities

Vision Statement

• Describes where the community will be in key quality of life areas 10, 20 or 30 years into the future

• Reflects commonly held values• Guides strategic planning processes for all

Culture of Change

• Open to new ideas and opinions• Willingness to change• Value created vision and innovation• Understand - strategic plan is ever-changing• Commitment to the future

• Multiple peaks of community change– Individuals must be ready and

make changes at their own time/speed before the community as a whole can make the change

Building Community Base

This Session…

• 21st Century Challenges

• Leadership in communities to address challenges

• Characteristics/attributes of leaders

• Begin to determine your leadership style

• Explore personal values and strengths

Community activity without partnering and common vision

Purpose Vision

Working together

Basic Infrastructure

• Public sewer and water systems• Medical and emergency services• Transportation and Distribution

mechanisms; • Public services such as post office,

government, schools, libraries, etc;• Housing • Telecommunications

Infrastructure

• What does an entrepreneurial venture need to expand in your community?

• What infrastructure does your community have to recruit entrepreneurs

• What might you need to add as infrastructure to help entrepreneurs become successful

Who is Connected?

• In Nebraska ...– 76% of households have broadband (anything faster than a dial-up connection)– 5% of households use a dial-up Internet

connection • In the United States– 66% of adults have a broadband connection

at home (2010 Pew study)– 5% of adults use a dial-up Internet connection

What Nebraskans told us about future use?

86% exchanging health information 80% online banking 79% tele-medicine applications 78% distance learning opportunities 78% online government services76% contributing to economic growth in community

Networking

• Networking1. Economic Development Entities2. Chamber of Commerce3. Local Community Foundations4. Banking & Finance Support5. Business Incubation Services6. Individual Mentoring, Coaching and Champions7. Youth Entrepreneurship Education8. Adult Entrepreneurship Education & networks

Entrepreneurial Support Systems

• Support entrepreneurs of all types• Create a comprehensive

support system – Access to capital– Access to support structures– Entrepreneurial Culture– Favorable Public Policy

Education/Workforce IQ

• Be creative in finding capital to foster innovation and entrepreneurship

• Educational Opportunities– Entrepreneurship education– Workshop education– Business transfer/transition education

Scan – Schools; Workforce; & Businesses

• Take an unbiased look at your existing workforce and education.– A. Schools –

– What’s your school producing? How many go to college, trade school, GEDs, #s, how many drop out, quality, etc.

– B. Existing Workforce-– What if any ongoing training occurs, is there a natural feeder

program e.g. welders on farm and the go to be a certified welders. Does this just happen or is it coordinated and deliberate? Are new workers coming with training or raw? What’s missing, what’s working, last 20 people hired in your area.

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

What place comes to mind?

PlacemakingProcess of adding value and meaning to the public realm through community-based revitalization projects rooted in

local values, history, culture, and natural environment.

What do we mean by “Sense of Place”

Assumptions

• Through the Public Realm…– Create great places– Enhance community identity– Increase connections between people

and place and people and people• If Time is Money, Then Time Results

in Money (and other Resources)“One cannot build the physical infrastructure of a neighborhood

without also building the social infrastructure.”-Arthur Blum

Placemaking on a Budget: Improving Small Towns, Neighborhoods, and Downtowns Without spending a Lot of Money – Al Zelinka and Susan Jackson Harden

Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process

Six Thinking Hats – Parallel Thinking Process

Funding Provided by

Next Steps

• Here is what UNL can do– Facilitate a deeper conversation–Assist with creation of action plans–Provide educational programs/workshops–Will be involved if Community does their

part

Process of Parallel Thinking... “Six Hats” - An Alternative to Argument

Thinking the SAME way – SAME direction - at the SAME time.

All can be creative and innovative

Flow of the meeting smootherSaves timeReduce tension and possible conflictEliminate “side conversations”

Adapted from Edward De Bono’s SIX THINKING HATS

Information & DataFacts & Figures

Neutral & ObjectiveFacts that can be Checked

& Believed Missing Information &

Where To Source It

Feelings & Intuition Emotions Or Hunches

“At This Point”Likes Dislikes Fears

Loves Hates.

The Power of “Why”Positive Optimistic Opportunity

The “Good In It”(Logical Reasons Must Be Given)

Known & Potential BenefitsDoes it fit community values?

Creative ThinkingPossibilities Alternatives New Ideas New Concepts

Overcome Black Hat Problems & Reinforce Yellow

Hat Values

Get It Done Guiding the WorkDividing the Work

Action PlansCommittees

Questions?Cautions Careful DangersProblems Faults Concerns

(Logical Reasons Must Be Given)

THE CENTRAL

TOPIC

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• Facts & Figures that can be checked and believed • Neutral & Objective• Known and unknown

• Missing Information?• Where do get the information we

need

Information & Data

InspirationBoost.com

Outside In - Conventional Inside Out = Remarkable

Adapted from Start With Why by Simon Sinek http://www.startwithwhy.com/About.aspx?n=1 http

://joelrunyon.com/two3/the-power-of-why

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2

1

1

2

3

Funding Provided by

Does what you want to do fit community values?

Positive - Optimistic - Hope - Opportunity Betterment - The “Good In It”Known & Potential Benefits

(Logical Reasons Must Be Given)

Start With Why

Funding Provided by

What Questions Do We Have?

Cautions - Careful – Dangers Problems - Faults – Concerns - Negatives

Logical Reasons Must Be Given

Funding Provided by

Possibilities Alternatives New Ideas New Concepts

Overcome “Black Gift” Problems –

Reinforce “Yellow Gift” Values

Creative Thinking

Funding Provided by

• Guiding the Work

• Action Plans

• Dividing the Work • Committees

• Listen to ideas• Keep manageable size • – may not be able to include everyone

Getting It Done

Funding Provided bySharing The Story Updates and Continued Communication

• Tell your family, friends & neighbors• Face-to-face updates to organizations• Newspaper stories• Facebook & other technology• Other

http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/six-thinking-hats-mind-map-paul-foreman/

West Point, Nebraska is an Entrepreneurial Community

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

ECAP is a product of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension

Entrepreneurship TeamAnd Funded By