My original questions in 2004

Is rural Kentucky entrepreneurial-friendly?

Is there a culture that values and helps entrepreneurs emerge and prosper?

What I Learned from My Research?

Lack of community support for new ideas or entrepreneurship; Lack of regional identity; focus on local counties; Lack of grass-roots entrepreneurial leaders and coaches; Limited understanding of resources for entrepreneurs; Limited networking among natural coaches; Lack of training for local leaders to become advocates and coaches; Limited understanding of entrepreneurial culture ; Hidden entrepreneurial culture exists. People care about their community People want to learn more about entrepreneurship

What can we do to strengthen the foundation for an entrepreneurial culture in rural Kentucky?

Response: Start with the local leaders (bankers, barbers, bartenders . . . elected leaders, entrepreneurs, farmers, homemakers, retailers, retired people).

Build a Leadership Program

Recruitment: grass roots leaders in region. Competitive process. Benefits: All expenses paid. Stature and skills, knowledge and network enhanced. Travel and growth.

Set high expectations:

Must want to improve community and build entrepreneurial culture WITH others.
Must attend all seminars and travel experiences 22 days over a 16 month period. Must do homework between sessions interviews, regional projects Must donate hours back to region after graduation.

Next Step:
What are the skills, knowledge, and attitudes we want to nurture among grass-roots leaders in the region to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture? Responses came from rural entrepreneurship experts and from almost 200 people in the region.

Overall goals:
Stimulate the imagination of local leaders and give them tools to lay the foundation for an entrepreneurial culture. Give them the venue to create a regional identity, build a strong support network and insist that they make change. Make rural Kentucky the most entrepreneurial-friendly culture in rural America

What do we want to nurture in entrepreneurial leaders?

What should they learn?

Stimulate imaginationsee and meet entrepreneurs from a variety of perspectives. Creativity Create in groups.

Learn about appreciative inquiry and how to apply it.

The question: Whats working well?

Why?
Gratitude committee.

What the Economic Development consultant saw were problems: Windy roads Rolling terrain Sparse population

Elliott County, KY

Only strategy: Connect to other places

Another View
Windy roads are scenic Rolling terrain is interesting We have dramatic gorges, clear trout streams and nationally-known folk artists, e.g., Minnie Adkins Located near Natural Bridge State Park which receives 1 million visitors a year!

Local Leaders, Elliott County

Scenic Roadways

Folk Art, Barn Mural

Natural Beauty, Trout Streams

Know thyself and others in the team:

Natural leadership styles: (Gallup) strengths, limitations, team gaps Natural Listening Styles Asking probing questions

The Importance of Emotions For Learning

You change people by delight. You change people by pleasure

- St. Thomas Aquinas, 13th Century Mystic and Philosopher

Create sense of belonging and connection; Share rooms, meals, rides. Small groups

Hospitality
Problem-solving Developing shared visions

Appreciation of local culture

artistic interludes
poetry, music, dance, farm to table meals.

Entrepreneurial coaching across the kitchen table

building a relationship with an entrepreneur by asking questions over 5-7 sessions to create a business plan involving competitive advantage, marketing research and sales projections, finances, management team needs, partnerships and other issues. no advice or judgment.

Making it visceral:
Every participant must coach an entrepreneur Mini- grants for practical experiences. Regional teams form to stimulate entrepreneurship during 6 month period youth entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial contests about waste products, entrepreneurship centers in local libraries, policy work with government leaders

Expand awareness of entrepreneurial support network in region and nation conversations with key providers.

Business

Civic life

Government

What local, state and national policies limit and encourage an entrepreneurial culture or mind-set?

National or international rural entrepreneurship mobile tour:

Were not alone.

How other rural area compete and nurture entrepreneurship Importance of global markets

So what? Individual and group reflections especially, about minigrant teams and lessons learned from the experience.

Donated over 9,000 hours to the community and region; Made 758 presentations to groups and organizations; Launched 68 entrepreneurial-friendly community initiatives; Coached 486 individuals or teams; Created 224 new jobs as part of coaching efforts (valued at approximately, $8,151,360 for a one year period ) Saved 42 jobs as part of coaching efforts (valued at approximately, $1,528,380 for a one year period)

Over 68 entrepreneurial-friendly community initiatives have been launched including youth entrepreneurship in schools, entrepreneurial contests, new networks, incubators in rural areas, entrepreneurial help centers in rural libraries. . . . and a tight network of 115 volunteer grassroots leaders who are committed to strengthening entrepreneurship in the region.

Ongoing commitment:
Alumni seminars every six months
Volunteer commitment for 2 year minimum