Today Carl Schramm, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation president and CEO, announced a $1 million initiative to offer the FastTrac LaunchPad entrepreneurial training programs in communities across the nation that have been hit hard by layoffs and the recession. The Kauffman Foundation is partnering with the Deluxe Corporation Foundation, which has provided $500,000 in funding, to bring this new national initiative to communities across the nation. The first FastTrac LaunchPad program, which will begin in New York in March, was announced today by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as part New York's broader plan to bolster the city economy. Other hard-hit communities around the nation are scheduled to launch similar programs in the weeks to come. Read More 
"Strengthening the entrepreneurial sector in Washington State is critical to long term job recovery," comments Egils Milbergs, executive director, Washington Economic Development Commission. See the The Washington Innovation Economy report at www.wedc.wa.gov
An excellent tool for teaching entrepreneurship is available: a new book offers hope for creating a new economic reality to the unemployed. Whiz Biz in Changing Times, by Danielle Vallee, author, business trainer and public speaker, has been published to help people create their dream job. The book offers hope and practical solutions, and its revolutionary approach makes it simple for people to create their own job by starting a business. It offers down-to-earth ideas and foolproof methods, while outlining potential pitfalls and allowing new entrepreneurs to avoid costly mistakes.
This practical tool is in stark contrast to traditional academic theories that tend to be vague and out-of-reach. The pragmatic step-by-step approach outlined in "Whiz Biz in Changing Times" covers all aspects of self-employment: from techniques for finding business ideas, to assessing start-up costs and preparing an operating budget (including how to start a business on minimal funds!), to building credibility and gaining visibility, to marketing and selling, to networking and remaining motivated, to maximizing the use of technology and, finally, planning for expansion. It also explains how to start a business with very little money and how to maximize any initial investment.
In the current economic environment, the unemployed cannot rely on the job market to find stable and fulfilling employment anytime soon. Small businesses are the most relevant and powerful job creation tools right now. They already represent 99.7% of all businesses and provide 2/3 of all jobs in the U.S. (source: Small Business Administration Office, U.S. Government). Small businesses are the engine of the economy. Whiz Biz in Changing Times is offering a viable alternative to unemployment by empowering individuals to take action immediately.
The initiative is supported by http://www.whizventures.com, offering free online tutorials and articles. The Whiz Ventures blog, http://blog.whizventures.com, regularly discusses issues related to job creation and entrepreneurship, including Internet and Web scams offering miracle recipes under the cover of solutions to unemployment. These relevant and timely materials support the unemployed in avoiding being taken advantage of. The book sells for $24.95 in paperback format on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1440488622/whizteenscom), and is also available in PDF and Kindle formats.
Posted by: Danielle Vallee | February 19, 2009 at 07:59 PM