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Chamber, SPC team up to form small business academy
By BOB McCLURE
Article published on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 |
SEMINOLE – The Greater Seminole Chamber of Commerce and St. Petersburg College are teaming up to offer small business operators a 15-week class focusing on successful entrepreneurship.
The class meets weekly on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the SPC Seminole campus, beginning May 1. It’s the first of what is projected to be many such courses as part of the new Practical Small Business Entrepreneurship Academy at the college.
Cost of the class is $235, which includes a one-year membership in the Seminole Chamber of Commerce.
The class, which will be offered three times per year, was designed by Tina O’Daniels, assistant provost of the SPC Tarpon Springs campus; Gretchen Cain, business assistance specialist for the Seminole Chamber of Commerce; Jim Olliver, provost of the SPC Seminole campus; and George Kripner of the SPC Foundation.
The class will be taught by SPC Curriculum Developer Eric Engel.
“There are many unique aspects that make this a special nugget,” said O’Daniels. “First, it’s non-credit, but we plan to build the class so it can be flipped to credit toward a degree. We will also have small business volunteers to mentor the attendees of this program.”
The class will feature different subject matter experts each week in the fields such as legal, finance, human resources, marketing, risk management and more.
“We know this will become a model for a number of chambers around the state,” said O’Daniels.
The academy is designed after a similar one offered by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. However, the Seminole academy will be geared more toward small business.
The program was one year in the making after it was suggested to Cain by a business leader in Seminole that wants to remain unidentified.
“We’ve put together a very detailed curriculum down to exactly what will be taught,” said Cain. “We’re so excited we have such a pool of talent (for mentors) to choose from here.”
The class is designed to be practical for someone opening a business or someone already in business, O’Daniels said. Scholarships also will be available.
“We hope that this is only part one of many more related to the business assistance program (at the chamber),” said O’Daniels.
For further information or to register, call 341-4445 or go to www.spcollege.edu/ct.
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Article published on Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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