MDA Accepting Applications for Pilot Entrepreneur Training Program

The Mississippi Development Authority’s (MDA’s) Entrepreneur Center supplies entrepreneurs and small businesses with the resources needed to launch, develop and sustain a successful business. Currently, the Entrepreneur Center is accepting applications for its pilot Entrepreneur Training Program, an exciting new initiative partially funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

This program is open to small businesses and entrepreneurs in 19 qualifying counties in the Mississippi Delta, northeast Mississippi and southwest Mississippi that are interested in obtaining the knowledge and skills required to succeed in business.

The 19 qualifying counties are:

• Mississippi Delta region – Coahoma, Holmes, Humphreys, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Yazoo
• Northeast Mississippi region – Alcorn, Benton, Marshall, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo
• Southwest Mississippi region – Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Walthall, Wilkinson

These three regions of Mississippi and the 19 counties within them were selected based on unemployment rates, instances of plant closings and per capita income levels. These areas have higher unemployment rates and lower per capita income levels than the state as a whole.

The pilot Entrepreneur Training Program is an intensive nine-month program consisting of a mixture of hands-on meetings and online webinars. The program will cover topics such as:

• Introduction to Business, Business Planning and Resources in Mississippi
• Legal Aspects of Business and Management
• Human Resources, Hiring and Firing, and Managing Employees
• Location, Leasing and Insurance
• Developing a Marketing Plan and Planning
• Market Research, Market Analysis and Market Penetration Tactics
• Understanding Financial Statements
• Sources of Money (Traditional and Alternative Sources)
• International Trade and Exporting
• Minority- and Woman-Owned Business Programs
• Government Contracting
• Buying a Business, Expanding a Business, Home-Based Business

The program meets monthly and provides participants with personalized instruction, mentoring and technical assistance. Each participant will complete a business plan as part of the course.

“This program will feature some of the top business development experts in Mississippi, and all of the courses are designed to provide beneficial information that is critical to developing and maintaining a prosperous business,” said Gray Swoope, MDA executive director. “Available spots will be filled quickly, so I urge everyone interested to apply as soon as possible.”

The program is free of charge to attendees, but approved applicants must commit to attend all sessions of the nine-month program. Interested individuals must apply as space is limited. Applications are due December 17, 2010.

A copy of the application and more information about the program can be found by visiting entrepreneurcenter.mississippi.org, or by calling the Entrepreneur Center at 601.359.3593.

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