New entrepreneurs and young business people gain bottom-line help from mentors. Good leadership has been pinpointed by business and government leaders alike as being the key to an evolving and sustainable local economy, so one of Prince George's leading agencies in the business field is calling on the community for someone to fill that official role.
The Innovation Central Society is looking for an executive in residence. This is a position they have had for years, but it was always someone from outside the community who flew in to consult with startup operators and emerging business people.
Now ICS wants to take the next step in that economic sustainability plan and put in place someone local.
"This might be ideal for someone retired from business, or someone who is a consultant with some schedule flexibility," said Robert Quibell, executive director at ICS. "We are looking for someone with experience in running businesses, preferably someone who has been involved in startups and someone who has taken a business public before, someone who has attracted investors outside of the banking system, and it isn't absolutely required but we would ideally like to have someone who has been involved in the tech sector somehow."
All these qualities are in high demand for local entrepreneurs. Sometimes those in need of strategic advice are young and just starting out, some are mature and transitioning into owning their own business after years of working for someone else, or even highly experienced business owners who just need fresh feedback to invigorate their enterprise.
To talk about possibly taking on this position, contact Quibell at 250-562-9622 ext. 108.
This is only one of the ways ICS directly influences the city's bottom line. One of their fundamental programs - Market Validation Training - got underway today. (If interested in a spot in these ongoing programs, contact ICS by email at [email protected].) This is a course spread over three months and covers such topics as:
Positioning statement
Buyer type and value proposition
Customer development methodology
Technology adoption lifecycle
Business model canvas
Market type
Value chain
Ideal customer characteristics
Segmentation
Total addressable market
Minimum viable product
Customer discovery conversation
Five-minute pitch
"The Market Validation Training is aimed at anyone with a tech idea looking to go global or national," said Quibell, who has now taken the course himself several times to keep his own mentorship and business development skills fresh.
This training is available for a $600 fee, or free for anyone enrolled in the CIS's mainstay initiative the Venture Acceleration Program or VAP.
This more involved program provides a helping hand to tech entrepreneurs through a menu of workshops and personal coaching.
It helps establish some business fundamentals for the participating entrepreneurs - everything from product validation to market penetration to positioning oneself for expansion.
Anyone interested in joining these business and personal development programs can contact ICS, and likewise, anyone who wishes to be one of the mentors in their system of business coaches can also make contact to join their team of volunteers who give back to the community by boosting business right at the source.
