Picking an Entrepreneur: On Enterprise Facilitation

My advice was firstly to give up the idea that we could pick 'winners'--nobody can do that.  Secondly, I suggested that if they really wanted to maximize their chances of finding prospective new entrepreneurs, they should look at who among the applicants was a team builder.  The person who is ot capable of enlisting the support of others is the most likely to succeed.  

~ Ernesto Sirolli 

Why We're Talking About Enterprise Facilitation

Doesn't every community's future lie in capturing the passion, intelligence, imagination and resources of its people?  The Enterprise Facilitation concept developed by Ernesto Sirolli and detailed in his book, Ripples from the Zambezi uses a person-centered approach to local economic development.  

It is a much different approach than economic development strategies in most American cities, focusing on job creation and retention through business supports such as incentives and tax credits.  

Many organizations such as Chambers of Commerce are frustrated that, while jobs are created in areas of their city, little impact is made upon things like the poverty or crime rates.  While economic development resulting in gentrification has resolved some of these social issues by relocating the problem to another place, the underlying disparities are not addressed.  

Residents of communities, together with their elected officials, planning staff, economic development proponents talk often about 'quality of life' and that a good quality of life is what attracts residents and industry to an area--or encourages them to leave for 'greener' pastures.  

Enterprise Facilitation is an approach that directly addresses people who are aspiring entrepreneurs or people who have existing businesses, but are untouched or underserved by traditional resources for entrepreneurs in any community.  

Rather than relying on job creation in a vacuum, for the Enterprise Facilitation concept to work, it takes local leadership--an essential component.  Over the years, the Enterprise Facilitation concept has validated its founding tenant - that without civic understanding and belief in the people within its own community--nothing can happen.  

ENTERPRISE FACILITATION (EF) HAS CHANGED THE CULTURE OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY

How could a community start 100 new businesses and assist 1100 entrepreneurs without providing a penny of funding or an hour of classroom bringing to local entrepreneurs?  

Does that sound like an unrealistic model?  Something that has never been done before? 

Enterprise Facilitation is not a new and unproven maverick approach to local economic development; it is a 35-year-old professional practice that can be taught to anyone who is willing to listen.

Enterprise Facilitation is a local economic and community development method that keeps community development academics and bureaucrats scratching their heads after 35 years of practice. 

Is this a concept that would work in our community?  

Learn more here.

"The future of every community lies in capturing the passion intelligence, imagination, and resources of its people."  

~ Dr. Ernesto Sirolli