ThisWeek UA 06/23/2011
After a year’s worth of planning and recruiting, the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce has launched a program intended to incubate new businesses and grow existing ones in the city.
“This program is how we can support business start-ups, along with expanding and retaining current Upper Arlington businesses,” chamber president Becky Hajost said. “My hope for this is that it ignites opportunities for entrepreneurs throughout the city, be it a home business, an existing operation or just exploring an idea.”
The chamber’s adviser program, led by members of the chamber’s business and economic development committees, provides education and one-on-one mentoring to new business start-ups, businesses in their infancy looking to grow, and well-established businesses facing new challenges and opportunities they have not dealt with before.
The program currently has 12 advisers and 20 program applicants. The official kick-off meeting was held June 10.
“The volunteer expert advisors for the program are all experienced owner-operators of their own businesses,” said Jim Hyre, the chamber’s economic development committee chair. “We’ve broken down candidates for the program into three segments: start-ups; businesses in the crucial first two years of operation; and businesses that are established, facing key decisions about growth and restructuring.”
After two years of running Dave’s Dogs and More as a part-time business, owner David Clough heard about the new adviser program and became its first participant.
“I was part-time, flying by the seat of my pants,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working through this program to take (my business) to the next level, from part-time to full-time,” Clough said. “The advisers told me what I need to do and where to start, and they laid out what they will do for me.”
The chamber, Hajost said, sees this as an extension of its other educational programming.
“We start with our monthly ‘Ask the Experts’ roundtable discussions, and then allow smaller group discussions between those experts and our members. Then, through the adviser program, we can offer further one-on-one mentoring,” Hajost said.
Wesley Newhouse, chamber business development committee chair, said that the advisory program is free to chamber members and includes nine hours of expert advice over a six-month period. Newhouse said that amount of time will allow the advisers to put participants on the right path and put them in touch with the right people.
“I’m really excited about being an advisor for this program,” Newhouse said. “Helping someone startup a business who is ready to take the plunge – I’ve been through that and I know how exciting, and how stressful, it can be.”
Business owners and hopeful start-ups can apply to the program through the chamber, www.uachamber.org, and expert volunteer advisers are also being sought on an ongoing basis.