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In 2003, I participated in an entrepreneurs forum at EDI and was told there were not many good entrepreneurs in North East Ohio - that they had difficulty finding start-ups to bring to their roundtable. The group they had assembled defied categorization... a fancy paper distributor, someone planning tea-houses, a clothing importer, a technology company, a tutor... no commonality at all
I've since been communicating with other community and media leaders exploring the issue of "who is an entrepreneur". Being derived from the French verb "entreprendre" - to undertake - the dictionary definition is "A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture", which would include most small business owners – suggesting community leaders take a very broad view of entrepreneurial economic development.
A NorTech 2003 Entrepreneurship Task Force report (PDF at www.nortech.org/contentIma...report.pdf) specified that entrepreneurial enterprises are "defined as young businesses in high-growth (usually technology-driven) industries"... which narrows the scope but still leaves much to interpretation. For more on the findings of this report, see the “8 issues inhibiting entrepreneurship in NEO” posting here.
As the above mentioned report found NEOhio near or at the bottom of every comparative analysis of entrepreneurial and major metropolitan communities they studied, and concluded growth of entrepreneurial enterprise is the best hope for future job growth in this region, it seems a good time to create a directory of who are our entrepreneurs. If there aren't many, as EDI and NorTech contend, it will be a short, easy list to assemble.
All the hype I've seen, in the last year, about developing new economy in Cleveland has been focused on Biotech, Fuel Cells, Polymers, and now sustainability... the same sectors every major city is trying to develop. It should not be at all difficult to make a list of all the area entrepreneurs and researchers in these sectors, assess their needs and community interests and value, and provide them support as appropriate. Harder to define, categorize and identify are the soft science entrepreneurs - application developers, technology service providers, tutors, if they should be included.
I don't have a better definition for entrepreneurs than the French, but I know many NEOhio entrepreneurs who've never made it on EDI or NorTech's radar. I also know entrepreneurs outside NEOhio who will relocate their business to NEOhio, if area leaders are supportive.
At this Tribe, I'm posting information on entrepreneurs I know are interested to develop new economy in NEOhio. If you're an entrepreneur, I encourage you to add your initiative… and list and refer others, if you know of their needs and interests. Be certain all entrepreneurs listed are invited into this Tribe, as they will ultimately need to speak for themselves.
Entrepreneurs can't expect to be loved by a community where they aren't known - so let's get to know each other.
List each entrepreneur/enterprise as a separate discussion, so others may ask questions and comment.
Feel free to reply to this posting, if you have suggestions for better defining and identifying who's an entrepreneur.
I've since been communicating with other community and media leaders exploring the issue of "who is an entrepreneur". Being derived from the French verb "entreprendre" - to undertake - the dictionary definition is "A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture", which would include most small business owners – suggesting community leaders take a very broad view of entrepreneurial economic development.
A NorTech 2003 Entrepreneurship Task Force report (PDF at www.nortech.org/contentIma...report.pdf) specified that entrepreneurial enterprises are "defined as young businesses in high-growth (usually technology-driven) industries"... which narrows the scope but still leaves much to interpretation. For more on the findings of this report, see the “8 issues inhibiting entrepreneurship in NEO” posting here.
As the above mentioned report found NEOhio near or at the bottom of every comparative analysis of entrepreneurial and major metropolitan communities they studied, and concluded growth of entrepreneurial enterprise is the best hope for future job growth in this region, it seems a good time to create a directory of who are our entrepreneurs. If there aren't many, as EDI and NorTech contend, it will be a short, easy list to assemble.
All the hype I've seen, in the last year, about developing new economy in Cleveland has been focused on Biotech, Fuel Cells, Polymers, and now sustainability... the same sectors every major city is trying to develop. It should not be at all difficult to make a list of all the area entrepreneurs and researchers in these sectors, assess their needs and community interests and value, and provide them support as appropriate. Harder to define, categorize and identify are the soft science entrepreneurs - application developers, technology service providers, tutors, if they should be included.
I don't have a better definition for entrepreneurs than the French, but I know many NEOhio entrepreneurs who've never made it on EDI or NorTech's radar. I also know entrepreneurs outside NEOhio who will relocate their business to NEOhio, if area leaders are supportive.
At this Tribe, I'm posting information on entrepreneurs I know are interested to develop new economy in NEOhio. If you're an entrepreneur, I encourage you to add your initiative… and list and refer others, if you know of their needs and interests. Be certain all entrepreneurs listed are invited into this Tribe, as they will ultimately need to speak for themselves.
Entrepreneurs can't expect to be loved by a community where they aren't known - so let's get to know each other.
List each entrepreneur/enterprise as a separate discussion, so others may ask questions and comment.
Feel free to reply to this posting, if you have suggestions for better defining and identifying who's an entrepreneur.
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Cleveland
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