Basement space

A few weeks ago we had our second Enable Working Group meeting, but first a little background. Toward the end of June we had our first Enable Working Group meeting discussing ways to enable entrepreneurship in our area. We kept coming back to the fact that entrepreneurs are self starters.

They are not waiting around on their couch stuffing their face with cookie dough hoping that someone will reach out to help them get started. Entrepreneurs are going to charge forward with their idea no matter what. So, they don’t need our help in a β€œhold their hand” sort of way. Rather they probably need help passively. Little things pop up that they could use some input from. How to create business projections? Where do I find an intern? How can I [fill in the blank]?

So, the more we talked the more we latched onto the idea of having a central place for entrepreneurs to congregate. Sure, it would be a space where you could work or meet because it had desks, small private spaces, and wifi, but it would be more than that. It would be a club similar to other places popping up around the country. We would setup regular hours in this space for people to seek assistance from the Small Business Network, SCORE, and Sandhills Community College. Business people would come to the space to interact with entrepreneurs and give them advice. There would be beer. We can’t forget the beer.

The big challenge, or challenges will be funding the initiative and working the other ecosystem enablers into the idea. So, besides the β€˜space’ aspect we need to incorporate the β€˜capital’, mentoring’, β€˜talent acquisition’ aspects to the idea – then we need to be able to duplicate or spread it in other areas of the Moore County Region.

More to come.