Struggling Entreprenuer

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Education for entrepreneurs has been available in many ways for many levels of aspiring entrepreneurs:

- within the Federal and local programs (e.g., Small Business Development Center and Small Business Development Program–both of which were described in earlier episodes in this podcast series);

- within the online marketing offerings in the Business area for both free and fee courses, modules, webinars, etc.;

- within iTunes(R) and iTunes University for free courses delivered in the form of podcasts (e.g.,  the Entrepreneurship and Business course);

- within the College and University systems, where courses, programs, internships, incubators and even majors for higher learning degrees are offered;

- and in many small, independent non-profit organizations and ventures (e.g., SCORE, Vetrepreneur Magazine and Entrepreneur Bootcamp, etc.).

Now the entrepreneur overview, exposure, education and  training is within the High School level.

As you will hear in this audio podcast episode, we explore an Entrepreneurship course at the high school level as a case-in-point.

As you will hear in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, there is definitely a concern with the approach and the teachers of such courses in the areas of live, real-world experience, qualifications and appropriate education–including their abilities to TEACH and deliver value to the high school students.

Since we were invited to deliver a presentation within the discussion of entrepreneurship with such a class of high school students in a “Course for Entrepreneurship,” we explore briefly from our preliminary point of view “the good, the bad and the ugly” regarding the present day situations and these concerns.

As we mentioned in the audio episode, here is a link that provides to you the list of 20 topics that I delivered as suggestions in a discussion about the objectives of the invited session:

http://bit.ly/yFCNno

As was mentioned in the audio podcast, there is a course available for free on iTunes (R) (and others at iTunes University) with the title of

Entrepreneurship and Business Course.

The link for the podcast series of over 25 sections of content and subjects of the course is located at:

http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss13431.xml

Note: this is just one course available to those iTunes listeners that want to get an overview of Entrepreneurship delivered by a professor. The quality may not be the best, but free content for an exploratory approach to entrepreneurship may be what some high school students, as well as Junior College students, may need at this time for an initial exposure.

In a future episode of this podcast, we plan to report on the results of the presentation and discussion with the high school class taking the Entrepreneurship course–including the attitude of the students, the quality of their learning and participation, and the future success for these students.

FREE WHITEPAPER

In addition, here is the whitepaper that was mentioned during the audio episode about challenges facing the Entrepreneur:

This whitepaper (taken from the blog of The Struggling Entrepreneur) is titled Addressing the Issues Facing the Struggling Entrepreneur.

The whitepaper is available in the way that YOU would like to consume it.

For the EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY VERSION:

If you want a quick 8-minute read or listen to get the executive level SUMMARY version:

- if you prefer to READ the whitepaper, it is available as a pdf document. Click here to access the whitepaper or download it: 

- or, if you prefer to LISTEN to the audio version of the whitepaper, Click Here for the mp3 audio of the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VERSION of the Whitepaper.

However, if you prefer to get the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper in its entirety, with all the details:

- you can get the pdf version for Reading. Click here for the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper in pdf format .

- or you can LISTEN to the audio of the FULL VERSION of the Free whitepaper. We have divided the entire audio of the whitepaper into 3 bite-sized consumable chunks for you.

Click  on the episode you wish to get the mp3 audio of the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper:

- Click here For the audio mp3 of Challenges 1-4 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper;

- Click here for the audio mp3 of Challenges 5-8 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper;

- Click here for the audio mp3 of Challenges 9 and 10 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper.

The choice is yours.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series delivers not only interviews, but also web resources available to the small business owner to help that individual become a Successful Entrepreneur.

For assistance with improving the financial health of your Entrepreneur firm, there are the BLUEPRINTS from the Rogue CFO, Chris Benjamin — or, as he describes it, the web site that is “The Road to Success for Entrepreneurs.”

This is a repurposed episode from Chris Benjamin in his Podomatic platform podcast series called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.”

In addition to 10 free whitepapers and other no-charge deliverables, Chris Benjamin also describes in this audio episode both the fee-based deliverables (e.g., online and web tools, audio and video files, and ebook training modules) in the area of financial health for Entrepreneurs. He also includes templates and other educational offerings.

Chris Benjamin is also the subject-matter expert who delivers both the free audio-book modules, as well as the audio and video and screencast training in the 7-week online Premium Podcast education offering at Finance for Startups (at www.finance4startups.com).

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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When Entrepreneurs pursue getting funding from Investors, there is a due diligence process that is performed by the potential investors on behalf of their stakeholders.

However, many entrepreneurs are not aware of the extent of the detailed investigation and validation of every aspect of your business.

The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series delivers a repurposed episode from Chris Benjamin, the Rogue CFO, from his Podomatic platform podcast series called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.”

As you will hear in this audio episode, the due diligence goes beyond just checking on cash flow and revenue projections. The extent that investors dig in goes all the way from investigating the market and potential product or service feasibility, as well as competitive advantage and your management team as individuals.

Being pro-active during this process is highly recommended. Verification, validation, proof, credit reports, background checks, legal liabilities — these all march to the goal of reducing the risk of the Investor organization.

Also, Chris recommends that you should do some due diligence on your own to investigate the investors.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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For an Entrepreneur who has just launched a company, there are multiple stages with criteria that define a firm’s growth, especially in relation to the top reason why small businesses fail–money and funding.

In this podcast series of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver a repurposed podcast episode from Chris Benjamin, who is known as the Rogue CFO,  from the Podomatic platform podcast series called The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Chris Benjamin briefly steps us through the stages of a Startup’s growth and how to recognize which stage you may be in–especially in raising capital.

Chris also describes the main stage in which he assists startups during their growth.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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If you have launched your small business or Startup, then you will be looking for opportunities to promote and market your business. There are traditional methods using old media, and some using new media.

However, BUILDING A COMMUNITY can be a strategy where you can become a subject-matter expert or trusted advisor and perhaps a thought leader, and then word-of-mouth and viral marketing can be an effective method for referrals (and this can then act as a strategy for promotion).

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver to you some ideas on using an online tool that is available on the internet to help build your community and give you the credibility, awareness, exposure and expertise that you need in addition to traditional promotion tactics.

That tool is the Meetup(R) facility at www.meetup.com.

 As you will hear in this audio episode, this online tool and facility is sometimes considered a type of Social Media Network tool. This online facility provides a great deal of the tasks and “grunt-work” that is needed by an organizer who would like to host and provide in-person meeting sessions with members of the subscription group that share the passion, topic, idea or subject matter for the “meetup” group.

You can do the following as a result of holding your in-person and virtual meetups:

- promote an ebook that you have just written and published;

- promote your blog and podcasts (both audio and/or video) from your blog and web site.

- create offers, discounts and “show specials” for events and business shows in which you will be participating, attending or sponsoring–from the National / International or local level (i.e., from South By Southwest or BlogWorld/New Media Expo or Consumer Electronics Show, etc. to your own regional or local events);

- promote any training courses or educational offers that you may have for both free and/or fee;

- hold roundtables for feedback about your niche or industry segment of your business;

- deliver great value in content by having guest speakers with interesting topics, how-to sessions, announcements or community buzz;

- and many other results, as well.

However, what was not mentioned in the audio podcast episode is that the management and development team at www.meetup.com conducts periodic Meetups for Organizers in the regional areas, as they travel to different cities. In these meetups, they get feedback from organizers about tools and tasks that they would like to see in the online tool, as well as speak to the developers themselves, and they listen to different updates and announcements.

I myself attended several of these when the meetup.com team visited Austin, Texas. I was quite impressed with the level of sensitivity and response from the visiting team, and this gave me more faith in the tool from www.meetup.com.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.meetup.com. All rights reserved.

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