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Explore the value of agriculture in entrepreneurship along with the need for business training and opportunities in North Carolina. Learn about CBO objectives, collaborative work, and the impact on participants' roles in agribusiness.
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Collaborative Effort in Entrepreneurship S. Gary Bullen North Carolina State University
Why Value-Added Agriculture is Needed • Become the low cost producer • Achieve product or service quality differentiation • Achieve supply or distribution leverage • Pursue a market niche
Value-Added Agriculture • Commodities vs. Products • Selling vs. Marketing • Focus on Customers • Increased consumer demands regarding health, nutrition and convenience • Capture large share of food dollar
Current Situation Need for Training? “As a commercial horticulture agent I am asked al the time “What can I do to make money?” “I see this as a valuable tool that I need desperately! I do not have formal training in business management, only production and diseases. It will better enable me to guide my clientele in the business management aspects of building a new business.”
Current Situation Need for Training? “ I am lacking in business development knowledge and skills. As an extension agent, I have no problem working with producers on production related issues. However, I do not feel as confident when issues of business planning, development and marketing arise. I hope I gain needed knowledge and skills to help clients with their endeavors”
Creating Business Opportunities • The CBO goal is to support the development and establishment of a wide array of agricultural business opportunities • Partnership between North Carolina State University, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services N.C. Farm Bureau and N.C. Rural Center. • Sponsored by Golden LEAF Foundation
CBO Objectives • Preparecounty personnel to help entrepreneurs with new business ideas • Develop a business training curriculum • Develop a set of business development tools to support county personnel • Create a network that will foster information sharing between groups working in business development
The Training Curriculum • Training was designed as if someone walked into your office asking for helping with new business idea • Combined lectures with group exercises • Teams formed based on geographic areas • Each session had time to introduce groups working in business development • TEAM Marketing plan practicum • Complementary training resource manual • Creating Business Opportunities Website
What Happened • We trained 83 CBO participants • Laid foundation for business network • County personnel now have business development resources • Training was good overview of business development
CBO Follow Up Survey • 84% have used CBO resource developed • Business planning material • Marketing • 66% developed a business training or workshop • Financial record keeping • Marketing seminars • Small Business Center workshops • 78% have referred clientele to another agency who participated in training • 28% helped clientele start a new business or add an enterprise
How did CBO help you with your current work responsibilities • Helped establish a farmers market • Organized agritourism workshop • Organized a workshop on how to start a lawn care business • Helped farmer evaluate agritourism activities
How did CBO help you with your current work responsibilities • Helped me get the big picture of what we need to set up a business • Help me work with other groups, I am at least 25% more effective on my job • Retooled me to address business questions not just production • Since just starting on my job gave me the tools to work with clients • Big help with contacts from other agencies
Agribusiness Certification and Training (ACT) • ACT is follow up to the CBO training • Invited past CBO participants to attend • Need for one business planning curriculum • With CBO developed our own • Reviewed four curriculum • What other agencies and organizations doing similar work? • Sponsored by Southern Risk Management Center and Tobacco Trust Foundation
Agribusiness Certification and Training (ACT) • The goal of the ACT training is to establish a group of extension agents and others who will serve a business development resource in their district. • Certify core group in a NXLeveL business planning curriculum • Teams develop a business planning practicum • Develop NxLevel business
Agribusiness Certification and Training (ACT) • SBTDC Small Business Technology Center • The Small Business and Technology Development Center is committed to providing knowledge, education and other supportive resources that enable existing small and mid-sized businesses, emerging entrepreneurs and local/state leaders to innovate and succeed. • Was a natural fit for NC Extension.
What Are We Doing? • Extension business development teams in five districts • Developing a business plan practicum • Conduct NXLevel business planning workshops in cooperation with SCTDC regional offices • Business development referrals
Examples of Current Efforts • Two training workshops 33 people were certified to use Nxlevel materials. • Five business planning workshop planned for 2009 • Marketing research and business start up activities • Prawns Growers • Pie Business
What We Have Learned? • No one organization has all the answers • It take time to develop confidence in a new partner • Personalities may get in the way • Because it did not work in the past does not mean it will not work now • Understand what success means to each organization
Failed Business Strategies I cuss, you cuss, we all cuss for asparagus