Customized Self-Employment Part 3: Small Business Feasibility and Support

Outline:
Section 1: Introduction About this Course Learning Objectives Section 2: Developing the Business Idea David’s Delicious Donuts What Happened Next? Customized Self-Employment Good Ideas Aren’t Enough Business Strategy Why is Feasibility Important to Consider? Finding Potential Success Next Steps in the Process Summary Section 3: Business Ownership and Feasibility Feasibility and the Potential Business Owner Misconceptions About Business Owners The Reality About Business Owners Asking the Right Questions Feelings About Self-Employment Practicing Considering the Pros and Cons of Self-Employment Feasibility and the Business Idea Itself Unique Product or Service Know Your Product/Service, Your Customer, Yourself Helping Henry Summary Section 4: Feasibility of the Business Idea Feasibility Worksheet Step 1: Industry Considerations Feasibility Worksheet Step 2: Test Market the Business Idea Let’s Review Testing Feasibility by Selling Internet Research for Business Information Getting Advice for the Business Through the Internet Knowledge Check Summary Section 5: Other Ways of Testing The Market Test Market Through Telephone Surveys Sample Script for a Telephone Survey Using Test Marketing Information Exploring Wholesale Business Options Let’s Review Conduct a Business Trial Advertise and Analyze the Response How Jack Applied the Advertise and Analyze the Response Ted’s Terrific Taffy Summary Section 6: Marketing, Promotion and Sales Marketing in Small Businesses Marketing Strategies and Business Planning Promotion Based on Networks and Relationships Relationship Sales Skills for Business Owners The 10 Second Professional Introduction Speech Social Capital and Marketing “Listing” as a Promotional Strategy Summary Section 7: The Four P’s: Product, Price, Placement, and Promotion The Four P’s: Product, Price, Placement, and Promotion Features and Benefits of the Business Community Conversations Target Market and Positioning Let’s Review Target Market and Positioning Sales Tips for Microenterprises Kim’s Mobile Nail Service Summary Section 8: Put Into Practice Using What You Have Learned Creating Your Own Work Portfolio Section 9: Summary Summary: A Call for Change Course Contributors Contact the Authors References Congratulations

Cary Griffin is a Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. Cary maintains a strong relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Director of Adult Community Services & Supports. He is the former Executive Director of the Center for Technical Assistance & Training (CTAT) in Denver. Cary provides training to administrative and direct service level professionals in the rehabilitation field; consultation to businesses and rehabilitation agencies regarding the employment of individuals with significant disabilities; conducts field-initiated research & demonstration; provides family & consumer case consultation; develops resources; and organizational development. Recently, Cary has been instrumental in designing self-employment protocols and training for individuals, agencies, and states. Disclosure: Cary Griffin, MA has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.

David Hammis is Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. David maintains an ongoing relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Project Director for four employment and Social Security outreach training and technical assistance projects, and now serves as an Organizational Consultant for the Rural Institutes Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion Design Project. Dave works with organizations nationally and internationally on benefits analysis, supported employment, supported entrepreneurial employment, and employment engineering. Disclosure: David Hammis has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.

Beth Keeton is the Executive Director of Griffin-Hammis Associates. For the last 20 years, Beth has provided extensive training and technical assistance on systems change, customized employment, self-employment, systematic instruction, and benefits analysis. She developed the first national certification training curriculum for customized self-employment, collaborated with the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center on the development of Core Features of Quality Supported Employment, helped pioneer the creation and use of the three Customized Employment Fidelity Scales, and is currently service the Principle Investigator on a five-year innovative self-employment training initiative funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Beth co-wrote Navigating Government Benefits & Employment: A Guidebook for Veterans with Disabilities and is a co-author of Making Self-Employment Work for People with Disabilities. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1996. 

Disclosure: Beth Keeton, MS has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.