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Laid-off workers take Lakeshore Advantage course to become entrepreneurs
12/15/2008
Myron Kukla, Grand Rapids Press
ZEELAND -- Dennis Wilkinson hadn't planned on becoming an entrepreneur.
But, after 16 months of job searching, the former auto parts sales executive is looking to become a small business owner.
"The auto industry has been going downhill since 2002, and the jobs aren't there. I'm saying to heck with it all. I'll be my own boss," said Wilkinson, 51, who plans to buy a business in Grand Rapids in the next few months.
Since last month, Wilkinson and two dozen other displaced West Michigan workers have been taking a course to learn the ins and outs of starting and buying businesses.
The Venture Forward course is offered by the Lakeshore Advantage economic development agency in conjunction with the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center at Grand Valley State University.
Ottawa County Michigan Works has provided the $700 tuition for most of the 25 people taking the one-afternoon-a-week, eight-week course that wraps up Dec. 22.
Through a state grant for displaced workers, Michigan Works has invested $21,000 in the students in the hopes of getting them back earning a paycheck and maybe creating jobs for other laid-off Michigan workers.
An estimated 104,000 jobs are expected to be lost this year in the state, according to projections from the University of Michigan.
VENTURE FORWARD
• Informational sessions on the program are 2-5 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 29 at Lakeshore Advantage, 201 W. Washington Ave., Zeeland, in preparation for a class starting in February.
• The information session is free.
• To reserve a space, call 772-5226 or go to ac@lakeshoreadvantage.com.
The information session is free.
"It's a terrible time to find a job in this economy. It's also a tough time to be starting a business, but we feel the program will give them the skills and knowledge to prepare for going into business for themselves," said Ottawa County Michigan Works Director William Raymond.
Adrian Wallace and Rich Mills, of Holland, are pegging their dreams on starting a bio-diesel fuel manufacturing company.
"We've been talking about this even before we got laid off from our jobs at Tiara Yachts. We just didn't have all the knowledge needed to put it together," said Wallace, 46. He and Mills were interior finishers at the Holland-based yacht company until August.
"One of the great things about the classes is we get a chance to talk out our ideas and plans with other people in the class, which is very helpful," Mills said.
Probably the most grounding information the class provides is 80 percent of start-up businesses fail within five years.
"I'm estimating about five great business will come out of the classes," said Joanne Fowler, an instructor from the Grand Valley program. "I think there are some great ideas here, and they'll have a foundation to make it work.
E-mail the author of this story: localnews@grpress.com
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