The Hamilton County Development Company, the not-for-profit economic development company that houses
Ohio’s highest ranked business incubator, will host Cincinnati’s first ever Encore Entrepreneurship Workshop on Monday, March 24.
The workshop is a collaborative effort between the
Small Business Administration (SBA),
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP),
SCORE and HCDC, geared towards “encore entrepreneurs,” i.e., entrepreneurs age 50+ who are beginning a new career or venture.
“Instead of slowing down, encore entrepreneurs are reinventing themselves for a variety of reasons—to supplement retirement, to fulfill a dream or to keep themselves young by tackling new challenges,” says David Main, President of HCDC. “There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in this generation of entrepreneurs that can’t be taught on the internet.”
Though the workshop is the first of its kind in the Cincinnati area, the initial response has revealed pent up demand for such types of events. While HCDC is
still accepting RSVPs, only a few slots remain open for the free event. The workshop will cover the resources and tools available to prepare entrepreneurs to successfully start their own small business.
“We want to show that the path of an entrepreneur is something that is an opportunity for all age groups,” Main says. “We have some veteran entrepreneurs that are going to share their experiences … it can be exhilarating, depressing, exciting and lonely, that’s why we have an incubator to help these companies make it through the ups and downs together.”
In addition to the incubator, HCDC also provides growing businesses access to SBA loans and other financing tools to purchase real estate and equipment while retaining capital.
“HCDC’s mission is to be a driving force behind business development. We do this through attraction of business to the Cincinnati area, retention of current business and creation of new businesses. For the last segment, we think it’s important to look across the board for opportunities. The Encore Entrepreneur Workshop is just one way we’re tackling this issue.”
To learn more and/or RSVP, visit
www.hcdc.com.
By Mike Sarason
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