April 5, 2016
Entrepreneurship
Submitted by Nancy Knopp Daniels
Entrepreneurship is a relatively new community development focus for K-State Research and Extension. It is important to Kansas because of our significant decline in population. This decline has a dampening effect on the vitality of our schools, businesses and infrastructure.
Entrepreneurship is important because 70% of all new jobs are from start-up businesses and the “gazelles” that emerge from them.
An entrepreneur is defined as a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, usually with considerable initiative and risk. According to Ewing Marion Kauffman, the difference between a small business owner and an entrepreneur is that the business owner works “in” his business while an entrepreneur works “on” it. The research suggests that the number of people with entrepreneurial urges range from 30%-50% and is even higher in young people. Field evidence suggests that in places with supportive environments, these numbers rise.
So what is a supportive entrepreneurial environment and what role can you play in creating one? To find out, please attend one of the spring community vitality updates. Other topics to be covered include the Kansas PRIDE program, First Impressions, and the art of facilitation. At each location, highlights of local community vitality projects will be shared.
For registration details, go to http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community. Registration deadline is April 20.