Assistance with Business Development
TCRE provides both virtual, phone and in-person individual assistance to business
owners and managers and community leaders as time permits. Many services are free, but some are fee-based depending on the
individual or group providing the assistance and the type of
assistance is required.
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs can submit short questions to Ask an Expert and responses will be returned by email as soon as possible. If you have several questions that require more lengthy explanations or would like to discuss your business challenges with a representative...please complete and submt a Business Profile. This will provide TCRE an overview of your business idea, your stage of development or operation, your information or resource needs, and contact information. Submitting a profile will
open communication and create a working relationship with TCRE. Please note that the business profile does not
provide sufficient detail to work with capital sources. If you are searching for funding, you likely will need to prepare a detailed written business plan.
Available versions: (Word format) (PDF format)
Curriculum
The following curriculum contain numerous resources that likely will address many of your concerns and questions. All courses are available free online and are available on CD upon request to TCRE. Access the online versions link in the right panel above.
Developing Entrepreneur Ready Communities
This is a self‐directed course designed for community economic development
leaders. Participants will explore entrepreneurship as an economic
development strategy and of developing support systems for
entrepreneurs in communities. Many of the issues and topics covered
will provide background for communities seeking to become certified
under the TCRE Entrepreneur Ready Community Certification Program (click here for details) (online under Economic Development)
Building Your Entrepreneurial Venture from the Ground Up
This is a self‐directed course designed for individuals interested in
developing a business. Lessons provide an overview of business ideas
identification, of start up business models development, of value
proposition and competitive advantage identification, and of other
start up issues. Participants will investigate the entrepreneur
development process, focusing on elements of business planning as they
progress through lessons. This course provides the basic topics that
entrepreneurs with emerging companies should be able to translate
directly to their specific business ideas. It is a good review for
entrepreneurs with existing businesses prior to tackling the course for
companies with growth potential. (online under Economic Development)
Taking Your Entrepreneurial Venture to the Next Level
This is a self‐directed course designed for entrepreneurs facing the
challenges of business growth, business planning for growth,
capitalizing growth, cash flow management, dealing with contingencies
and developing harvest strategies. (online under Economic Development)
Program Implementation
Over 50 participants from a variety of business, economic and community development organizations have participated in four regional instructor training workshops during which they learned to use the above three courses to provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs in their communities. Many of them during them submitted brief written implementation/project plans on how they envision using the curriculum in their current activities. They all agreed to share those with you! Hopefully these examples will provide some ideas on how you can begin utilizing entrepreneur development and support as an economic development strategy. Completion of this intensive workshop is one of the criteria for certification as an Entrepreneur Guide.
Developing Diversified and Value-Added Agribusinesses (This curriculum was made possible by a grant from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center)
This is a self‐directed course designed for community economic development leaders. Participants will gain insight into:
- Diversified and Value-Added agribusiness planning and startup issues
- Challenges to Diversified and Value-Added agribusiness growth.