Taking Multi-Cultural Business Enterprising to the Next LevelA MBDO-BRN Framework

February 23, 2009

Pathways for Small Business (Pathways) is a collaborative undertaking involving government, private industry, non-profit community-based organizations, and educational institutions in a unified effort to create and grow certified small, minority, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. The goal of the collaboration is to strengthen the regional economy by bringing together small business stakeholders’ to develop and implement a common capacity-building strategy for these firms.

A Multi-Cultural Entrepreneurial Learning Place Focus on Simultaneous Mindset and Skill set Development

MBDOs BRN

BARRIERS

BUSINESS ISSUES

EMPOWERINGRESPONSE

TECHNO

LOGY

OPERATIONS

ACCOUNTING

FINANCE

MARKETING

ORGANIZATION

WORKFORCE

Performance Capacity-Building Objective Business Analysis Define and Organize Business

Resources Streamline the search for “real”

business opportunities

Business Analysis is a set of tasks, knowledge, and techniques required to identify business needs and determine solutions to business problems.

Building profits and customer relations are the two key components that make up what the small business is focused upon

Small companies need to bring business analytical frameworks to their decision-making

Every one knows what the risks are and if the

decision does not work out as anticipated, there is still a risk management framework in place.  That is the value of the business analysis.

At the end of the process, the owner has a sound knowledge of the business and a better ability to plan the desired future of the business.

Minority businesses lack size, scale & capabilities

Closing the gap – operate innovativelychange the way they think about their

business, customers and competitiongrow strategicallymove assuredly and expediently

10Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle 2008

Level 1 – capacity building efforts through sound operations and key person’s financial stability

Level 2 – establish a business “niche” and identify partnering opportunities

Level 3 – increase business capacity with development of human assets

Technology Operations Accounting Finance

Marketing Organizationa

l Development

Workforce Development

Owners can quickly assess their needs for highest performance efficiency and effectiveness

Chart the course to the next level Private sector will benefit from more

capable suppliers Communities will enjoy stronger

leadership and economies of scale

The Strategy Entrepreneurship is first and foremost a

mindset. It is the art of finding creative profitable solutions to problems.

Who Is the Entrepreneur? An Entrepreneur is a person who habitually creates

and innovates to build something of recognized value around perceived opportunities.

Why do some businesses owners succeed and some fail under exactly the same circumstances and in exactly the same business? The difference is their point of view about

what his/her business is, and what it isn’t. The difference is that successful business owners are entrepreneurs.

Rather like life itself, any business will benefit enormously if one can emerge from the maze and have vision for where he/she is going, what he wants from it, and how she plans to get there.

Discovering and maintaining this vision is what Pathways for Small Business is all about!

COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE PARTNERING TO “FILL THE

PERFORMANCE GAPS”

Primary Toolset – Organized to streamline business processes in order to execute complex business transactions, and to build mutually valued long-term relationships E3 Software Systems

Matches small businesses with contracting opportunities Prime Partnership Program

Engages first-tier firms in the capacity-building efforts with their second-tier partners

Peer-to-peer strategic joint venturing and alliances Truckers Consortium, LLC

Individual Development Plan Coaching System

Why do many businesses fail

when there are so many resources

out there to help them?

Create a consolidated alliance of business resource providers, which would:

• Operate cohesively and cost effectively

• Create positive outcomes through effective communications

• Develop a Resource Provider’s Checklist• Develop a Resource Group Directory• Develop a Memorandum of Understanding

A Business Resource Provider is an entity, which:

• Has an assessment mechanism

• Has professional staff

• Offers classes & training

• Provides one-on-one counseling

Level 1 –self-employment

Level 2 –the “family legacy firm”

Level 3 –the “high impact firm”

• Canvassed websites

• Contacted business resources directly

• Conducted a literature search

• Approached as a small business client

We need:

• Increased collaboration

• More timely and authentic communication

• To address the intangible factors to business success

• To provide a more effective response to business needs

We need a non-traditional model, which :

• Is quick and nimble

• Utilizes a common language

• Addresses the business owner’s actual needs

• Addresses leadership and entrepreneurial mindset

Pathways will assist and develop small businesses by providing a business analysis tool for developing an entrepreneurial map

Business resource providers will be more knowledgeable of their clients needs and will be better able to efficiently assist them based on their curent competitive posture and target future

Organizations offering business and/or contracting opportunities may mitigate risk and develop increased competitiveness for their projects

Communities will greatly benefit from the increase in employment provided by sustainable growth of the region’s small businesses