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Greetings! Thank you for taking time to read the alt.Journal. alt.Consulting's staff makes a difference in low wealth communities one business, one job, one person, one step at a time by providing customized managerial assistance to entrepreneurial ventures in the Mid-South. We appreciate your interest, your support and your feedback. Ines Polonius, Executive Director
"Striking the Right Notes on Entrepreneurship" is a national conference coming to Memphis on April 18 - 20, 2005 at the Memphis Marriott Downtown. The Federal Reserve Banks of St. Louis and Kansas City, the American Bankers Association, the Kauffman Foundation and Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) are jointly sponsoring the conference, which will focus on the role of entrepreneurship in the economy and our communities. The conference will look at best practices and the elements needed to create the right foundation for enterprise in communities, regions and states. It is organized into three tracks:
Ines Polonius, Executive Director, will be presenting alt.Consulting's model for providing customized, managerial assistance to small businesses at the conference on April 19th. If your are interested in more information or would like to attend the conference, click the link below.
FastTrac in Memphis is really on the 'fast track'. The new session began on February 3, 2005 with 13 entrepreneurs who participated in an intensive 11 week course designed to help develop business management skills that can be used for years to come. Below are a few quotes from current participants.
"My experiences exceeded my expectations."
"I came to class with an open mind in need of
all and any buisness knowledge. This experience has
been above and beyond what I expected." "I have gained a wonderful sense of
reassurance that I can do this - manage my business
for greater profitability."
The Center City Commission (CCC) of Memphis
sponsored five downtown businesses in FastTrac. As
a part of the sponsorship each graduate will receive
20 hours of follow-up, one-on-one managerial
assistance.
You are invited to the FastTrac graduation, which
will be held on April 18, 2005, 7 p.m. at Gestures,
525 S. Main Street in Memphis. If you are interested
in attending, please RSVP to Christina Watkins, 901-
312-9796.
The fall class will begin August 25, 2005. If you are
interested in attending or learning more about that
class, you can contact us or use the link below to
view class information and registration.
Paulette Sanford started April House Premier Catering Company in Memphis eight years ago. Her business got a rather unusual start and as a result has developed into much more than a catering business. For twelve years, Ms. Sanford operated a small printing business. It was located in an office with other small businesses and she began bringing food for special occasions. With improved technology leading to less demand for her printing services, Ms. Sanford saw an opportunity to move her business in a new direction. She started April House Premier Catering Company as a full service catering and events management business. She has grown it into a business that includes:
April House Premier Catering Company has been profitable each year but has faced some of the same challenges many small businesses face. As Ms. Sanford said, "There are a lot of small businesses that just need a little push in the right direction." A flyer about the alt.Consulting FastTrac program in Memphis almost made it to the trashcan before Ms. Sanford reconsidered and called about the class. She had attended several training programs looking for help and had worked with other consultants. She said, "This is the best program set up to assist small businesses that I have come across." Not only did Ms. Sanford attend the 11 week FastTrac training, (see previous article for more information on FastTrac), she also asked for additional assistance. Using proprietary tools developed by alt.Consulting, Ms. Sanford saw an immediate improvement in her cashflow. If you live or work in Memphis, please support our client. You can find Ms. Sanford at 2222 Lloyd St.in Memphis or you can contact her at 901-946-1668.
alt.Consulting is partnering with Mississippi MicroEnterprise Association (MMEAN) and the Mississippi Development Authority to generate entrepreneurial enthusiasm in the three rural, Delta towns of Friars Point, Shelby, and Tunica, Mississippi alt.Consulting taught a seminar called "How to Start a Business in Mississippi" to meet the potential entrepreneurs in each of these towns. Participants, ready to launch their ventures immediately, are receiving one-on-one assistance to determine if their concept is feasible and to develop marketing plans. Since October 2004, in these three rural communities,
alt.Consulting thanks MMEAN and its supporters at the Mississippi Development Authority for its financial support in creating new businesses and jobs in these Mississippi communities.
alt.Consulting, working with Southern Financial Partners, has expanded services to include customized managerial assistance to small Delta municipalities and communities. News of the work in a couple of small towns spread to a group of women in Shelby, MS. This group, Shelby Women United, had gotten together about a year earlier to clean up the town. They asked Southern Financial Partners, if alt.Consulting could work in their town next. alt.Consulting worked with Shelby Women United and a diverse group of citizens to develop a strategic plan for the community. Since completing their strategic plan in November 2004, they have:
alt.Consulting is excited to announce:
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