Goshen College business department partners with ASSETS to train entrepreneurs;

Next class begins Sept. 14

GOSHEN, Ind. – Whether someone wants to start a business and be self-employed as an artist, a computer consultant, a baker, a bed and breakfast owner or an electrician, a good business plan and advice from experienced business owners can mean the difference between success and disappointing returns on investment.

Since beginning in the fall of 2003, ASSETS of Elkhart County has trained more than 100 entrepreneurs and many successful businesses have been developed, launched and strengthened. ASSETS was founded by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), as a Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to working with entrepreneurs in communities around the world.

“ASSETS helped to confirm for me that my business was feasible and that I was heading in the right direction. It also helped me to understand the financial aspects of a business, specifically to obtain a loan for equipment I needed,” said Evelyn Walton of Elkhart, who owns Your Computer Connection, and graduated from ASSETS earlier this year. “Anybody who is really serious about starting a business should take these courses first.”

By creating a new partnership with Goshen College’s business department to oversee implementation of the program and courses, ASSETS will continue to offer practical, experience-based training and support for entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a business. This continued education course is not designed for college credit, nor is prior college experience required to register.

With this new partnership, implementation of the program is now under the direction of Al Weldy, chair of the Goshen College Business Department, and Melissa Kinsey, director of the Entrepreneurship Learning Center and assistant professor of business.

The program integrates training with individual coaching, assistance in arranging loans, networking opportunities and mentoring.Courses consist of a 13-week series of 23 practical, experience-based classes that walk the entrepreneur through the process of planning for a business launch or for strengthening an existing business. Two-hour classes are held two evenings a week and are taught by volunteer community business leaders, professionals and college faculty who draw on their own experience and success to help entrepreneurs apply business concepts to the specific needs of their own businesses.

“Instructors share the importance of a high standard of ethics and values of community responsibility in their business practice,” said Weldy. “Our desired results include independence and empowerment of entrepreneurs, through economic, community and personal development.”

The next class begins Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006, and will take place in Elkhart’s Lexington Business Centre. The cost for ASSETS training is based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) income levels and will range from $50 to $350.

ASSETS has built strong alliances with community development organizations, local Chambers of Commerce, financial institutions, donors and an emerging ASSETS alumni group. “We have an excellent roster of experienced instructors, and a growing and active list of alumni from the program. We have a very strong, diverse, and talented board that is willing to roll up our sleeves and help with the development and delivery of business training to entrepreneurs in Elkhart County,” said Steve Martin, ASSETS board chair. “We invite the community to continue supporting ASSETS.”

The ASSETS board of directors includes Steve Martin, chair, Jim Alvarez, Greg Ota, Chad Horning, Merritt Lehman, Andy Rohrer, Bill Burton, Randy Miller and Art Stoltzfus. Significant contributions towards ASSETS of Elkhart County and its students have been made by members of the Michiana MEDA chapter, key community individuals and several financial institutions.

“By providing educational resources to help individuals develop, launch and improve their businesses, ASSETS helps strengthen economic development throughout the Elkhart County region,” said Kinsey.

To request more information or a registration packet for ASSETS, call (574) 535-7451 or e-mail business@goshen.edu.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.