“We thought it strange,” Director of the Entrepreneurship Center Tim Mittan began, “that Lincoln didn’t have a place to ask questions about small businesses.”
That was the thought that sparked the creation of the Southeast Community College Entrepreneurship Center in Lincoln. Mittan cited that though resources were available in various areas of the state, the Entrepreneurship Center should be a place to consolidate all resources necessary to start a business.
“We (SCC) are part of a national project of eleven community colleges,” he continued. “We are being used as a national model for this kind of program.”
Mittan cited the success and convenience as reasons for being emulated.
“This is a one of the best places to start a business,” Professor Scot Baillie of the Entrepreneurship Center agreed.
The Entrepreneurship Center houses all the ENTR classes, as well as many business administration classes offered at SCC. However, due to the unique classification of entrepreneurs, SCC offers many continuing education classes through the Entrepreneurship Center as well, such as Feasibility Study (BSAD-3461) and Business Planning (ENTR-3001).
The EC is also home to The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) – Lincoln chapter. SCORE provides mentors at no charge to beginning entrepreneurs and small business owners, tailored to their specific realm of business.
In addition to mentoring, SCORE does a thorough job of explaining details that might be missed in a business plan (such as insurance, legal advice, etc.) and provides the contact information of banks and financial institutions that can fiscally back young businessmen and women. SCORE has a library of literature on finding success in seeking funding.
The EC houses the Incubator facility as well. The Incubator is a business office location for budding businesses.
While some of the businesses in the Incubator are independent of the college, many SCC alumni have taken their entrepreneurial baby steps here, such as SCC alumni Todd Messing and his company, SirkDot Innovations.
The advantages are clear. “(Monthly rent) is probably less than your cell phone bill,” Mittan suggested with a knowing smile.
In addition to reasonable rent, the Incubator provides business coaches, a copy/fax machine and encouragement from their peers and staff in this office community.
“We’re here for people who need help,” Mittan said.
To set up a tour of the Incubator, contact Brooke at 402-323-3404 or [email protected].
If anyone is seeking free mentoring from SCORE, he or she should feel free to visit the SCORE chapter at the Entrepreneurship Center, located at 285 South 68th Street Place in Lincoln, Suite 530, or visit their website at http://lincoln.score.org/chapters/lincoln-score.
This article is #2 of a series on the Entrepreneurship Center and its instructors and alumni. The following article will assess the community resources available for budding entrepreneurs, and what they provide.