Calling all entrepreneurs

3rd annual networking event reminds small business owners they don’t have to go it alone

Story by Gina Mangan

No man is an island – not even those as independent and self reliant as entrepreneurs.

Whether they’ve been cut free from existing businesses, broken free of their own volition, or chosen to never be part of them, those who opt to go it alone will quickly find they can’t get past “Go” if working in isolation. Not only do they require customers, but they also need business service providers, advisors, mentors and – in many cases - employees.

That’s where the Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day 2007 comes in. Scheduled for June 5 at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton, the Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day, or NEW END for short, will provide networking, collaboration and educational opportunities for area entrepreneurs and small business owners. Organizers hope to attract as many as 500 people to an event that will feature nationally acclaimed speaker Steven Little, a former president of three fast-growth companies and author of the book The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth.

NEW END provides entrepreneurs with opportunities to connect with like-minded people, said Amy Pietsch, NEW END steering team member and director of The Venture Center, which fosters business start-up, growth and expansion in northeast Wisconsin.

“There is nothing like learning from your peers,” Pietsch said. “It also helps people see the importance of working on their business, not just in their business.”

Learning how networking helps
When chemical engineer Bob Waldron was downsized out of a job at Kimberly-Clark Corp. he decided it was time to start his own business. He enrolled in The Venture Center’s E-Seed entrepreneurial training program. Along with two other former co-workers, he then launched Abba Makolin Waldron & Associates LLC, a manufacturing process consulting firm. He also started a home computer service company, MyDigitechnician, with his son, Luke.

Waldron knew that without the support of a corporate structure, networking and collaboration would be important to the success of his businesses. He recognized that entrepreneurs face unique challenges. For example, he said while entrepreneurs are good at creating products or providing services, many aren’t sure how to effectively market and sell – particularly on a shoestring budget.

Not only can networking help entrepreneurs answer questions, he said, but it also helps forge relationships with those who provide the services they require. But as Waldron looked around the region, he discovered that while many people recognized the importance of networking, there were few organized activities.

“There was a lot going on in terms of entrepreneurial training and education, but not really any events focused on getting to know other entrepreneurs in the 18-county region,” he said.

He and Pietsch collaborated in early 2005, and the first NEW END event was held that spring.

NEW END steering team co-chair Joey Reader, owner of A-mazing Events in Little Chute, knows all about the importance of networking. It’s an effective and low-cost way to market small, growing companies, she said.

“People do business with people because of relationships, so it’s important to get out and meet other people and talk about theirs and yours and forming partnerships,” said Reader, who worked for 10 years in human resources before launching her own company, which provides meeting and event planning services to other businesses.

Not only has networking and community involvement helped Reader’s NEW END co-chair Autumn Hill forge business relationships, but it’s also been a way to learn from others who experience similar challenges. Hill and her business partner, Yvonne Kehl, started Autumn Hill Creative LLC – an advertising and graphic arts business – in 2005 after spending several years as employees of other companies.

“Targeted networking can help entrepreneurs share their successes, and learn how to avoid common pitfalls,” Hill said. “Working 24/7, not take vacations, putting second mortgages on homes to finance businesses…These are all experiences that are unique to entrepreneurs and small business owners.”

There are also countless issues related to growing businesses after they’ve left the launching pad.

Renowned author talks growth
NEW END 2007 treads those waters by bringing in Steven Little, who grew his own companies and now speaks to thousands of owners and managers of growing organizations each year, including some of the world’s largest corporations. Through the use of real-life anecdotes and humor, Little will share his experiences and insights to illustrate the qualities that separate companies that grow from those that don’t.

He calls himself a straight talker and - in some ways - the antithesis of the motivational speaker. He said he suspects that some of what he says might jog listeners out of their comfort zones, prompting them to ask tough questions of themselves.

“The biggest barrier to business growth is that founders and owners get up everyday and do what they want to do, but not necessarily what needs to be done to grow,” he said. “It might be they don’t like what has to be done or they perceive they’re not good at it. Whatever the reason, they continue to do what they want to do to the detriment of their own business.”

While there will be little crossover between the stories in his book and the stories he tells at the podium, the general rules are the same, he said, albeit they are not all equal. Make no mistake about it, the single most important rule for growth is attracting and keeping the best and brightest people, Little said. Small business owners know this, he said, but many continue to ignore it.

“It’s just like the person who quits eating sugar and signs up at up the gym,” he said. “They know it’s the way they’re going to get healthy, but they eventually return to bad habits.”

Little said he recently polled business owners across the country regarding their largest problems. Two-thirds agreed it’s finding and keeping good people. Yet, he said, other recent surveys suggest business owners don’t view recruiting and training people as a skill set that most needs improving, even though Little found it’s their biggest problem.

“But those who are willing, will grow,” he said. “And if audience members leave with one or two big ideas that they can help bring their organizations to the next level, then I’ve done my job.”

Speaking of growth …
Businesses aren’t the only entities with the potential to grow. The NEW END event, which charges $25 to attend with advanced registration or $30 at the door, continues to grow each year.

The first event in 2005 drew 180 people. Organizers worked with no budget for advertising and relied entirely on donated time, materials and money, Pietsch said. Last year’s event drew 325 people for networking activities and speaker Barry Moltz, who wrote You Need to be a Little Bit Crazy, a book about starting your own business.

“Just three years later, we had a database of 1,900 people to receive invitations, so I don’t think we’re at all off target to say we’ll get 500 people this year,” Pietsch said. “Each year we get better at knowing how to customize the event.”

Part of the event’s growth is a reflection of the growing momentum of entrepreneurial training opportunities offered throughout northeast Wisconsin. More than 600 people have graduated from The Venture Center’s E-Seed program since its inception in 2000. Approximately 29 percent of those graduates launched new businesses within six months of completing the program, Pietsch said.

Many of The Venture Center’s former students are likely to make their way to NEW END 2007, where they’ll find some added features that include food prepared by local entrepreneurs in the food industry. Dubbed “Taste of Entrepreneurship,” 15 to 20 food entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to show their stuff from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

“What better way to keep attendees happy while also highlighting some entrepreneurs,” Reader said.

Meeting people and networking can be a challenge for many entrepreneurs, Hill said, particularly if they’ve been working in an office setting and are then thrust out in business world. To help smooth the way for event attendees, NEW END 2007 will be set up for facilitated networking.

The networking room will feature 50 round tables with 10 seats each. A facilitator from a sponsoring organization will host each table and lead discussions. There will be experts on legal issues, financing, marketing and other concerns important to small business owners.

“It’s not easy for everyone to walk into a room and start talking to strangers about their businesses,” Reader said. “What better way to make everyone feel comfortable than to have these resources available and have them facilitate some of the conversations.”

Gina Mangan is a freelance writer based in Oshkosh and is raising three children. Readers can email her at gmangan@tds.net.