1. Center for Entrepreneurship and MSBDC Join Forces

 

The Center for Entrepreneurship Studies is please to announce the agreement of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center - Southeastern Region (MSBDC) to meet with small business owners and potential entrepreneurs on the Bridgewater State College Campus on the first Friday of every month starting March 6, 2209. The MSBDC provides FREE, high-quality, in-depth business advising, training and capital access which contribute to the entrepreneurial growth of small business throughout Massachusetts. Their services are delivered through a network of certified, skilled professional staff supported by a federal, state and higher education consortium as well as several partnerships.  


MSBDC offers business assistance for three integrated lines of commerce:

  • Business advisory services

  • Government contracting

  • International trade and export

 

It provides FREE one-on-one, confidential support services focusing on:

  • Business growth and success

  • Financing and loan assistance

  • Strategic, marketing and operational planning


MSBDC's resources are exceptional:

  • Nationally accredited program with over 25 years of client success

  • Statewide system delivered locally

  • Certified, full time business advisors with entrepreneurial and industry experience
    Partnerships: US Small Business Administration, the MA Department of Business & Technology, Chambers, Universities (led by UMASS), Economic Development Agencies, and others
     

MSBDC's clients represent:

  • Early stage, high growth, troubled and mature businesses

  • All businesses: retail, wholesale, manufacturing, distribution, services and professions high-tech, low-tech, no-tech and web commerce

  • Small businesses - typically with 500 employees or less


MSBDC says: "Your Success is Our Business"

  • Last year over 7000 clients served

  • Clients secured over $56MM in new capital

  • Clients secured over $131MM in federal contracts

  • Clients increased export sales over $160MM



To schedule an appointment with MSBDC, please call Tammi Jacobsen at 508-673-9783 extension 104. You can also visit the MSBDC web site at www.MSBDC.org/semass.

All advisor meetings are scheduled by appointment only. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Tammi Jacobsen at 508-673-9783 Ext. 104.
 

2. Business Plan Contest held its first Workshop

 

The business plan contest held its first workshop on February 12. Cliff Robinson from the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center and SCORE ran the work shop on how to write a business plan.


Workshops are open to everyone - local community, as well as Bridgewater BSC students, staff/faculty, alumni and graduate students. This is the first of three workshops for anyone that is considering starting a small business. For more information, please refer to the workshop announcement.


BSC is also hosting a Business Plan Writing Contest where $2500 will be given to the winning team, as well as free services and support from local firms, including law, accounting, and marketing companies. All affiliated with BSC are eligible to participate in the contest. Local community members can enter as part of a team with BSC affiliates. One-on-one assistance is available in developing the plans as well as the three workshops. The deadline to enter is March 20th and plans will be due April 23rd.


Please see the CES website or call Professor Joseph Donovan X1395 or e-mail j1donovan@bridgew.edu
 

3. Alumni Entrepreneurs Answer Student Questions

 

In celebration of Entrepreneurship week two alumni entrepreneurs spoke to a packed room of students, faculty and fellow entrepreneurs on Tuesday, February 24. The guest speakers were Timothy Hart, BSC '04 and Raquel Mullaney, BSC '92. Tim is the founder and owner of T.H.E Sportswear Company, who has been providing schools, businesses, youth leagues, churches, and various organizations with top quality Sportswear and Promotional Products since 2003. Raquel is coowner of Comfort Keepers who provides companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation and many other services to provide peace of mind and quality of life while maintaining independence in the privacy of their own home. Comfort Keepers' main office is in Plymouth, with satellites in Hingham and West Yarmouth.

 

Tim told the story of how he started his business in April of 2003, T.H. Enterprises, a one person sportswear and promotional products company. This is a fairly competitive market but with endless opportunity for growth. As he finished his remaining two classes in the evenings of the fall of 2003 he realized how much he could use the information he was learning every night in his day to day operations. He mentioned that he would have really benefited from an internship earlier in his college career. He graduated in January of 2004 with a degree in Management with a concentration in Human Resources.

 

With a slow start in '03 and '04 he took another job selling for a Sand and Gravel company. There he was able to learn a lot from his boss about how to make contacts, follow up, and deliver goods as expected. This was a valuable experience for two years. He was laid off due to a declining industry in '06 and decided it was time to see if he could make his part time hobby his full time job. He gave himself one year to accomplish a sales goal that would allow me to survive and pay my bills. Long story short he had accomplished that goal in eight months time. His business had doubled, just by following up with people and staying on top of shipments. Again in '08 his gross sales doubled despite the recession.


Since he switched to full time he's been thinking of ways to diversify his time. He started a baseball camp that he ran three times a year, He has met with a few partners about opening an indoor athletic facility and he also has hopes of starting a full service car wash in the near future. He has taken the name T.H. Enterprises and has tried to brand everything he does with T.H.E. T.H.E Sportswear Company and T.H.E Baseball Academy as well as hopefully any other endeavor he can achieve.

 

Tim has been working with Carver High School with their internship program and currently has two students working with him on various projects. He is more interested in college level students as he feel they would be able to bring stronger ideas and be more independent.

 

In 1992, Raquel Mullaney graduated from Bridgewater State College with the goal of changing the world one person at a time. So with her diploma under her arm, she set off to make a difference serving clients at the Department of Mental Health. Although rewarding, Raquel knew there was a bigger picture she wasn't seeing.

 

In 2001, Robert Mullaney was quite content going to work at his printing manufacturing plant; until September 11th. You see, Bob was the general manager of a commercial printing company that was in charge of printing all of your junk mail (Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, CVS coupons, etc...). When the terrorist attacks happened and made Anthrax a household word; consumers would no longer open any mail that was not addressed to them by a familiar person. This caused the bottom to fall out of the printing company Bob worked for and since he was the GM, he was one of the first to go.


Raquel drew on her experience at the Department of Mental Health; wanting to give more but not having the resources to do it. Bob drew on the experience he had caring for his ailing father; it was very difficult to find good help to come in and assist in his father's care. With the two together deciding on homecare, Comfort Keepers became the obvious choice.


Raquel's natural ability to reach out to the community and educate on Alzheimer's and home care issues made her a perfect match to be the face of the company. Bob had over 15 years of business & financial experience to put to good use running the operations of the company. Raquel & Robert enjoyed almost immediate success due to the baby boomers needing an answer to keeping their loved ones safe at home. The "Boomers" faced a monumental challenge of balancing their careers, family and elderly parents and Comfort Keepers was the answer. Comfort Keepers provides companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation and many other services to provide peace of mind and quality of life while maintaining independence in the privacy of their own home. Comfort Keepers' main office is in Plymouth, with satellites in Hingham and West Yarmouth. Raquel has gone on to continue her leadership & educational outreach as the Co-Chairperson of the South Shore Alzheimer Partnership and President of the South Shore Women's Business Network. After eight years of marriage and five years in business together, it is with only the husband & wife team approach that Raquel & Robert still go home at the end of the day hand in hand.

 

It was a very inspiring and insightful hour for all and we greatly thank these two dedicated alumni for sharing their time and their stories with us.

4. T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K.© - Seven Steps to Trusting Teams - March 3 at 12:30

 

Michael Shipman is an organizational development professional, executive coach and recognized expert on teams in the workplace is going to present his program on Teamwork on Tuesday, March 3, at 12:30 in the Heritage Room of Maxwell Library on the Bridgewater State College Campus. Michael based the principles of the TEAMWORK model on his work with hundreds of teams from a variety of industries across North America and Europe. He is currently the Vice President of Organizational and Talent Development at Rockland Trust. The major emphasis of his work has been on integrating business strategy with business process improvement while developing critical skills to lead empowered work teams and manage change.


The T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K.© program is an innovative and effective approach to starting and leading high performing teams to create a high level of performance and results as well as an energetic and cohesive team. The TEAMWORK model emphasizes the process of getting people to work effectively with each other as well as the process of establishing and communicating clear goals. This curriculum is designed to look at the most relevant disciplines needed to start and lead high performing teams in a dynamic learning environment. Included in this program is a TEAMWORK assessment to profile your team’s particular strengths and create an action plan to improve areas that may require some development. This approach was developed out of experience with hundreds of team development programs and has been tested with teams around the world.
 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?:

Anyone who is leading or about to start a project team. Critical information for those that do not have the time, money or energy to waste on sub-optimizing actions or behaviors. Appropriate for both team leaders and team members. Relevant for intact teams as well as individuals from different teams.

The program has a limit of 80, please contact Shannon Donovan 508-531-2684 or s1donovan@bridgew.edu

5. Remember Registration for the Business Plan Contest is due 3/20.

Last Modified: March 6, 2009