MicroEnterprise Project Celebrates Second Graduating Class

Nov. 2, 2010 - PRLog -- Nearly a dozen Southwest Florida entrepreneurs are a step closer to becoming their own bosses, after graduating from the Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise project on Thursday, October 28.  The eleven students completed a ten-week curriculum designed to prepare them for small business ownership.

Michael Schneider-Christians, founder of Cape Coral Insurance Group, LLC, was the commencement speaker.  The graduation ceremony was held at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.  

Graduates Nilsa Amaya, Cymbal Atkinson, Judy Cutler, Victoria DelBagno, Schott Glivic, Achim Glowszeski, Pamela Lovell, Mark Pasek, Theodore Pearsall, Barbara Renneke, and Matthew Warren received certificates symbolizing their completion of First Step FastTrac classes through the Kauffman Foundation.  FastTrac is a training program to help emerging entrepreneurs, including those displaced from previous jobs during the recession, start new businesses and help existing entrepreneurial business owners grow their businesses.

Some of the October graduates commuted over 90 minutes each session to attend the small business classes.

The October MicroEnterprise graduates range from future electrical contractors and painters and waterproofers to specialty bakery owners.  Many plan to polish their business plans and apply for funding from ACCION, USA, a microlender that specializes in business startup loans.

Goodwill’s Director of Microenterprise, Elliott Rittenhouse, sees an encouraging trend in the October graduating class: “As evidenced by the number of construction-oriented businesses that we have, our aspiring entrepreneurs are seeing a possible pickup in the local economy.” Rittenhouse adds, “Our graduates are preparing to participate in this anticipated growth.”

The Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise project is a partnership of several organizations that provides training for individuals with low-to-moderate income and/or other disadvantages to start their own businesses.  These partners include ACCION, USA, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida (http://www.goodwillswfl.org), the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, SCORE and the Fort Myers Enterprise Center.  

The next MicroEnterprise session begins on January 29th, 2011.  The program is still enrolling students for this upcoming session.  Students may apply at http://www.swflmicro.org or get more information at (239) 995-2106 ext. 215.

The Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise project is also seeking mentors and financial contributors who would like to help local residents start their own businesses. Mentors should be successful current or former small business owners who are interested in giving back to the community and helping other entrepreneurs to grow and prosper.

Persons interested in becoming mentors for the Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise project may call (239) 995-2106 ext. 215 or visit http://www.goodwillswfl.org.  Potential funders and contributors are encouraged to contact the Southwest Florida Community Foundation at (239) 274-5900.

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About Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida:
Goodwill operates 26 thrift stores in Southwest Florida Florida to support its mission of removing barriers to independence. Programs include income-sensitive housing, career placement assistance, the L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, SWFL MicroEnterprise, Four Wheels for Work, and others.