MicroEnterprise Graduates Port Charlotte Class

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Oct. 18, 2013 - PRLog -- The Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute celebrated the graduation of eleven entrepreneurs on Tuesday, October 15. The graduation was held at The Cultural Center of Charlotte County (2280 Aaron Street).

The Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute is a training program to help emerging entrepreneurs start new ventures and grow small businesses. Graduates complete a 12-module business and management training course over the course of six weeks, and work with mentors who are successful businesspersons.  Coaches for the most recent session were Fenisha Postlethwait, Mickey Gorman and Lynn Kittredge. Goodwill’s Dorothy Browning facilitated the class.

Graduates Michelle Jerome, Anne Karr, Doug Karr, Steve Postlethwait, Angela Powell, Rose Reid, Rozilla Robillard, Domenic Spinelli, Monica Vernon and William Wynn were all on-hand to receive their certificates symbolizing their completion of the small business training course. Angela Henderson also completed the course but, was unable to attend the ceremony.

“We are not the same from when we started,” says Powell. “We’ve gained a lot of knowledge. The knowledge will make not only us better but, our families. I feel armed and ready to go out there and get things done.”

Mark Kole delivered the commencement speech at the graduation. Kole is the co-founder and CEO of Ant Factory Mobile, LLC. He has owned 27 businesses including a show promotion company, a Hospital Outpatient Rehab facility, a medical billing software company and a publishing company.

“As an entrepreneur, you’re going to need support,” says Kole. “This program is giving you a huge head start.”

The Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute is administrated by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida and is part of Goodwill’s mission to help people with disabilities and disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment and independence. To learn more about the SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute, please visit www.goodwillswfl.org/microenterprise or (239) 995-2106 ext. 2219.

For more information about Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, visit www.goodwillswfl.org.