Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation

Emerging Global Food Markets ... Opportunities and Challenges For Oregon

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:37:00 GMT

Emerging Global Food Markets… Dr. Tom Reardon of Michigan State University’s Department of Agricultural, Food & Resource Economics. He will explore world trends and suggest strategies on how Oregon can emerge as a global "winner" in the dynamic new world market.

Prof. Tom Reardon is a leading global expert on the growth and modernization of food markets in the Emerging Market countries of Asia and Latin America. This includes the rapid rise of supermarkets, large processing, modernized wholesale, and the rise of an urban consumer market that adds 1 billion new middle class customers to the ranks of potential US exporters’ customers. He has devoted 25 years to studying the food markets of Asia, Latin America, and Africa, traveling extensively, having just returned from a year in Asia. This year he participated in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland; served on an agricultural expert panel for the Chicago Council for Global Affairs; and was just named to the WEF Global Agenda Council on Food Security.

Where: World Trade Center Portland, Building Two, 121 SW Salmon St., Portland, Oregon Conference Center auditorium

When: 10:00-11:30 AM, Friday, 11 September, 2009

There is no charge for this event, but an RSVP would be appreciated to

jeff.deiss@or.usda.gov

Opportunities and Challenges for Oregon

Rural Development Initiatives Honors UPBEAT Enterprise Facilitation Project

Merlin Berg — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:32:00 GMT

The Rural Development Initiatives awards the City of Oakridge, Oregon and Westfir Oregon, UPBEAT its 2009 Rural Awards of Excellence in Economic Development .

Local Foods and Value-Based Food Supply Chains Workshop

Merlin Berg — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:50:00 GMT

Invitation to a February 22nd Workshop in Corvallis Oregon on “Values-Based Food Supply Chains”.
If you are nterested in local foods and "Value-Based Food Supply Chains," or you are interested in learning what these are, you may want to participate in an Oregon State University workshop planned for February 22 in Corvallis. It will feature a couple of in-person case studies showing how producers have successfully marketed their produce as "locally grown" and achieved value-added success by building a working partnership at all levels of the food distribution system.

Background on the Challenges Faced

Many agricultural producers seek alternatives to the low prices they receive in commodity markets. While direct markets are the answer for some, many others are frustrated because they produce too much and/or are poorly located for direct marketing channels.

“Values-based food supply chains” represent an emerging alternative. They are distinguished from traditional food supply chains by both (1) products that are differentiated from the mainstream based on superior food quality, environmental stewardship and social responsibility AND (2) the types of strategic relationships that link together the supply chain actors. As will be developed in the workshop these supply chains can be both “smart” from a business perspective and “right” from an ethical perspective. More information on this general topic can be found here: http://www.agofthemiddle.org/

OSU February 22nd Workshop in Corvallis, Oregon

This one-day workshop will provide the opportunity to examine in detail two of these supply chains. Shepherds Grain (http://www.shepherdsgrain.com ), an alliance of grain producers in the Pacific Northwest, and Red Tomato (http://www.redtomato.org/about.html), a marketing and logistics nonprofit in the Northeast US, have both successfully developed food supply chains that operate as strategic alliances among midsize, independent food production, processing, and distribution/sales enterprises. One key measure of success is that these supply chains create and retain more value for the farmers who participate. Also these two supply chains operate at volumes far greater than those handled by direct marketing systems.

The representatives from these two supply chains will examine their own experiences, opportunities, and challenges and serve as resource people for participants seeking to explore possibilities.

Who Should Attend

There are two target audiences: (1) producers, processors and buyers who wish to better understand these “values-based food supply chains” and (2) public and private sector agricultural professionals who work with producers.

Cost and Logistics

Thanks to funding from the USDA/National Research Initiative, we are able to provide this full day (8:30 AM – 4 PM) workshop on 2/22 at no cost to participants. Spaces, however, are very limited and will be allocated based on when requests are received. If you wish to attend, please email by January 26th a paragraph indicating who you are and why this workshop will be useful to you to Linda Brewer at linda.brewer@oregonstate.edu.

Limited travel scholarships are available and should be requested when you apply for the workshop.

Questions on the materials to be covered should be directed to Larry Lev at larry.lev@oregonstate.edu.

This workshop will take place the day after the OSU Small Farm Conference and in the same location so you may want to attend both:

http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/2009SmallFarmConf. The conference on 2/21 does have a registration fee.

Larry Lev
Professor and Extension Marketing Specialist
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
221C Ballard Extension Hall
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-3601
541 737 1417
FAX 541 737 2563
EMAIL: larry.lev@oregonstate.edu

Madras Pioneer Story January 8, 2009

Greg — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:30:00 GMT

Free service offers help to entrepreneurs

Calling all entrepreneurs! The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation program will be holding a community meeting in Madras for all those who have ever thought about starting a business, or have opened a business and need some help to get to the next level of success. The meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Library at 241 S.E. Seventh St. Enterprise Facilitation is a free and confidential service that helps entrepreneurs to navigate the maze of small business ownership. "We help entrepreneurs down the path to success by providing free one-on-one management coaching and by connecting entrepreneurs to resources," said Greg Hohensee, facilitator. "It's formed connections between all the rural cities that wouldn't have been there," he said. The project offers its services to Jefferson, Crook, Northern Deschutes, Wasco and Sherman counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. In Jefferson County, Enterprise Facilitation has assisted three clients in Madras, two in Culver, and 10 in Warm Springs. Enterprise Facilitation has been used in 22 countries, totaling over 300 projects reversing business mortality. Worldwide, businesses that use Enterprise Facilitation have a greater than 80 percent success rate. There are currently five Enterprise Facilitation projects in Oregon. The oldest, Baker City BEGIN has helped create 76 new businesses, acquire 12 more, tune up 158 existing businesses, and create 172 new jobs, all within eight years. The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation project has been operating for about eight months and has consulted with 39 clients, helped with two start-ups, one expansion and tuned up six businesses. "We are also looking for dedicated individuals to serve on the CoMNet (Community Mentoring Network)," said Hohensee, who pointed out that the time commitment is one and one-half hours a month plus drive time, "and the reward is a healthy main street." Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation is a community service provided by the Wy'East Resource Conservation and Development Area Council. For more information, visit centraloregonmicroenterprise.com; wyeast-rcd.org; sirolli.com; bakerbegin.org; or hipponexus.com.

Free service offers help to entrepreneurs

   Calling all entrepreneurs! The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation program will be holding a community meeting in Madras for all those who have ever thought about starting a business, or have opened a business and need some help to get to the next level of success.
   The meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Library at 241 S.E. Seventh St.
   Enterprise Facilitation is a free and confidential service that helps entrepreneurs to navigate the maze of small business ownership.
   "We help entrepreneurs down the path to success by providing free one-on-one management coaching and by connecting entrepreneurs to resources," said Greg Hohensee, facilitator.
   "It's formed connections between all the rural cities that wouldn't have been there," he said.
   The project offers its services to Jefferson, Crook, Northern Deschutes, Wasco and Sherman counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
   In Jefferson County, Enterprise Facilitation has assisted three clients in Madras, two in Culver, and 10 in Warm Springs.
   Enterprise Facilitation has been used in 22 countries, totaling over 300 projects reversing business mortality. Worldwide, businesses that use Enterprise Facilitation have a greater than 80 percent success rate.
   There are currently five Enterprise Facilitation projects in Oregon. The oldest, Baker City BEGIN has helped create 76 new businesses, acquire 12 more, tune up 158 existing businesses, and create 172 new jobs, all within eight years.
   The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation project has been operating for about eight months and has consulted with 39 clients, helped with two start-ups, one expansion and tuned up six businesses.
   "We are also looking for dedicated individuals to serve on the CoMNet (Community Mentoring Network)," said Hohensee, who pointed out that the time commitment is one and one-half hours a month plus drive time, "and the reward is a healthy main street."
   Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation is a community service provided by the Wy'East Resource Conservation and Development Area Council.
   For more information, visit centraloregonmicroenterprise.com; wyeast-rcd.org; sirolli.com; bakerbegin.org; or hipponexus.com.

Press Release for Community Information Meeting 1/14/2009

Greg — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:50:00 GMT

January 2, 2009

WHO: Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation

WHAT: A Community Information Meeting

WHY: To Help Entrepreneurs Realize Their Dreams (in this dismal economy!)

WHEN: Wednesday January 14, 2009 6:00- 7:30 PM

WHERE: Jefferson County Fire Hall 765 SE Adams Drive Madras OR 97741

Contact: Greg Hohensee 541-728-6528 greg@centraloregonmicroenterprise.com

Calling all Entrepreneurs! The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation program will be holding a community meeting for all those who have ever thought about starting a business, or have opened a business and need some help to get to the next level of success. Enterprise Facilitation® is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL service that helps entrepreneurs to navigate the maze of small business ownership. We help entrepreneurs down the path to success by providing free one on one management coaching and by connecting entrepreneurs to resources. The project offers its services to Wasco, Sherman, Jefferson, Crook, Northern Deschutes, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Enterprise Facilitation® has been used in 22 countries, totaling over 300 projects reversing business mortality. Worldwide, businesses that use Enterprise Facilitation® have a greater than 80% success rate. There are currently 5 Enterprise Facilitation® projects in the State of Oregon. The oldest, Baker City BEGIN has helped create 76 new businesses, acquire 12 more, tune up 158 existing businesses, and create 172 new jobs, all within 8 years. The Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation® project has been operating for about 8 months and has consulted with 39 clients, helped with 2 startups, 1 expansion and tuned up 6 businesses.

We are also looking for dedicated individuals to serve on the COMNet. The time commitment is 1 ½ hours a month plus drive time, and the reward is a healthy main street.

Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation® is a community service provided by the Wy’East Resource Conservation and Development Area Council.

For more information: www.centraloregonmicroenterprise.com www.wyeast-rcd.org www.sirolli.com www.bakerbegin.org www.hipponexus.com

November 2008 Newsletter

Merlin Berg — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:26:00 GMT

Community Mentoring Network

November Newsletter

The last month has been exciting for all of us. Introductions within the community have really been working their magic. We have taken on new clients, and have been working hard with the clients you have all been helping at out COMNet meetings.

At last month’s meeting, we used the polycom video conference system to allow Ernesto Sirolli and his team to sit in on our meeting. They were all very impressed with our project, and added a few suggestions to help out. As you all know, this method of remote training is new ground for the Sirolli Institute, and they were so pleased with our project that they have now decided to offer this as product. This will allow communities to start Enterprise Facilitation at a third of the original cost. So our thanks go out to all of you who have made this such a success so far.

We are now scheduling some community information meetings about the project. The next one will be held at the American Legion Hall in Maupin Monday November 17, from 5:30 to 6:30. If you live near there and would like to participate, please call Merlin Berg at (541) 296-2391 x117. We are looking to hold similar meetings in Wasco, Rufus, Madras, Culver, Terrebonne, Sisters and Prineville. If you would like to hold one in your town, Please give Merlin a call.

The November meeting will be next Wednesday, the 12^th from 3:00 to 4:30 PM. It will be held at the OSU Extension office located at 498 SE Lynn Blvd, right next to the 4H building and the fair grounds. Please try to get there a little early so we can start on time.

Some of the new features of the website, www.centraloregonmicroenterprise.com, are now available. Check out my latest VLOG (video log) entry discussing the real purpose of the Financial Manager in the trinity. We have been working with Daniel Comp of Intelligent Netware to improve the site every. If you would like to register, go to the website and click the “Register” tab or Call Merlin Berg at (541) 296-2391 x117.

Please remember to keep planning those introductions with Greg in your community, and always be on the lookout for new COMNet members. We look forward to seeing you on the 12^th, and thanks again for your participation.

The Project Management Team

Wy'East Presentation at PacRim Resource Conservation & Development Association

Merlin Berg — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:40:52 GMT

Lonnie James, Wy'East Resource Conservation & Development spoke about the Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation project at the PacRim RC&D annual meeting in Portland Oregon October 19 through 23. The PacRim members come together from Oregon to American Samoa to share their success.

Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation – Our Story

Wy’East RC&D Council wants to help entrepreneurs manage and grow successful small business micro-enterprises. Micro-enterprise development deals with individual, family and community needs. Micro-enterprises generate income, build assets and create jobs locally. A micro-enterprise is generally defined a business with fewer than five employees and startup investment less than $35,000. Often the owner is the sole employee of the business.

Traditional economic development targets industrial recruitment. This method emphasizes financial incentives for the relocation or expansion of existing businesses. This approach simply does not work in small or isolated Central Oregon communities.

Consider this… When you look around your community, the greatest resources are its people, institutions and existing infrastructure. You are our most valued community assets. Let’s build an economic strategy based on community assets; resources already available in the community. For example, let’s capture the dreams and passion of self-motivated entrepreneurs to realize their hopes and dreams of starting their own business.

Determined Wy’East could make a difference to change troubled communities we looked for opportunities for change.

Several Wy’East Council members attended a workshop introducing us to Enterprise Facilitation by Ernesto Sirolli in February 2005. Ernesto Sirolli is the founder of the Sirolli Institute. The Sirolli Institute is a global nonprofit organization introducing Enterprise Facilitation to communities seeking to grow their economies from within. Enterprise Facilitation offers a community development approach that mobilizes already existing community talent, skills and assets to cultivate entrepreneurship. Well …. It sounded interesting. Nevertheless, we wanted to learn more.

To learn more about Enterprise Facilitation, we went to Wallowa County Business Facilitation project located in Joseph Oregon. We talked to the resource board, enterprise facilitator and visited several businesses that started because of Enterprise Facilitation. The businesses started and retained were impressive. The fact is …. If it could work this well in Wallowa County, it could work in Central Oregon.

The more we learned about Enterprise Facilitation the more passionate we became about initiating our own project.

During the summer of 2005, four of us attended a Sirolli Institute Observatory hosted by the Baker Enterprise Growth Initiative (BEGIN) in Baker City Oregon. We learned about the philosophy, values and approaches needed to start an Enterprise Facilitation project in Central Oregon.

There was no stopping us now – we were committed to do whatever necessary to make Enterprise Facilitation work in Central Oregon. We organized a project management team to start the process to obtain funding. A member of that team was Rob Miles. See Rob Miles video about how the Sirolli Institute Observatory transformed his business.

Wy’East Council made the commitment to pursue funding. We applied for grant funding to start the project. Funding has come from local, state and private foundations. Funds came from USDA Rural Development, Oregon Community and Economic Development, the City of Maupin, Meyer Memorial Trust and generous donations from people just like you. You can make a donation now.

Wy’East entered into an agreement with the Sirolli Institute’s 30-month community apprenticeship. The apprenticeship establishes a sustainable community based Enterprise Facilitation program. The Sirolli Institute provides us training through teleconferences and consultations. When we have questions about how to implement Enterprise Facilitation, we contact the Sirollie Institute.

We are the first Enterprise Facilitation project to receive training via long distance learning teleconference. The initial teleconference had members at two separate locations. In addition, instruction videos’ and reading materials are available through this web site. The project serves a large geographic area with a population of about 50,000; see the map.

Community Mentoring Network – Champions for Entrepreneurs
The community resource board we call Community Mentoring Network (COMnet) made up of community volunteer members who want to see entrepreneurs succeed.

Rob Miles, who owns the Imperial River Company leads the COMnet. Rob exemplifies the passion and commitment that community members bring to the COMnet. View Rob’s video

The COMnet role is to introduce people they know to the Enterprise Facilitator. They support the Enterprise Facilitator to find resources and networks entrepreneurs need to be successful. Nobody starts a business alone.

These introduction is the focus of marketing Enterprise Facilitation. Once the buzz starts around the community the Enterprise Facilitator has a continuous supply of entrepreneurs to assist.

If the entrepreneur needs help to move forward and the Enterprise Facilitator does not know; then the Enterprise Facilitator asks the COMnet for their input. No single individual can do it all.

Given the sensitive nature of discussing an entrepreneurs business CONFIDENTIALY is paramount. When a community volunteer is accepted to the COMnet they sign a confidentially agreement. At the beginning of each monthly meeting maintain strict confidentially is confirmed again.

Currently the COMnet has over 40 members. At each meeting about 15 to 20 Volunteers attend. The monthly meeting move around to a different community each month.

Each volunteer is asked to view training videos from the Sirolli Institute. The provides a basic understanding of Enterprise Facilitation.

We set into motion the hiring of the Enterprise Facilitator in November of 2007. We advertised the position extensively for over a month throughout the Pacific Northwest. The results were phenomenal. Fifty-eight applicants applied. After proceeding through the normal interview process, we selected Greg Hohensee as our Enterprise Facilitator.

In April 2008 the COMnet began introducing Greg to members of their community. The focus has been on introductions to community members. As a result, we currently have over 16 entrepreneurs receiving assistance.

The volunteers that serve on the Wy’East Council and community volunteers that serve on the COMnet will make a difference. Together we will help entrepreneurs start micro-enterprises build sustainable communities in Central Oregon.

Technorati Tags: Wy'East,PacRim,Enterprise Facilitation,Sirolli Institute,Ernesto Sirolli,Central Oregon,Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation,Lonnie James,entreapreneurship

Micro-enterprise is HUGE!

Daniel Comp — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:06:00 GMT

They may be small, but they are the majority, and they create on average 900,000 jobs a year. Over 87% of businesses in the U.S. are micro-enterprises - and you can get a bunch more going in your town!

A "micro-enterprise" is a business with fewer than five employees that can be started for less than $35,000. Many micro enterprises are home-based and often part-time. Some are started by unlikely people in challenging situations. Micro-enterprise development programs (like this one) have little wealth and have limited access to economic resources. That's why President Clinton and Bill Gates called upon each of us as Americans to get involved - as they are - making modest investments that add up to a huge difference. See Clinton Global Initiative.

I've committed technology and media production to this project because I've learned how successful the Sirolli model is at turning around rural economies. I'm convinced, and committed. I'm in the process of moving my company to Oregon - and working to expand upon the positive outcomes that the leaders of this project have going.

I ran across some numbers that demonstrate how important small business is. The source is the Association for Enterprise Opportunity. Have a look at 10 reasons micro-enterprises matter so much.

I encourage you to commit as well. Make a very modest contribution - the same as a lunch ticket, or a tank of gas a month. Lean more, and be a part of the solution here.

Daniel Comp
Intelligent Netware

Windows Live Writer {installation & configuration}

Daniel Comp — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:34:04 GMT

This is an instructional video post on how to install and setup Windows Live Writer so you can simply, quickly and confidently write expert articles directly onto the web site, even while offline, and, it's from a 'word' like application. I've just learned how, so you can follow along. This will help you NOT 'go-it-alone' - which is the philosophy behind Enterprise Facilitation®.

Watch the installation video and follow step-by-step!

Click to watch.

Taking a Test Drive on Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation

Merlin Berg — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:08:00 GMT

Just learned from Daniel that I could add content to this web site as easy as preparing a word document. You don't need to do anymore than create your content. No passwords, no clicking on containers or modules, no going to admin areas. Just start typing!!

It's done with Windows Live Writer. WLW downloads and posts back to the web site quickly and easily.

Get it here:

http://get.live.com/WL/config_all

Telling Our Story

Merlin Berg — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:30:00 GMT

This last week has been amazing. With the help of Greg and Daniel our web page has made significant progress. We have written many pages. The site is taking shape. Daniel added many video clips of Ernesto Sirolli and Greg. The video adds another dimention not found on your average web site. All together we have 12 pages. And the best part is there's more to come!

We are getting ready for the Oregon Microenterprise Network annual meeting in October. The other four Enterprise Facilitation project in Oregon will join into a panel discussion about Enterprise Faclitation. An event we are all looking forward too.

The invitation is open - if you have an idea about this web site respond in the comments or give me a call.

Merlin

The marriage of technology and the grass roots movement: part 1 Binding communities

Greg — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:27:00 GMT

Enterprise Facilitation is successful because it relies on community involvement in the entrepreneurial process. Like barn raising, concerned members of the community rally behind the entrepreneur, making sure s/he gets access to the resources needed to ensure long term business success. The facilitator acts as the flash point, connecting the community with the individual entrepreneur. How then, does the technology made available through the internet, fit into this very personal process?

Let’s look at how EF binds communities first. The Entrepreneur has an idea. S/he decides that the small town where they live is where they want to run their business. Traditionally, the resources available to them are located somewhere outside of the community, save a few concerned individuals who may be available as a resource. So how does EF augment and improve the availability of resources. We utilize a Resource Board, comprised of approximately 50 concerned individuals from the entire region. We are no longer individual communities; instead we become a greater, regional community.

Information Facilitator "made-in vouage"

Merlin Berg — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:21:00 GMT

Greetings All - I'm on my maiden voyage with Bloging. For the last several week I've been working with Daniel Comp -- from HippoNexus to establish the Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation web site. Daniel has a lot of confidence in my web design ability or is it 'inability'. Regardless, this is a lot of work and I've enjoyed every minute.

This web site will serve several purposes. First we want to reach potential entrepreneurs living within our project area that have the passion and desire to seek out Greg's help to start their microenterprise.

Second, we want a place where Community Mentoring Netwrork members can find information about Central Oregon MicroEnterprise Facilitation and Wy'East. It provides a web page they can refer their collegues, friends and neighbors to come after telling them about this program that actually helps people start a business.

As always, if you have questions about the web site and what I'm doing please call. If you have thoughts about what needs to go into this web site please call.

Merlin