1. Building An Entrepreneur Friendly Community Existing and Future Entrepreneurs Panel Discussion

2. Session Goals To learn from the success of existing local entrepreneurs To discover action steps our community can take to support existing and emerging entrepreneurs

3. Question One  What educational background (formal or informal) prepared you to be an entrepreneur?

4. Question Two  What is the biggest obstacle you had to overcome to start or grow your business? In your response please include comments regarding: How you overcame the obstacle? Does the obstacle still exist in the community for new entrepreneurs?

5. Question Three This question is for new & emerging entrepreneurs  As you think about starting your business, what is your greatest concern?

6. Question Four  How did you initially finance your business? Please note if your business was a new start-up or did you purchase an existing business or perhaps inherit a business?

7. Question Five  How did you market your business at start-up?

8. Question Six  How did you use a social network to gain information and assistance? Is there a need in the community for additional networks?

9. Question Seven  If you could choose, what would be the one thing that community leaders could do to help entrepreneurs be successful?

10. Thank You For Participating Information from this session will be used: By the class participants in creating a strategic plan to support entrepreneurs By each of us as we either start our business, grow our business or seek to provide support to entrepreneurs