There are a lot of good things happening to transform our communities.  It's tough work, but the kind of work that makes our community better... stronger.  Let's share some good news stories.  I'll kick it off with one from Project Impact South Bend.  http://www.theipcity.com/img/projectfuture/SBTribune_ProjectImpact.pdf

I was looking at the Pew research and am enthused about our future because of our Millennials.  Despite a tough economy, they remain optimistic.  They speak of doing more for the world not less.  They believe we CAN make a better world.  I believe they will throw out the "you're on your own" mentality that has been destroying our country and bring back the "we're in this together" attitude that made this nation great.  

I guess the old farts of my generation need to just get out of the way to let the future be as bright as it truly can be.  Thank God for our Millennials. 

Take a look at the Pew report

As I noted our desire to work with Project Impact South Bend to promote Economic Development from within, I thought it might be a subject of some interest to a few community active folks.  What I got was a stream of emails from small business owners asking for help.  Nearly a dozen small business owners contacted me with stories of how they have not been able to get the support they need to grow their businesses.  Some of the issues were the inability to get customer support from within their own communities.  Some related to the need for matching funds to get loans.  Many were around the inability to hire reliable help. 

Because of the relationships Project Impact has developed within the community, we are stepping in to help some of these business owners.  We have developed a plan to partner with the small businesses to guarantee positions for young people in those companies as they complete their certification training in IT and other disciplines.  Then we are placing those young people into internships, pre-apprenticeships and providing on the job training so that they apply their new skills in helping the community businesses grow. 

We are also leveraging our relationships to push additional business to those companies, by qualifying as Women or Minority Business enterprises or promoting supporting community based business.  These efforts build capacity and enable them to sustain the new employees.  None of this works without the support of the many organizations that have stepped up to work within the community together. 

We're on the move.  Wish us luck!          Contact us.

I am constantly contacted by individuals who want to start a business but are discouraged by those who are suppose to be there to help them.  Yes, the vast majority of small businesses fail because they do not have a well developed plan or are under capitalized.  But they don't need to be dismissed off hand.  They need to be coached and nurtured along a path. 

That's why The Summers Group is working with organizations like Project Impact South Bend to develop "Micro Entrepreneurship Incubators".  In partnership with financial and economic professors from Notre Dame University and Indiana University South Bend as well as selected community minded professionals from SCORE, we want to work with micro businesses, help them develop their dreams into real small businesses and in that way improve their overall success.

Tough challenge?  You bet.  Worth doing?  Absolutely.  Interested in helping?  Contact us.