Energizing Tuscola’s Economy Through Entrepreneurship

Board of Management

Sirolli provides a one-day training to help members of the Board of Management understand their roles and duties in the project. A select number of the initial board will also receive more intensive training to further assist in project implementation. This training includes how to effectively work with entrepreneurs, how to create an entrepreneurial environment, how to leverage various resources for entrepreneurs, and how to properly support the Enterprise Facilitator. As time goes on, the board will also recruit and train new members as needed.

The Board of Management would usually meet on a monthly basis. During these meetings, the Facilitator will ask the board for assistance with specific issues facing his/her clients. The board will also monitor the progress of the project through monthly reports from the Facilitator on client activities, including the number of new or expanded businesses, and new or retained jobs. The board will also use random client surveys to assess the project.

Another important role of the Board of Management will be ongoing marketing and fundraising for sustaining the project. The due diligence of the Entrepreneurship Task Force revealed that Enterprise Facilitation ® projects that have dissolved did not do so for lack of incredible results. Instead, there was a lack of sound management and an over-reliance on large, outside funding. The board will maintain communications with local public and private investors about their return on investment.