Tosca Harris is convinced businesses — and entrepreneurs — can thrive in Iola.
“You don’t have to move to Kansas City to start your business and have it be successful,” said Harris, dean of Allen Community College’s Iola campus.
Harris spoke about Allen’s new entrepreneurship program, which got off the ground this fall.
“Part of our whole thing is we want to show young people they can start at Allen, go to a university, finish their degree if they want, and then come back home to start their business,” she said.
A $25,000 startup grant from the FHL Bank of Topeka helped launch the program.
From there, the college interviewed several entrepreneurs in and around Iola, and the college’s outreach campus in Burlingame, to use as case studies.
“By nature, entrepreneurs are willing to take risks. They are not necessarily somebody who has invented something,” Harris said, debunking the stereotype.
“It’s someone who’s starting a business, or helping solve a need within the community,” she continued. “That’s why we started with people like Cara Bolling (of Bolling’s Meat Market) and Bill McAdam (who founded McAdam Construction in Moran) as two examples. These are people who have served our community and its needs. They gave us some very valuable insight.”
Meanwhile, Harris and others at ACC researched curriculums necessary for entrepreneurs, while two instructors, Nicci Denny and Walt Regehr Jr., went for more in-depth studies. Denny, a business instructor, earned certification for entrepreneurship training through the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE). Regehr, meanwhile, received facilitator training through the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Mo.
“With that we built our program,” Harris said.
The program offers three types of instruction.
The most prominent is ACC’s associate of science entrepreneurship program, which features entrepreneurship opportunity analysis, entrepreneurial mindset and business plan essentials.
The second prong is through weekend workshops, in which participants don’t receive college credit, but learn about entrepreneurial philosophies — the mindset of an entrepreneur, how to get started, challenges, etc. — and writing a business plan — “OK, I have my idea and I know what I need,” Harris explained. “Now, how do I get the money? How do I write the business plan so the bank smiles upon me?
The final avenue is through internships. The college has reached out to several businesses in Iola and elsewhere in the state.
“We’re always looking for more,” she said. “We’re hoping to expand our opportunities for internships.”
THE IMPETUS for the ACC entrepreneurship programs came about when Iola Industries and local economic development advocates approached the college in order to take advantage of President Obama’s “Startup America” Initiative.
The college also received assistance through the grant application process from Neal Barclay at what is now Landmark Bank (formerly Citizens Bank).
“It’s a drive to stimulate economic growth by encouraging entrepreneurs across America,” Harris explained. “It’s like a chicken and the egg. The Obama administration either started it, or picked up on what was already happening.”
Few colleges in Kansas offer such programs, Harris noted. “Independence Community College has had a strong program for quite a while. McPherson College has a program. So does Johnson. But there aren’t a lot.”
The program serves both traditional and non-traditional students, she added.
“There are entrepreneurs starting online businesses in high school and being very successful,” Harris said. “There are also what we call encore entrepreneurs, those who have started businesses before and want to start a new one. There also may be someone who’s retired and wants to follow their passion. We can serve all of those.”
The college offered its first entrepreneurship scholarship in the fall. Humboldt’s Lorraine Kuzen-Stephens was the first recipient.
“We think it’s a great opportunity for Allen County, for the college, or for the community to be able to work together to offer students opportunities and grow the economy,” Harris said. “That’s part of it, to show businesses can be profitable in a rural area. This helps keep young people here, or get them to come home.”
Harris updated Iola Industries representatives about the program in November. “They were very receptive and excited,” she said.
For more information, contact Harris at (620) 365-5116, extension 306.
