EDGE News

Many Thanks to Joy Marshall.

After 13 years of working with the NebraskaEDGE program, Joy has left EDGE to work as the Event Planner for MarketPlace, a statewide small business conference sponsored by the Center for Rural Affairs. Joy started with the EDGE program as a Broken Bow participant for her small business. She then expanded her interests in the coordinating the Broken Bow, Ogallala and North Platte classes. In 2000, Joy started working for the EDGE program as the Regional Coordinator. She has been instrumental in expanding the training program in Central and Western Nebraska and helping many small businesses succeed.

The EDGE program wishes Joy great success with her now job and MarketPlace 2008. Watch for details on the upcoming Conference to be held in Norfolk.

EDGE featured in Community Investments Magazine

The NebraskaEDGE program was recently featured in the article “Morphing Rural Community Development Models” in the spring edition of Community Investments Magazine.

According to John C. Allen, article author and Western Rural Development Center director, the NebraskaEDGE entrepreneurial training program provided a model for a similar program in western-central states called the WesternEDGE.

Similar to the NebraskaEDGE program, the WesternEDGE is based on five primary objectives. These include assisting entrepreneurs in evaluating and creating business plans, helping business owners plan for growth and expansion, providing participants with program support, creating and retaining jobs in communities, and facilitating community capacity building.

The WesternEDGE and NebraskaEDGE programs help develop local community capacity to identify emerging and existing entrepreneurs and provide technical support to them, Allen said.

“One example of a business supported by this coalition is the Fire House Gym in North Platte. The gym had been in operation under previous owners for many years. After participating in the EDGE program, the owner saw an increase in revenues of 7.4 percent the first year and 15.3 percent the second year,” Allen said.

To read the full “Morphing Rural Community Development Models” article, click here.

Click here to view the Community Investments Spring Edition.

EDGE gears up for classes

The NebraskaEDGE is gearing up for Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 classes.  If you or your community is interested in starting an EDGE class, contact Marilyn Schlake, NebraskaEDGE Associate Director or submit an online Letter of Intent to Host a course.

Contracted positions for Instructors and Program Managers may be available. To learn more about the open contract positions, contact Marilyn Schlake:

Marilyn Schlake
NebraskaEDGE Associate Director
E-mail: mschlake@unl.edu
Phone: 402-472-4138

Businesses graduate class with an EDGE

The ceremony was not marked by the usual Pomp and Circumstance, and Parkers Rib Ranch seemed like an unlikely location for graduation.

But after weeks of classes all leading up to the creation of a business plan, the May 22 graduation provided a fitting end for the nine businesses that completed the NebraskaEDGE program held in Lincoln.

EDGE, an acronym for Enhancing, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs, is a University of Nebraska program offered through the Center for Applied Rural Innovation. Since it began in 1993, NebraskaEDGE has been dedicated to helping retail, manufacturing, service and agricultural businesses grow and expand through education.

The Lincoln EDGE graduation was just one of many that took place across the state during April and May. With 13 classes this year in different communities and 175 participants, EDGE classes reached from Scottsbluff to Auburn, said Marilyn Schlake, NebraskaEDGE associate director.

“EDGE classes help business owners by opening their eyes to business issues that they may not have thought about. Thinking about those issues in class will save them money, time and angst,” Schlake said.

According to Joy Marshall, NebraskaEDGE regional coordinator, each course offers 36 to 42 hours of instruction and also one-on-one counseling time with business instructors. Professional guest speakers add a realistic perspective to course discussions.

“We have the cream of the crop aboard. These people work really hard to make the course a success,” Marshall said.

Classes are typically composed of existing businesses that are looking for something to take them to the next level, said Rick Wallace, Lincoln EDGE class program manager and Community Development Resources director.

“The class brings a sense of discipline for businesses to sit down and succinctly put together a business plan. The market place is such that most businesses have to have a plan in order to succeed,” Wallace said.

As promoting entrepreneurship becomes a focal point of many state leaders, the NebraskaEDGE program is helping to do just that. At the Curtis EDGE class, faculty from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) comprised half the 18 participants.

“I’ve watched communities disintegrate because the business district died. My intent is to have all teachers implement EDGE content in their classrooms so that students leave with a business plan,” said Weldon Sleight, NCTA Dean.

Sleight also went through the program with his faculty. “I was a part of their discussions. They’re excited and enthused about putting this content to work, and you’ll see the positive results in the coming years with the quality graduates that we send out,” he said.

NebraskaEDGE will continue to update its curriculum, especially its technology piece to keep it relevant. It is also exploring specific curriculum for different regions, Wallace said. “Anyone can put on a business plan writing course, but the results—the business success rate—is what sets EDGE apart.”