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Start My Own Business Class Wraps Up share
Phillipsburg, KS March 28th, 2013 – Over the past few months, a handful of future entrepreneurs dedicated their Wednesday evenings to learning how to start their own business. Six students successfully graduated Discover Phillipsburg Main Street’s Start My Own Business nine week long certificate program.
The program began Wednesday, January 16th and was facilitated by Gene Bugbee, Vice President with Farmers National Bank. The course is designed for the entrepreneur who wants to start his or her own business and the individual who has an established small business and would like to see that business grow and prosper. Each session guide’s entrepreneurs through the minefields of common, avoidable mistakes. Topics that were presented include: Deciding on a Business, Business Plan, Home-Based Business, Financing, Business Organization, Licenses and Permits, Business Insurance, Communication Tools, Buying a Business/Franchise, Location and Leasing, Accounting and Cash Flow, E-Commerce, Opening and Marketing, Managing Employees and Expanding/Handling Problems.
A variety of professionals throughout the community were approached and asked to lead sessions to discuss the above topics that pertained to them. Our line-up of guest speakers and instructors included accountants, marketing professionals, community leaders, an insurance and human resource representative and several successful small business owners. “We are extremely lucky to have such knowledgeable and passionate local professionals and we are very appreciative of the time they take from their busy lives to pass that on” says Kera Nuckolls, Executive Director of Discover Phillipsburg Main Street.
For more information on this program, please contact our office at 785-540-4284 or dpmainstreet@ruraltel.net.
Historic Playing Cards share
Phillipsburg Historic Playing Cards are the perfect gift for you or a loved one. Each card displays a unique historic picture of Phillipsburg.
Purchase yours today!
Diamonds and Denim New Years Eve Fundraiser share
You are invited to THE party of the year!
New Years Eve Celebration
Monday, December 31
8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Phillipsburg Armory – 520 S. 7th Street, Phillipsburg
Heavy Hors d’oeuvres
Mark Nebel Band
Dancing & Visiting with Friends
Silent and Live Auctions
New Years Eve Toast at Midnight
Drinks Available for Purchase (Wine Coolers, Wine, Beer)
Must be 21 to attend.
Purchase your tickets TODAY!
$60 per couple
$35 for individual
$300 to reserve a table for 8 people
RESERVE YOUR PREMIUM TABLE OF 8, PRIOR TO DECEMBER 20th!
Click below to purchase your tickets online:
Call our office at 785-540-4284 for more information!
Downtown in December share
Wish List Kick-off: November 29th at 5:00 p.m. Downtown Phillipsburg
Hay Bale Contest Winner 2012 share
White’s Foodliner earns ‘bragging rights’ and golden bale
It was another tough year to pick the winning design for Discover Phillipsburg Main Street’s hay bale decorating contest. The contest entries were so creative and attractive that Promotion committee members struggled to select just one winning design for each category.
After all the votes were tabulated, the bale at White’s Foodliner was selected as the 2012 winner.
“Their hay bale was a Pillsbury Dough Boy, complete with horns, popping out of a can of rolls urging people to go to the rodeo to see who wins the rodeo dough,” promotion committee chair Lee Lower said. “It won for best business promotion and took top in overall design.”
Winning for best rodeo design was the rodeo girl in the ‘Curls” barrel for Hair Etc. Other notable entries were the bull in the barrel at Sawyer’s Ace Hardware, the western scene at The Shepherd’s Mill, the bank scene at First National Bank and Trust, and the ‘straw’ walker at the Wellness Center.
“We loved all the entries and enjoyed seeing how our members used western themes or tied their businesses into their design,” Lower said. “All of the designs were great and we appreciated the time it takes for everyone to do this during a very busy time in Phillipsburg. If anyone missed seeing the hay bales, we have posted all the entries on our Face book page.”
Staff members from White’s Foodliner were presented with a Golden Hay Bale designating their office as the winner of the 2012 contest, and their business has earned ‘bragging rights’ for the year 2012.
For more information, contact Kera Nuckolls, Director of Discover Phillipsburg Main Street, 785-540-4284
EntrepreneurShip Investigation Camp Completed share
The EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) camp was held Tuesday, June 5th through Friday, June 8th at the Entrepreneurial Center (E-Center) in Phillipsburg. This partnership between Discover Phillipsburg Main Street and the E-Center provided thirteen middle school students the opportunity to learn more about owning their own business.
The camp incorporated the EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) curriculum into its activities. ESI is an exciting, interactive, and comprehensive curriculum project designed for youth, ages 10 – 19. ESI is truly a pioneer in the field of youth entrepreneurship education.
The campers started the week investigating what an entrepreneur is. Campers learned that an entrepreneur is a person who takes the risk to start and run a business and that they discover and create new products and services and bring them to the market. The youth then learned about themselves. By taking the Clifton Youth StrengthsExplorer, each camper discovered the top three entrepreneurial skills they already had to offer their own business. The list of those skills included: caring, relating, achieving, organizer, future thinker, competing, presence, dependability, or discovered.
After distinguishing what an entrepreneur was as well as the skills they each already possessed, the campers were introduced to four youth who have owned over thirty businesses in the last ten years. This family of entrepreneur’s lives in Holdrege, NE. These young business owners shared about their businesses, which range from breeding puppies, selling jewelry to distributing Wild Dutchman Sunflower seeds. More information on this family can be found at www.4realkids.com
Another part of the camp included learning about our community. The campers viewed historic photos and studied the history of Phillipsburg. They found out what’s changed in our rural town and began to think through where their place was in this changing world. In learning more about both our town and entrepreneurs, the campers toured locally owned businesses; The Shepherd’s Mill, Sign Solutions and Ultimate Image. Also, each day the youth ate lunch in one of our locally owned eating establishments, Third Street Bakery, The Chubby Pickle Shelly Ann’s and Willer’s. Accounts from Mapes & Miller CPA instructed the youth on copyright laws and taxes.
As the week progressed each of the youth developed a product to sell, came up with a name for their business, and developed a tagline and logo. In order to promote their business and the ESI MarketPlace, the youth made a one page promotional flyer and distributed them throughout the community.
On Thursday, a film crew from Baltimore, Maryland was in town and filmed the ESI camp activities that day. They were filming for the National Rural Economic Developers Association.. Their video will focus on Youth Retention and Recruitment efforts. Offering this class is a key component to the retention of youth in our rural areas of Kansas!
An accumulation of all the students’ hard work and determination came to fruition on Friday, June 8th. Out of the thirteen students, there were twelve businesses developed and these youth businesses were highlighted at the ESI MarketPlace. The MarketPlace was held from noon to 1:30 pm. in the Bill Clarke building located in downtown Phillipsburg. The youth entrepreneurs were selling their products. Examples of the businesses are Madi’s Memories: Tiles by a Teen, Quacky Accessories: Diva Duck Wear and InstaWater: Save money, Live Better. The MarketPlace as well as the ESI was overall a success.
One of the students summed up the week by stating, “I liked this camp because I’m learning to become an entrepreneur and hope to start my own business someday.”
This partnership was partially funded by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation through the E-Center, Discover Phillipsburg Main Street and the Foundation for Rural Services.
For more information on the EntrepreneurShip Investigation Camp or to have a youth entrepreneur and the camp facilitator speak to your group contact Bridgit Smith, E-Center Director at 785-540-4110.
Farmer's Market - Summer 2012 share
We are welcoming the summer season with open arms and Farmers Market Fridays!
The Discover Phillipsburg Main Street Farmers Market will begin the 2012 season on Friday, June 15 and continue through the beginning of October.
The market location and date has been changed from previous years to make it easier for both the vendors and consumers. The new market location is the empty lot at the southwest corner of State Street and 4th Street and the new day and time will be Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m.
As in previous years, there will not be a stall fee charged for vendors to sell their goods. Products allowed for the market include: agricultural items such as fruits, vegetables, edible grains, nuts, fresh plants, dried flowers, frozen poultry and eggs) and processed foods such as dried fruits and vegetables, honey, baked goods, jams and jellies. Arts and crafts items are also allowed but all items must be handmade or homegrown and must be labeled.
Vendors must complete a registration form and can do so prior to selling or on their first day at the Phillipsburg Farmers Market. A market manager will be on site during every Farmers Market Friday.
For more information on becoming a vendor, please contact our Market Manager, Angie Swartzendruber at 785-533-1567.
We will see you there!
Please click image to download vendor form
KSDA Food Safety Handout
KSDA Labeling Handout
Kansas Rules, Regulations, Resources
Youth EntrepreneurShip CAMP! share
Do you have a budding youth entrepreneur living in your home? Or do you know of one?
The ESI summer camp will help these teens develop those business ideas. With the success of the EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) Youth Entrepreneur pilot program which was taught at the Phillipsburg Middle School this last semester, Discover Phillipsburg Main Street and the E-Center in Phillipsburg will again be partnering to provide this camp.
This camp will incorporate the ESI materials into its activities. The ESI is an exciting, interactive, and comprehensive curriculum project designed for youth, ages 10 – 19. ESI is truly a pioneer in the field of youth entrepreneurship education. It was developed with four audiences in mind: 4 – H clubs, middle and high schools, youth and community organizations.
Campers will be grouped together by interest and will use handout materials and computers to investigate potential business ideas. They will take their business ideas and actually purchase the materials necessary to produce a product during camp. As they produce a small supply of these products they will learn more about entrepreneurship, build their leadership skills and hone their passions. A business showcase will be held on the last day of camp to sell the products that they have made.
EntrepreneurShip Investigation camp is scheduled for June 5th through the 8th (Tuesday through Friday) from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. It will be held at the E-Center in Phillipsburg.
The camp is open to students who have completed 5th through 10th grades, and is limited to 15 students. Camper’s lunches, curriculum and instructor fees will be provided by the grant funds. This camp is funded in part by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and the Foundation for Rural Services.
Cost of the camp is $75.00 per camper. These funds will be used to purchase the supplies the youth needs to develop his/her product.
To register or to learn more information, click on the link below.
REGISTER HERE
Contact Kera Nuckolls, Director of Discover Phillipsburg Main Street at 785-540-4284 or dpmainstreet@ruraltel.net
or Bridgit Smith, Director of the Phillipsburg E-Center at 785-540-4110 or pccf@ruraltel.net
Youth EntrepreneurShip Investigation Curriculum wraps up with Youth Showcase share
Did you know? Statistics reveal only 1% of students are entrepreneurs. In the EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) pilot program in Phillipsburg, we had 10% of the students develop a business plan and product to sell!
A public/private partnership between Phillipsburg Middle School, Discover Phillipsburg Main Street and the Entrepreneurial Center in Phillipsburg introduced entrepreneurship to fifty-one eight grade students this semester.
The nationally recognized EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) curriculum was developed through the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln. This curriculum has been taught by Mrs. Jackie Abell and Mr. Jim Smith middle school health instructors. It is an exciting, interactive, and comprehensive curriculum project designed for youth. These instructors began teaching this curriculum in January with an investigation into the businesses and business owners in our own community. Included in this portion of the class were local business owners who went into the classroom to share their own experiences about being entrepreneurs.
After learning about our local small businesses, the students then had the chance to investigate themselves. Learning about their talents, interests and hobbies; these students were then able to recognize what entrepreneurial skills they already possessed.
Additional class work included investigating the risks of small businesses, looking at the possibilities of what the students wanted to be when they grow up, and our changing community and world. “I haven’t done anything like this before. I like it because it’s unique.” stated Termarian Snell who is developing the business JewelTastic.
After looking at the community and themselves, students then investigated numerous topics surrounding entrepreneurship. They learned the value of building a good reputation, dressing like a pro, the value of time and getting control of your time as well as selling your big idea.
Matt Mahathey the owner of Outstanding Origami stated, “I think it is neat that we started this. This peaked my interest. At first, the assignments really made me mad. They were hard. It makes me think more than science and I hate science.”
After completion of book two, it was decision time for these students. Did they see themselves as entrepreneurs and were they ready to make the commitment, take the risk to see if they could succeed as a youth entrepreneur?
Those who see themselves as entrepreneurs, have embarked on a new journey. The last week these students have developed business ideas, names and slogan. This week and next they will be working on business plans and marketing. The semester class will end with a showcase of these youth businesses.
Statistics show on the average 1% of all youth are entrepreneurs. Phillipsburg once again showed that our students are above average. Six of the students committed to developing their business, showcasing it and submitting a business plan. The businesses are as follows:
Outstanding Origami: Everything folds into place is being developed by Matt Mahathey. Christina’s Tasty Temptations: There’s no place like home……made cookies; owner Christina Wente. JewelTastic: Accessories that make you look fantastic; by designer Temarian Snell and Cuties’ Cupcakes: Almost too cute to eat; baked by Alex Babcock and Chelsea Lumpkin.
On May 9, 2012 these budding entrepreneurs were guests on the Tadpole and KKAN/KQMA radio station in Phillipsburg. Sharing in their own words, what they have experienced this semester through the ESI course. On Thursday May 10th in downtown Phillipsburg these students showcased their businesses. All four businesses sold out of product after an hour and a half of sales.
This partnership has been partially funded by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation through the
E-Center, Discover Phillipsburg Main Street and the Foundation for Rural Services.
Business Reinvention Workshop! share
Discover Phillipsburg Main Street to Host Jon Schallert’s Business Reinvention Workshop.
On June 20th, 2012 in a 3 – hour workshop hosted by Discover Phillipsburg Main Street, Jon Schallert explains how business reinvention is critical for small business survival and how reinventing ones business into a Consumer Destination is the most profitable path for an independent business owner. The registration cost for this national recognized training workshop is $55.00 which includes lunch.
To create this workshop, Jon interviewed the top owners of Destination Businesses in the country who survived the worldwide recession, and through reinvention, came out stronger and more profitable than before. Jon will show examples of the major changes these owners made to their businesses, including both strategic and tactical changes that allowed them to succeed.
Attendees will hear inspiring stories of business owners who reinvented their businesses, but they
will also leave with a concrete list of changes they will want to make to their businesses.
Attendees will also learn:
- Why business reinvention is more than making a few small changes to one’s business
- The five “Marketing Foundations” that consumers of today find credible, and why typical advertising isn’t on the list
- The one question that must be answered before you’ll ever beat a larger competitor
- How to use several little-known resources that pull in top customers for minimal dollars
- How to use your company’s history to pull the media and customers to your business
- How one can spend less time on using social media while elevating your business as an “expert” in your field
- How to get a customer to love your business in the first 7 seconds after they enter your doors
- How to use discount marketing that maintains profit margins and cements customer loyalty, if you absolutely insist on using discount marketing
- How to leverage one asset in your business that no one else has, that will instantly set your business and interior décor apart from your competition
- How to add real value to your business so when you decide to sell it, you get the largest possible payoff
Following this 3-hour workshop, Jon will answer business questions from the audience in a Marketing Roundtable discussion.
Jon Schallert is the only consultant in the world teaching businesses and communities how to reinvent themselves into “Consumer Destinations”. Jon speaks to thousands annually on his proprietary 14-step Destination Business strategy which he developed after more than twenty six years of on-site consultations with small business owners.
Owners also learn Jon’s Destination principles by attending his 2½ day Destination Business BootCamp in Colorado, and by participating in his online training network, Destination University
June 20th Schedule:
Registration/Check-In: 7:30 – 8:30:
Workshop begins: 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Part 1
Break 10:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Workshop continues: 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Part 2
Lunch Break: 12 noon – 1 p.m (Included in registration)
Marketing Roundtable: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
BootCamp Group Meeting: 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.