Facilitation project shows progress
during first year of implementation

By: Sherrie Williams
The North Central Texas Enterprise Facilitation, an economic development program, is bringing hope to several residents of Iowa Park and Electra.

The project kicked off in April 2008 after Carolyn Gilbert of Electra was hired as the Enterprise Facilitator.

The nonprofit organization, trained by and working with the Sirolli Institute, offers free and confidential assistance to residents of Iowa Park or Electra .

The project management team is made up of Mike Price, Gene Jordan, David Owen, Ruth James, Tammy Persick, Carl Watson, Ouida Gartman, Jannis Hayers and Ed Keiren. Each have received 40 hours of training in the program .

The North Central Texas Enterprise Facilitation officers are: chairman, Mike Price; vice-chairman, Ed Keiren; secretary, Ouida Gartman; and treasurer, Tammy Persick, all elected by resource board members.

There are also 25 resource board members who have attended at least three hours of training in the program. They meet monthly and receive a report from Carolyn as to what her clients need help with to get their business started and how close the clients are to being ready to open their business.

The types of clients which can be helped by the program include: new businesses that need help in structuring their project, emerging businesses still in the development stages of determining their areas of interest, existing businesses that need help in “reconstructing” their business model, or existing business looking to expand their areas of service.

In addition, the program can provide consultation to aspiring entrepreneurs trying to determine their area of interest and the feasibility of the particular project.

Currently Carolyn is working with 14 clients as well as potential clients.

The program has a person to person approach and is built on a network of contacts provided by each member of the Board of Resources.

Each board member was asked to introduce the Enterprise Facilitator, Carolyn, to at least 10 individuals so they will know about the program and tell others, referring potential clients to her.

Traditionally the program’s existence is spread by word of mouth and media coverage at the opening of new projects.

Carolyn does not have an office, she goes to the client or meets a client in an agreed upon location.

Currently she has been introduced to 250 residents of Iowa Park and Electra.

The program is firmly rooted in responding to an individual who has a passion he or she wants to follow in building a business or service in the community.

Once the individual identifies his or her passion, he or she can request help through the program and they can begin the consultative process.

Carolyn can be reached by phone at 214-502-7801 or 940-495-2190 or by email at carolyngilbert1@yahoo.com.

“Typically, these projects in other communities have taken a year or so to really get off the ground. We are roughly eight months into the mission and have clients and potential clients at virtually each stage of development,” Carolyn said. “Our goal in the next month is to help make their business a reality.”

Due to client confidentiality, members of the program cannot release the names of the individual or businesses being assisted by the program.

All members of the North Central Texas Enterprise Facilitation program must sign a confidentiality form before hearing any information or details about a client or potential client.

The NCEF program received a state grant in the amount of $120,000 and local pledges of just under $40,000 for it’s operating budget.

The program was designed by Dr. Ernest Sirolli. He visited Iowa Park in late April 2008 to explain his program.

Sirolli stressed how important a trinity of management is for a successful business.

Saying it takes at least three people to build a trinity. A product person, a finance person, and a marketer.

These are just some of the areas Carolyn can help in by guiding those with a dream through the process of finding the trinity of management.

The program brings more to the two communities than economic development - it brings a bond.

“It has provided a communication network that has been on both a personal ad professional level. We know more about the workings of each community and where there are ways we can work together for good in many ways,” Quida Gartman said.