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Highlands Today

REAL Support

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Bill McKown

Published: January 7, 2008

Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) is a private enterprise initiative by the University of South Florida's Small Business Development Center at SFCC.

The purpose of the program is to promote local economic development through self employment and private enterprise.

During the 12 week REAL course, attendees are exposed to business basics, entrepreneurship and the mechanics of writing a business plan. To date, the program has awarded certificates of completion to 26 attendees who are either currently in business or are planning to start a business.

Vital to the success of the program has been the participation of area professionals as members of the REAL Community Support Team (CST). These professionals have donated their time and expertise to the program as guest speakers. The members of the CST model business success and expose the course attendees to a network of experts, small businesses, and assistance providers the attendees need to access in order to succeed.

The REAL program would like to thank the following members of the CST: attorneys Robert Swaine and Michael Durham, bankers Sam White and Kerry Meeker, insurance expert George Hensley, franchise owner Kathie Lawens, and CPA Bill Benton. In addition to the CST, we would like also thank our organizational partners in the program such as South Florida Community College, Highlands County Economic Development Commission, Heartland Workforce, Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board, Florida Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative, Sebring Chamber of Commerce, Hardee Chamber of Commerce, and Avon Park Chamber of Commerce.

Our success in 2007 can be linked directly to the participation of these professionals and organizations. In 2008, we look forward to an even better year for the REAL program as we continue to assist local entrepreneurs seeking to start new businesses.

Bill McKown

USF SBDC Business Counselor and REAL Facilitator

Avon Park

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