Pasco EDCGreater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Partners with Pasco EDC to Offer SMARTstart CO.STARTERS
August 17, 2016
Registration for Small Business Development Program Accepted through September 7
Wesley Chapel, Fla. (August 17, 2015) — The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Pasco Economic Development Council to present the next session of SMARTstart CO.STARTERS beginning September 10, 2016. CO.STARTERS is a nationally renowned, ten-week program that helps small business owners and entrepreneurs validate their business ideas and learn repeatable steps for converting those ideas into reality. The Wesley Chapel session will take place Saturday mornings from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm in the conference room at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce office.
“The many small businesses and entrepreneurs located in and around Wesley Chapel have fueled the incredible growth in our area,” said Hope Allen, President of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber is always looking for ways to help our local businesses develop strategies for long-term success and growth, which is why we were eager to host CO.STARTERS in Wesley Chapel.”
The SMARTstart CO.STARTERS program is led by a trained business coach in a small, supportive group setting. Participants build the foundation of a business week-by-week, sharing concepts with fellow entrepreneurs to uncover potential obstacles and quickly find practical solutions.
Pasco EDC is partnering with chambers of commerce county-wide to offer the CO.STARTERS program to help residents who aspire to grow businesses and employment opportunities in Pasco County. The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners is helping to fund this program through Penny for Pasco.
“CO.STARTERS provides a repeatable process for success used by high-growth companies around the nation,” said Bill Cronin, President/CEO of Pasco EDC. “We see Wesley Chapel as being on par with the entrepreneurial communities of Phoenix; Cincinnati; and Nashville—all of which have implemented the program and seen local businesses thrive as a result.”
Entrepreneurs interested in participating should register via the SMARTstart Pasco website. Up to fifteen slots are available for the upcoming session beginning September 10. An introductory registration fee of only $295 covers all 10 weeks of instruction and all supporting materials.
Interested participants must register online no later than Wednesday, September 7 at 4:00 pm.
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About Pasco Economic Development Council
Pasco EDC is a non-profit organization that promotes economic development in Pasco County, Florida. Pasco EDC continues to be a strong partnership funded by corporate and public investors focused on the economic vitality of Pasco County. www.pascoedc.com
About CO.STARTERS
CO.STARTERS came out of The Company Lab, a Chattanooga, Tennessee organization that offers programs and events to support local startups and innovators in Chattanooga and the surrounding region. The program takes the lessons learned from working with thousands of local, creative entrepreneurs and combines that knowledge with the lean business modeling methods used by high-growth startups. The CO.STARTERS model has been tested for years in Chattanooga, Cincinnati, and Detroit. www.costarters.co