Entrepreneurship Fair set for November

VW independent/submitted information

The seventh annual Entrepreneurship Fair will be held on Saturday morning, November 14, in the Community Room at Vantage Career Center, 818 N. Franklin St. in Van Wert. Organizers include representatives from the Ohio State University Extension Van Wert City Economic Development Office, Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Van Wert, Van Wert County Economic Development Office, Vantage Career Center, the Van Wert County Foundation, and the Wright State University-Lake Campus Business Enterprise Center.

Everyone who dreams of starting a business is encouraged to attend this free event. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m., with a panel of local entrepreneurs scheduled to share their journey at 8 a.m. This event will also serve as the kick-off to the Business Plan Challenge. The 2015 Business Plan Challenge winner, Jolanda Arts, recently bought McCoy’s Flowers, 301 E. Main St. in Van Wert, a retail floral shop providing real and silk floral displays, candles, and other home décor items.

This free fair offers a wide variety of assistance, counseling and information to promising entrepreneurs and emerging new businesses. Topics include: “Starting Right: What’s First”, “Financing and Incentives”, and an “ask the experts” session where area professionals will do a question-and-answer session with the audience.

New this year is the New Product Development portion, with Dave Dorner of Rocket Ventures. Rocket Ventures is a business development organization focusing on northwest Ohio. The firm assists innovative and inventive entrepreneurs with business development and funding.

A special element to the fair is the announcement of the Business Plan Challenge, where individuals looking to begin a business in Van Wert County can create, submit, and present a business plan to a panel of judges for the chance to win up to $2,500 in business development funds. The award will be presented in March 2016. This allows individuals time to put thought on paper, do the necessary research, and to attend business-counseling sessions offered locally by the Wright State’s Business Enterprise Center.

Area residents looking for a chance to start their own business can take advantage of this excellent opportunity on November 14, from 8 a.m. until noon, at Vantage Career Center.

For more information or assistance in starting a business, call Caitlin Jones at the Van Wert City Economic and Community Development Office, 419.238.2999.