What is needed is:
1. Find “Field Agents” (3, 4, or 5) willing to recommend, talk to, and secure commitment, from students to take the 6 weekends of Entrepreneur Training. Each Field Agent must secure enough students so the first Training has about 25 students. Field Agents might be lawyers, teachers, Priests, ministers, business owners, doctors, nurses, government administrator, etc.)
CONDITIONS THE STUDENT MUST AGREE TO:
Explain the Training to the potential student: The Field Agents explain the conditions discussed below to the students and secure their commitment to participate in the training. Students must attend all of the classes during the 6 weekends. They must do the assigned homework in order to be allowed to take the next week end of training. They have to turn off cell phones during class. We don’t give certificates—what we choose to celebrate is a student learning how to, and actually succeeding in, starting and profitably maintaining a microbusiness for one year. We give a certificate after a student has accomplished that. The training is for men and women ages 24 through 44.
DESCRIBE THE TYPICAL STUDENT:
Training is only for those who are economically poor: We hate labels. We don’t like to label people. But, please forgive, we say it here directly: this training is for people who economically poor. It is for people who Field Agents see as “firecracker” individuals—outstanding among their peers and thought to be able to become successful entrepreneurs if given the opportunity. But their condition of being economically poor has kept them from professional education and training. This training is for the maids, field hands, taxi drivers, factory workers or unemployed who are thought to have special talent—can become entrepreneurs. Few fit this description, but Field Agents well connected in their community will know who these the jewels in the rough are—and recommend them for this training. The training will be geared to those with little or no formal education.
2. Find location for class.
3. Someone to be Interpreter if one is needed.
4. Provide General Leadership in inspiring people and in managing the details need to make the training happen. That means, before the training, secure the location, select the volunteer Field Agents and manage them, and see that all logistics are in order. After the training it means the volunteer business coaches have already been secured, a few “student support groups” are organized to keep the process moving as needed, and students are paired with business coaches. They “shepherd” the process along as needed until it is obvious the students are successfully operating their own microbusinesses.
I am thinking, for first Trainings we do, students are selected who can walk/bus home each night and walk/bus back the next morning.
