Want free training? Listen up, small business owners

SANDPOINT — The Emerging Leaders training initiative could help some small North Idaho businesses grow to full potential with a free, 26-week course resulting in three-year growth plan. 

The Spokane branch of the United States Small Business Administration is offering the course to small businesses in North Idaho, as well as eastern Washington, for the third time over the past five years.

"We would really like to have more participation from North Idaho since that is a very important and unique part of the territory that we cover out of our Spokane office," said Joel Nania, Spokane SBA economic development specialist, in an email to the Daily Bee.

The intensive entrepreneurship education series, for small businesses beyond the startup stage, includes approximately 100 hours of classroom time over a seven-month period. Nania said there are multiple benefits in the course, including the structure, which allows business owners to step outside their business every other week to work on their business, rather than in the business.

"Another (benefit) is the CEO groups that form throughout and beyond the course," Nania said. "It is invaluable to have a peer group with which to share the everyday issues and challenges of small business."

The instructor, who recently took a position with the North Idaho College entrepreneurial program, is "extremely skilled," Nania said. The curriculum is all-inclusive of the most important areas of emphasis for small business. It is "literally a mini-MBA," he said, and when the students graduate they will have a three-year growth plan to take their businesses to the next level.

Students will come from all over the Inland Northwest, Nania said, and guest speakers will also be from the area to give a unique perspective of business in the area. There will be 18 spots available and Nania said he expects to see about 35 to 40 applications, so while it is somewhat competitive, it is not impossible to get in.

Basic eligibility requirements to participate in the Emerging Leaders program include:

• Be a small business owner or head decision-maker

• Have business annual revenues between $400,000 and $10 million

• Have been in business for at least three years

• Have at least one employee, other than self

• Make the time commitment required of the course

• Demonstrate the business is on the brink of growth or transition

While the Spokane branch is only in its third year of the course — second consecutive year, to be exact — the Emerging Leaders training has been a national program for 10 years. In that time, the initiative has trained more than 2,700 small business owners across the country. Graduates of the program have created nearly 2,000 new full-time jobs, secured more than $73 million in new financing and were awarded federal, state, local and tribal contracts worth more than $1 billion.

A statement released by SBA earlier this month includes testimonies from some of the 2016 graduates of the course, including Lynn Sebert, owner of Pure Filtration Products in Spokane.

"What an amazing program," Sebert wrote. "I was able to apply the things we learned to my business immediately. I am so proud to say that I'm an Emerging Leader with a streetwise MBA from the SBA."

Applications will be accepted through March 1. An informational webinar will be held at noon Friday to answer question applicants may have about the program, and another webinar will be held at 5 p.m., Feb. 13. To register for the webinar go to www.eventbrite.com/e/live-webinar-emerging-leaders-info-session-tickets-30928713615.

Information and course applications: www.sba.gov/emergingleaders