New Start-Ups

I read a recent article in the New York Times about high school students that created an entrepreneurial club focusing on technology start-ups.  The students discuss how new start-ups can be risky and fail.  They explained the process about how they need to brainstorm ideas, fundraise, and understand the markets.  They also talked to guest speakers about the specific details of how to run a new start-up.  This helped me realize the difficulties of starting a new business and how it does not happen overnight.  I will continue to talk to representatives of social enterprises in Columbus and see how they evolved.  From this fellowship I hope to understand the social enterprises better and lay the foundation for one.

Existing Social Enterprise, Greenworks

I met with an individual from Capital Crossroads, which is an organization that works with different businesses downtown to help Columbus thrive.  He gave me contacts of restaurant and condominium owners who may be interested in partnering with our recycling program Greenworks.  I learned that it may be a tough market to get into because people may think it’s too much work to recycle and not worth their time.  Therefore, I will set up a meeting to speak with them about our program and its benefits of helping the homeless at a low rate.  If I get a good feel about their desire to be in the program I will follow-up and explain more of the finances and logistics.  Good relationships take time to build and I don’t want to rush them.

Streetcard

Considering I get many individuals calling the Coalition looking for shelter I decided to go to a Faith Mission to get a tour and ask questions that callers ask.  I was impressed by the number of services offered at the shelter including: case management, employment resources, free dental and eye care.  Many of the callers were concerned about safety in the shelter.  I found out that each person gets a locker with a lock to keep their belongings.

Being a Researcher

An intern and I found it necessary to make a needs assessment survey to find out what programs the vendors need.  During Week 2, I put on a personal budgeting workshop and found out that budgeting is not the main thing that these vendors need.  I saw that multiple systemic issues (education, housing, food access) are occurring that affect their ability to move on from the Street Speech program.  While we have not done every interview, I have found three things that the vendors need: GED training, job skills for today’s market, and access to food.

David