Published in the Independence Daily Reporter December 2019

Jim Correll, director Fab Lab ICC at Independence Community College, Independence Kansas

In addition to my role as director of Fab Lab ICC, I have a volunteer role in an entity we now call Montgomery County E-Community (MEC) In the next column, I’ll fill in some of the details about now MEC has impacted local and area businesses for the last 10 years or so.

Before we can totally understand the impact of Montgomery County E-Community we need an introduction into the state-wide initiative of Network Kansas. Its programming in support of entrepreneurship and gap financing for small businesses is unique in the United States. In my view, the overwhelming success of Network Kansas comes about because Steve Radley, President, and CEO, and Erik Pedersen, VP of Entrepreneurship are both themselves entrepreneurs, having partnered in both successful and unsuccessful businesses. You can’t really design a program to help entrepreneurs unless you, yourself have struggled to make payroll and pay the bills. I’ve asked my good friend Erik to summarize the start of Network Kansas and the E-Community initiative.

Kansas Hires Two Entrepreneurs to Run a State Program

“In May 2005, Steve Radley and I were hired to open the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship. We were fortunate to have great partners provide us with office space as we got our feet on the ground, including Wichita State University and Butler Community College. Our first charter was to create a referral center, a one-stop shop to connect entrepreneurs to a network of resource partners. This part of NetWork Kansas has grown to over 500 resource partners and we receive 250 – 300 inbound leads each month on our toll-free hotline (1-877-521-8600) or email (info@networkkansas.com).

Startup Kansas Launched to Provide Matching Loans

“In 2006, we launched Startup Kansas, a statewide program to provide matching loans to businesses in rural communities or distressed geographical areas of urban communities. This ability to impact Kansas businesses with gap financing, and the realization that a deeper relationship with our resource partners could impact rural communities at a greater level, provided a clear path to the rollout of the Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Partnership in late 2007. An E-Community is a partnership in which NetWork Kansas allocates an amount of loan funds to each of 64 Kansas E-Communities (defined as a town, a cluster of towns, or a county). The loan fund is intended as gap financing that the community has local decision-making control over which businesses to provide matching loans to. This loan fund has proven to be a game-changer. Over 11 years, the E-Community network has approved 637 loans to 608 businesses (some have come back more than once), totaling $20.5 million. Remember when I said it’s supposed to be gap financing? It’s proving out to be – this $20.5 million is only 18% of the money that has gone into those 637 loans, leveraging another $94.6 million of public and private capital. To understand the significant impact these gap financing funds have had in rural Kansas, you only need to look at the fact that 42% of the loans are to startups and 34% are to expansions; one in four are retail, one in five are restaurants, and almost half of the loans have taken place in towns with a population under 5,000.

E-Community Evolves into Additional Programs for Small Business

“In addition to having local oversight of the loan fund, the E-Community leadership teams work with a NetWork Kansas E-Community coach to engage in strategic planning, initiate activities, and introduce entrepreneurship programming to generate statewide development. Just like each community is unique, each team is unique, and they chart their own path. As the team decides to focus their efforts in a specific area (entrepreneurship mindset, generating startups, perhaps engaging youth), the E-Community coach will introduce programming options such as: Ice House entrepreneurial mindset, Destination Boot Camp and Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. Sometimes, the local team wants to focus on an area in which a programming option isn’t readily available. In those instances, by asking “what if…” and “what would it look like if we did this…”, the coach and team can create an idea for a pilot program. Some of the best ideas bubble-up from those one-off conversations.

New Programs Sometimes Come from Local E-Communities

“There are countless examples of innovative ideas coming out of our E-Communities and E-Communities themselves leading us down new paths. Montgomery County fits that description well. Coffeyville became an E-Community in 2010. Northern Montgomery County joined the partnership in 2012. The two merged a couple years ago to become Montgomery County E-Community. Not long after, we were introduced to the Fab Lab at Independence Community College. (I’ve known Jim Correll, Director Fab Lab ICC, for 10+ years, and I hold him in very high regard, so the fact he created this space to design, create and build wasn’t a surprise). When the NetWork Kansas staff was able to experience it, touch it, feel it, and see the difference a place like this could make in rural Kansas communities, it was a no-brainer for us to ask “how can we share this model with others”. Jim and Tim Haynes (Fab Lab Manager) took that question and ran with it. The result is Maker Space Boot Camp, a 2 1/2 day training for communities who want to learn how to create an entrepreneurial mindset and maker space in their community to enhance community revitalization efforts. The following blog explains it as well as I could.

https://www.networkkansas.com/ecommunities/news/ntks-blog/2019/11/04/a-unique-experience-at-maker-space-boot-camp

Sixty-four E-Communities Produce Great Results

“When people ask about the E-Community partnership, I always tell them the loan funds are the carrot that gives our staff a seat at the table with the local leadership team. And it’s at the table where we form relationships and strategically discuss how we can help create a flourishing entrepreneurial environment in that community. The E-Community partnership, in Montgomery County, and the other 63 exceptional communities, is producing great results.

 

Jim Correll is the director of Fab Lab ICC at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus of Independence Community College. He can be reached at (620) 252-5349, by email at jcorrell@indycc.edu or Twitter @jimcorrellks. Archive columns and podcast at jimcorrell.com.

 

Published in the Independence Daily Reporter December 2019

Jim Correll, director Fab Lab ICC at Independence Community College, Independence Kansas

People who know me know that I don’t use the word “awesome” very often.  While so many others have made it a tired cliché, I use it very rarely to describe only exceptional situations.  The other day, a message came up on my phone that said “The New Year is going to be awesome.  Look at these movies that are coming out.”  This was followed by a list of the most forgettable movie titles scheduled to come out early in the New Year.  Not only was that a perfect example of the over-use of the word “awesome”, but the idea that a hand-full of movies could make a New Year awesome made me laugh.

We Have Control of the New Year

Every one of us has total control over whether the New Year will be awesome or not.  The quality of the New Year, indeed, the quality of our lives is determined by the choices we make, the relationships we develop, and the people we help along the way.  There are examples all throughout the history of people in every kind of situation who choose triumph over adversity.  From minor inconveniences to major tragedies, it’s our choices of how we respond, not our circumstances that control the outcome of our lives.

In the Entrepreneurial Mindset class, featuring the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program, we learn that one of the traits common to successful entrepreneurs is this realization that we can choose to control our personal destiny through the choices we make.  We talk about taking the time to respond to situations rather than acting immediately in a knee-jerk reaction.  Through all kinds of adversity, these entrepreneurs, not only the ones we study in the video interview content, but also the area entrepreneurs we bring in as guests, have chosen to control their outcomes through what we call an internal locus of control.

Positive Thinking Amid Negative Messaging

One of the choices we need to make is to think positively, expecting good things, and not bad things to happen.  I know several people who have actually told me they expect the worst things in life.  They get what they expect.  Our society teaches us to expect the worst, once you pay attention to the messages.  The pharmaceutical companies bombard us with messages telling us how sick we are and that we need to go to the doctor to prescribe their medicine for us.  The news media quotes so-called “experts” telling us there’s a good chance we’ll suffer one kind of calamity or another. A high school teacher told us, in driver’s ed class, that statistically, one out of two people would die in an auto crash before the age of 50. He then said, “Look at the person next to you and decide which one of you it’s going to be.” Although he meant no harm, it was a terrible message to present to a class of 13 and 14 year-olds; an example of the subliminally negative messages still pervasive in our society.

Thinking positively doesn’t mean we won’t ever have a flat tire, but we can choose how we react to the flat tires of life and make decisions to minimize the number of flat tires we’ll have. Maybe we also learn that maintenance and care of the things we use every day can minimize the number of flat tires and breakdowns we may have in life.

It will be an awesome New Year if we believe it will be and we make the choices and decisions to make it so.

Information about the next Entrepreneurial Mindset class, starting January 15, can be found at http://www.fablabicc.org.

 

Jim Correll is the director of Fab Lab ICC at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus of Independence Community College. He can be reached at (620) 252-5349, by email at jcorrell@indycc.edu or Twitter @jimcorrellks. Archive columns and podcast at jimcorrell.com.

 

Published in the Independence Daily Reporter December 2019

Jim Correll, director Fab Lab ICC at Independence Community College, Independence Kansas

For the most part, people don’t like paying for services by the hour. You don’t know how long something is going to take i.e. how long the provider will drag out the job. Some in the auto and auto body repair business use industry estimate for specific repairs so they can quote a fixed dollar amount. For me that works as I know what the price will be and don’t have to worry about some open-ended arrangement without having any idea of what the final bill will be.

Fence Builders are Hard to Find

On the home front, a few years ago we decided to replace a 400ft section of fence that separates our pasture from what we consider our yard. We decided to replace the aging barbed wire fence with a fence of woven livestock wire so we could expand the yard in which our dogs can run. We learned that fence builders are hard to find, but on a recommendation from a farm and ranch friend we called a builder that was “really good.”

He came out to give an estimate, walking the path of the fence and sizing up the job in his head. He told me the job would cost $75 per hour for him, the laborers and equipment required to do the job. For that rate to include him, a helper or two and equipment didn’t seem too bad, but how long would it take? I asked him. “I have no idea. I don’t know how much rock or sandstone I’m going to encounter,” he said. “Can you give me a ballpark?” I asked, to which he replied: “No, not really.” I then asked, “How do I even know if we have enough money to pay for this project?” He stuck to his quote of $75 per hour reiterating that he couldn’t tell how long it was going to take.

It is impossible for me to believe that after building fences for many years, he wouldn’t have an idea of how many hours or days it would take to complete the project. We sent him on his way never to call him again. No matter how good he is at his craft we were not going to enter an open-ended arrangement like that with no idea the final cost.

Finding Another Fence Builder

Upon hearing our story, my neighbor suggested we talk to a friend of his, a welding instructor who does side projects during the summer when school is not in session. He came over and surveyed the project in a way similar to the other guy, but he came up with a price and said: “If I run into any unusual circumstances that I don’t know about, I’ll talk to you so we can decide what to do.” Fair enough. He did the job. Nothing serious came up, however, a question of whether or not to paint the steel pipe posts and corners arose that we had not considered during the time of quote. He quoted an add-on amount for the painting and finished the project. He did good work and we knew the cost from the beginning. We’re very happy with the fence as are the dogs who have gone from a huge yard to a doubly huge yard in which to roam.

Advising People Doing Service Work

When I advise new entrepreneurs in the pricing of their service work, I recommend they quote their prices by the job but internally keep track of how long each job takes. Unless the customer makes changes to the job mid-stream they stick to the price even if it takes longer than planned. People can actually get better and better at judging how long jobs will take when they do a time analysis of each when finished. The customers are happier because they know upfront what the job will cost.

People don’t like paying by the hour. There are some exceptions, legal and accounting work come to mind, but for the most part service businesses do better when they quote each job rather than an hourly rate. There are no elements more important to a successful business than finishing the job on the promised schedule and at the promised price. Well, maybe a sense of gratitude for being awarded the job in the first place is also very important.

 

Jim Correll is the director of Fab Lab ICC at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus of Independence Community College. He can be reached at (620) 252-5349, by email at jcorrell@indycc.edu or Twitter @jimcorrellks. Archive columns and podcast at jimcorrell.com.

 

Published in the Independence Daily Reporter December 2019

Jim Correll, director Fab Lab ICC at Independence Community College, Independence Kansas

Odalis Martinez came to the Lab, and into our lives, in the fall of 2017 two years after coming to ICC from Venezuela on a volleyball scholarship. She used to speak of a desire to return someday to “fix” her country. Anyone who knew Odalis at ICC will agree that she might do just that. In the meantime, she works on her dream to someday become a business owner.

To America With $170 and No English

“Because I did not speak any English, I struggled from the very beginning with school and making friends. I had to work two and sometimes three times harder to keep up with my grades since I had to translate everything from English to Spanish and Spanish to English. I experienced culture shock, homesickness, and it was hard for me to adapt to the teaching system. I performed poorly in my volleyball season and lost my volleyball scholarship. My parents were already in debt back home because we did not have money to pay for my flight ticket nor to cover the other expenses. I came with only $170 in my pocket that I borrowed from two people back home. I felt a lot of pressure, stress, and anxiety for not knowing how to pay for school and that my parents were freaking out in Venezuela. Even though my parents had no money, I could not qualify for Financial Aid nor ask for a loan as an international student.

“Despite the storm that was going through my life, I continued pushing through my classes and ended my first semester with the highest GPA on the volleyball team. I received the Presidential Scholarship and an ICC Foundation Scholarship that helped me pay for part of my tuition. To bridge the gap, I cleaned the gym and washed the team’s uniforms as a work-study. I also washed cars, tutored, cleaned houses, and baby-sat among other things when someone would give me the chance.

“In my second semester, I received an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa, the largest International Honor Society for two-year colleges. During my first year at our PTK chapter at ICC, I served as the Chair of Activities and then became Vice-President.

Discovering Fab Lab ICC

“In the fall of 2017, I saw a flier about Fab Lab ICC hiring. I had heard great things about the Fab Lab and how you could build things on your own in there. Even though I had a nice job at the school library and had a wonderful boss, I just felt that working for the Fab Lab would be a dream job. I ran to the Fab Lab to ask for an opportunity to work. I met with Tim Haynes, the manager and he asked me if I took Accounting classes. Tim proceeded to introduce me to Jim Correll, the Director and ultimate boss. As soon as I met Jim I said “Oh! You are the guy from the newspaper, you are famous.” Jim laughed and said “thank you! Wow, do you read the newspaper?” I said, “yes, I do sometimes, is that bad?” He replied, “well, that’s just impressive because most people your age don’t read the newspaper anymore.” I replied, “well, I am different!” He said, “yes, I can see that.” The conversation continued and there I was, a new member of the Fab Lab team.

“My very first week, I noticed things the Fab Lab could improve on. I was not shy and shared my opinions with Jim and Tim. They looked excited about my desire to help the Lab improve and gave me the freedom to make things and listened to my ideas. I learned a lot of things while working there but what impacted me the most was to be around the Lab team and especially Jim. He empowers and guides people to go and follow their dreams. Jim became a mentor and a role model for me.

A Change In Mindset

“In spring 2018, I took the Entrepreneurial Mindset class that Jim facilitates. This class is based on the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program and a guidebook “Who Owns the Ice House?”. The program includes video content about entrepreneurship. We had area guest speakers who have their own businesses. They shared how they got started, the challenges and rewards that come with owning a business. This class showed me there is not always a need for big capital to start a business. Several speakers including the ones from the videos started little by little. I learned that we have to get out of our comfort zone and take the risk when opportunities come knocking at our door. My dream and goal are to have my own business within the next ten years and as with the speakers from this class, I am starting little by little and on my way to building my dream.

“My PTK chapter encouraged me to run for National office but to be honest, I was scared. I freaked out when I knew that would mean attending a rally, competing against the smartest and sharpest college students in the Nation, and being interviewed in front of more than 600 people. There was also the possibility of giving a speech in front of more than 2,000 people at an International Conference. I talked to Jim, and my chapter members but I still was not sure about running.  The same week when I went to the Entrepreneurial Mindset class, I heard that yes, great opportunities might be scary, but they might come only once. Furthermore, we have the choice to pass or to enter the door of opportunity. I honestly thought that this night’s lesson was speaking directly to me. After that, I decided to live with no fear of opportunities and ran for International President of PTK. My life definitely changed with all the lessons and learning I received from the Entrepreneurial Mindset class. I highly recommend the class to students and non-students and all the community of Independence and the surrounding area.

Odalis will graduate from Mississippi State University this spring. The next “Mindset” class starts on January 15.

 

Jim Correll is the director of Fab Lab ICC at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus of Independence Community College. He can be reached at (620) 252-5349, by email at jcorrell@indycc.edu or Twitter @jimcorrellks. Archive columns and podcast at jimcorrell.com.

Cutline: Odalis Martinez soon after she came to Fab Lab ICC as a work-study.