Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy. This is especially true in South Florida, which according to last year’s bizjournals.com study is one of the top five small business markets in the nation.
So it seems natural that one of the most innovative organizations dedicated to the needs of small business owners throughout North America would originate in South Florida. What is anything but natural is the scope and depth that this organization, the Association of Entrepreneurs, seeks to provide.
Marc Gilenson, founding President of the Association, is the author of “The Entrepreneurial Way, Strategies and Tactics for Entrepreneurs.” He is also the Managing Partner of The Sales & Management Group, a consulting firm that has implemented sales, marketing and organizational strategies for some of America’s largest companies as well as for hundreds of startup companies. His passion has always been to help small businesses. A passion which led him to launch the Association, a non-profit organization designed to give local entrepreneurs the tools to success.
Gilenson doesn’t just teach entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses. He shows them techniques and tools that he has used to train senior executives of Fortune 500 companies for the past 25 years. He sees this service as benefiting both the entrepreneur and Corporate America, as the latter profits from the strong economy that entrepreneurs are the engines of.
Association of Entrepreneur members benefit from a minimum of three education packed seminars each month. These are quality seminars, the goal being to train them how to think like large corporations and to run their businesses accordingly. Members also receive ongoing guidance and continuous review of every aspect of their business. Additionally, the Association provides business owners an opportunity to network amongst themselves, without the involvement of outside salesmen, and to learn and share their own business experience with other members.
In the coming months the Association plans on providing business grants to deserving entrepreneurs. Benefiting the community at large, it has already entered into a contract with one chapter of the Salvation Army to train their unemployed clients in the field of sales and to help find them jobs.
The need for this organization is especially vital in today’s climate. Small businesses are the first and the hardest hit during a recession or a downturn. They are also least able to survive tough times without a plan, cash reserves, or concrete help and guidance that produce results. The Association of Entrepreneurs is designed to tackle these issues head on, its first seminars being dedicated to learning how to obtain business capital and effective marketing solutions.
Founding members are eager to recommend the Association. Marc Robin, President of New Look Marketing, a well known graphic designer and marketing expert says, “The Association is one of a kind. The time and dedication Gilenson gives and the tools he uses are profound. Every member benefits from his concrete advice and in-depth analysis, not to mention the wide array of needed and exciting educational seminars already lined up.”
A similar reaction is shared by Sandy Gans, President of SandyToes Creative, one of South Florida’s fastest growing creative firms, who describes the need for the Association as follows, “There as so many groups and organizations doing the same old thing. The Association is going to rock the entrepreneurial world by focusing on small, local entrepreneurs with networking, education and grants. It provides the services that small businesses need to succeed.”
Interested entrepreneurs who reside in South Florida are encouraged to attend the Association’s kick off breakfast meeting on Fri. Mar. 28 at 7:15 am at the Tower Club. 100 SE 3rd Ave in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Businesses in other cities that would like to benefit from the services of this unique organization should contact the Association at (954) 752-3930 or email
aoeinfo@mybizuniverse.com. The Association plans on opening several chapters nationwide and can provide remote assistance to all interested parties.
