i2E, Inc. and the Cherokee Nation provide intensive, one-day business assessment class to help small businesses validate concepts, expand market, capture new revenues
Contact: Darcy Wilborn,
(405) 813-2424
[email protected]
A pair of free workshops designed to help rural and tribal entrepreneurs and small business owners understand the markets they serve and increase sales are scheduled for June 6-7 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
Presented by i2E, Inc., with support from the Cherokee Nation and six other state and federal partners, the GrowOK workshop is a special one-day venture assessment program scheduled for June 7. Preceding the GrowOK workshop the day prior on June 6 will be the half-day ExtraBold sales training workshop.
Both workshops will be held beginning at 9 am each day at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, 777 W Cherokee Street in Catoosa. Registration deadline is the week prior to the workshop, and is required to attend. Interested businesses or individuals can register at www.growok.org.
The workshops are free to residents of Oklahoma with a completed registration form.
The intensive GrowOK workshop will lead participants to evaluate their customer segments, product/market fit, risks and competition, initial paths to market, ways to reach potential customers and much more.
GrowOK is ideal for businesses in the concept stage that may not have revenue or customers, as well as more established businesses that are seeking growth. It was established to increase the number of successful businesses that create jobs in rural Oklahoma.
“The GrowOK program is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs just starting up and will also greatly benefit homegrown businesses and help our area create jobs for both tribal citizens and non-Native citizens alike,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker.
The GrowOK workshop will conclude at 4 p.m., with follow-up activities to be completed by the participating entrepreneurs. Additionally, founders can opt-in to participate in weekly one-on-one meetings to receive individual feedback and direction for their businesses, and receive a recommendation report with next steps for their venture.
“This class greatly helped us refine our vision and our approach to the market,” said Trevin Cole, a GrowOK alumnus and founder of CliqFlik. “It is greatly helpful to young companies.”
ExtraBold is an interactive Sales Training Workshop that helps entrepreneurs understand how to increase their sales-generating activities. Rural and Native American business owners will take away new sales skills they can put to use immediately.
The workshop is led by Catherine Brown, founder and President of Initial Call, a firm that helps clients connect with prospective clients and increase sales. The ExtraBold workshop will conclude at noon.
The Cherokee Nation is a funding partner in the GrowOK and ExtraBold workshops, as are the Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, along with the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), the Oklahoma Business Roundtable and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc., is a supporting partner.
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About i2E, Inc.: With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK, i2E’s nationally recognized services include business expertise and funding for Oklahoma’s emerging small businesses. i2E has more than $60 million of investment capital under management. www.i2E.org
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