Small Town News

Southeastern Enterprise Facilitation Project

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"To provide an innovative, grassroots approach to assist individuals with new business development or expansion - Thus creating opportunities, increasing economic vitality and enhancing quality of life." The Southeast Enterprise Facilitation Project (SEFP) current mantra is "believing in the future, one entrepreneur at a time."

Since its founding in 1997, SEFP has worked with more than 100 businesses in the region and today serves clients in Freeman, Centerville, Menno, Marion, Parker, Tripp and rural Turner County. It is funded by cities, counties, banks, electric and farmers cooperatives, corporations and former clients.

"Small-town America is largely small-town businesses," says board member Jim Adamson of Centerville. "To keep our communities alive, we need to keep our businesses alive." Yet there are some who have either never heard of SEFP or simply look past the positive impact it has had on small communities in southeastern South Dakota -- including Freeman. "When an entrepreneur has an idea, that person is going to need somebody to help them," says Duane Tieszen of Marion, who serves on the SEFP governing board. "We will take the entrepreneur by the hand and guide them through the entire process."

SEFP provides a personal, one-on-one approach that sets it apart. With guidance from facilitator Nancy Larsen, SEFP assists individuals to start a business, expand, and/or retain a business. Larsen works with her clients from the start by helping develop and package a business plan. She even goes to the bank with them. Best of all, the service is 100 percent free with no strings attached.

"When people call, most of the time they say, 'I have an idea but I don't have a clue where to start,'" says Larsen. "That's where we begin, at the convenience of the entrepreneur; sometimes evenings/weekend meetings at their home or local cafe. It is important for every prospective business owner to identify their industry, competition, set measurable goals, identify the customer, the target market area, and the management team, everyone doing what they love to do. The SBDC assists in identifying red flags in the financial projects and assists in the entrepreneurial education. Then the industry research and trends are added to the business plan before it is packaged. Mark Slade, Sioux Falls SBDC Executive Director said "he does not have enough time to do all that SEFP does for the individual and SEFP makes his job easy."

"We've had communities come in and say, 'How do you do it?' And, one large bank recently said to us, 'You're a godsend in the rural communities,'" said SEFP vice president Curt Lukes of Parker.

Since 2002, SEFP has played a role in the development of nearly three dozen new businesses in the area; near Freeman those include Printed Impressions, Top Notch Painting, Langle Construction, Transition Services LLC, Maloney Trucking, Higher Ground Produce, Ann's Place and Wek Insulation Service LLC. Haggerty Insurance Agency Inc. was assisted with a business expansion and currently they are playing a key role in the development of "4.twenty.3", a catering/event planning business set to open in downtown Freeman later this year.

Larsen and SEFP have also worked to retain a number of Freeman businesses, including Spread It LLC and Mr. G's Tires, which opened in the place of Country Pride Cooperative in 2003. Nancy points to Mr. G's Tires mantra, "we keep you rolling" as a great illustration for others creating a business image.

"If you're a person next door and are an entrepreneur, we mean a great deal," says board member Philip Svartoien of Freeman. "From a community standpoint, SEFP has an impact on the potential growth within that community."

"We're working with one or two people at a time," says board member Karen Freier of Viborg, "and it has to be somebody who has the passion. That kind of goes against putting up billboards saying who we are." The challenge then becomes getting the word out that SEFP exists but most of the referrals come from existing and past clients, along with the local development coordinators and the SEFP board.

"We believe in investing in people," says board member Alan Ward, who represents Turner County. "That requires a long-term, farsighted approach." "People have to learn to find the value in what we're doing," says Lukes.

Because of that approach, success can be hard to measure, although numbers show the impact SEFP is having on those it serves. Seventy-five percent of those assisted by SEFP are still in business, and 85 percent of jobs created are still viable. And from June 1997 through 2008, there have been just short of 1,000 inquiries, 519 clients, 207 business plans, 63 new businesses, 23 expanded businesses, 27 retained businesses and 332 jobs either created or retained. "You can't argue with numbers like that," says Ward.

With continued support from the communities it serves, SEFP will work to continue to serve southeastern South Dakota and rural America. "What I find especially gratifying is the collaboration in the communities," says John McDonald. "Typically communities tend to be competitive; within SEFP, they cooperate for the greater good."

QUICK FACTS

Established: 1997 Facilitator: Nancy Larsen Location: 501 S. Broadway, Marion Phone: 888-233-1239 Web site: www.sefp.com



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© 2009 Freeman Courier Freeman, South Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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