Now, the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce wants to give out licenses for The Lonely Entrepreneur, a non-profit that empowers individuals with entrepreneurial skills and support. It’s a one-stop-shop platform for any business owner and any experience level to start or grow their business, said Chamber President and CEO Dan Bates.
“Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is committed to unlocking the talents of diverse entrepreneurs everywhere,” Bates said. “We are excited about our partnership with The Lonely Entrepreneur that will enable us to put the tools directly in their hands.”
The Hamilton Community Foundation helped support the chamber by bringing in The Lonely Entrepreneur program, entrepreneurs involved with the Hamilton Chamber will receive one year of free access to the Learning Community. However, Bates said there are only 50 licenses that will be issued, and anyone interested should reach out to him at dan@hamilton-ohio.org. A handful of Hamilton businesses have been issued a license, but there are more than three-and-a-half dozen available.
This partnership will provide current and aspiring entrepreneurs free access to the Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community, including 1,000 on-demand learning modules, weekly group coaching sessions, and networking with thousands of other entrepreneurs.
Michael Dermer, founder and CEO of The Lonely Entrepreneur, said the goal of his initiative is to unlock the potential of 1 million entrepreneurs worldwide and provide individuals the opportunity to acquire entrepreneurial skills and have a better chance of bringing their visions to life.
Dermer also has a focus on his company’s Minority Entrepreneur Initiative, with its goal to empower 100,000 minority entrepreneurs with the skills they need to succeed.
“In our communities throughout the U.S., minority entrepreneurs represent some of the greatest talent in our nation,” said Dermer. “But many lack access to the knowledge and support they need to bring those talents to life.”
While the program at the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is for any small business owner, Dermer said putting his program’s business tools in the hands of minority business owners can help “make a lasting and significant impact on their lives and their communities.”
Bates said though there are 1,000 learning modules for a business owner to learn, he almost guarantees they’ll learn something new because “they don’t know what they don’t know.”
“Especially entrepreneurs, a lot of people get into business because they have an expertise and/or a passion for something, and they may really be terrific at that particular topic or industry, but they may not be educated at all other aspects of running a business,” said Bates, such as with workers compensation coverage, or filing the right paperwork with the local, state and federal governments.
And sometimes turning to a business owner they know doesn’t mean that a trusted friend has the correct answers.
“You need partners to help you every step of the way, and this is just another tool that can be a piece of that,” Bates said.
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