Upcoming Events
   No events available.

Speak to a Real Person

Call the Entrepreneurship Center at 216-622-0999, ext. 315. Our hotline is open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday to help research and answer your business resource questions and to guide you to the right organization for business assistance.

Cleveland EC Founders

National Urban League

Clevenald Urban League

Business Roundtable

The White House - President George W. Bush

Founded by the National Urban League * Business Roundtable * Stonehenge Capital LLC
* Small Business Administration * Urban League of Greater Cleveland

Giving Back to Entrepreneurship
"Growing small and medium-sized minority owned businesses is one of the best ways to close the wealth gap in America."
Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

Welcome to the ULGC Entrepreneurship Center

The Entrepreneurship Center works with private, public and nonprofit resources to build strong, sustainable and successful minority businesses. The result will be wealth creation, job creation and better economic health in the minority and urban core communities of Cleveland.

What does the ULGC Entrepreneurship Center do?

The Entrepreneurship Center assesses the needs and capabilities of minority business owners in the Cleveland area. Then those aspiring or current business owners are linked with resources, classes, training and counseling that will help them grow to the next level of success. Each person contacting the Entrepreneurship Center will receive an initial assessment of their needs. Then they will be matched to the appropriate resource or service that meets those needs.

Who sponsors it?

The Entrepreneurship Center is part of a national program, of the same name, developed through a partnership of the National Urban League, the Business Roundtable and the White House National Economic Council. In Cleveland, the Urban League of Greater Cleveland hosts the Entrepreneurship Center.

How can I get assistance with my business?

Simply contact the Urban League of Greater Cleveland through our Hotline number, 216-622-0999, ext. 315 or through our online Resource Navigator

What kind of services are offered?

Many resources are available in the Cleveland area to help start or expand businesses. The list below highlights the most frequently requested services:

  • Business planning
  • Financial resources and assistance
  • Franchising
  • Legal services
  • Libraries and research organizations
  • Management issues and training
  • Manufacturing, high tech and life sciences development
  • Marketing
  • Networking
  • Nonprofit development
  • Office, laboratory and meeting space
  • Product development
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Selling to the government and large corporations
  • Tax services
  • Technical assistance

How much do services cost?

The initial assessment and matching is free. There may be fees for counseling, training classes, etc.

Do I have to meet a certain set of standards to get help?

The program is designed for minority business owners who live or work in the Cleveland area.

News From The Wall Street Journal
  • Big Food Franchises Get BiggerBy Angus Loten Want to buy a restaurant franchise? It helps to own a bunch of them already.Many chains, including Burger King, McDonald's and Applebee's, are awarding more outlets to big owners who already own multiple units. Not only are the chains targeting big players in their regular franchise-marketing efforts, they're also selling the large players scores of longtime company-owned locations.Big owners, who sometimes run dozens, if not hundreds, of restaurants, are appealing for a number of reasons, say franchise consultants. They often have readier access to capital and can prop up underperforming restaurants with stronger sales elsewhere in the chain. They're also seen as less risky by franchisers, because they have a track record with a brand.But some critics say the push for large owners is edging out traditional single-location owners and handing too much control of a chain to a few big players. Some also argue that small franchisees have a greater stake in a single location, giving a small-business feel to restaurants in a giant corporate chain."You get to know everybody, and they see you as the face of the restaurant," says James Gimbel, who owns and operates a single Capriotti's Sandwich Shop in Davenport, Iowa. Capriotti's 75 locations are owned by a mix of single and multiunit operators.Of the roughly 60,000 franchisees across all food and restaurant chains in the U.S., 36% are multiunit owners, according to industry research firm FRANdata. Together, the big players own and operate more than 75% of all the U.S. locations for these brands. Darrell Johnson, chief executive of FRANdata, says the rise of multiunit ownership goes back over a decade, but has accelerated sharply since the recession. "Banks were basically not lending," he says. "So franchisers focused first on the proven operators with strong cash flows."Now multiunit owners are snapping up newly available locations at a breakneck pace, as many chains shed company-owned outlets to streamline operations amid weaker sales.In April, Burger King Holdings Inc., a Miami-based firm that took part in a 2010 buyout of the fast-food chain, announced plans to sell 278 company-owned outlets to a single franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group Inc. The $15.8 million deal gives the Syracuse, N.Y., company ownership of a total of 575 Burger King outlets across the country, making it the system's largest single owner.About 90% of Burger King's 7,488 units in the U.S. and Canada are franchised. There are a total of 12,534 Burger King restaurants world-wide, 11,249 of which are franchised. The chain is planning to sell most of its remaining company-owned restaurants by the end of the year.Also in April, Guillermo Perales of Dallas completed a deal to buy 96 company-owned Burger King outlets in Orlando, Fla., bringing the total number of units he owns to 172. "It's very hard to be profitable these days with a single restaurant," says the 49-year-old, who declines to say what he paid. "You shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket."McDonald's Corp. has also reduced its share of company-run restaurants—to 19% from 23% in 2007—and multiunit owners have snapped up many of them."There are more restaurants per franchisee than ever before," says Richard Adams, a former McDonald's executive who runs Franchise Equity Group, a San Diego-based consultancy for the chain's franchisees. The average McDonald's franchisee today owns more than six locations, up from three 15 years ago, he says.McDonald's uses a different methodology to calculate that number, and says by its count, the average franchisee owns five outlets. As for smaller operators, McDonald's spokesperson Becca Hary says, "We will always have operators that own one and two restaurants. They are a very important part of our business. We always strive to grow our existing owner/operators into larger organizations."Still, most chains say they're actively seeking big players. McDonald's franchising-information Web page, for instance, says the chain is "seeking individuals who are capable of operating multiple locations." The pages for other chains, such as Burger King and Yum Brands Inc., parent of Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell, carry similar messages.Critics say the focus on big owners is misguided. For one thing, they argue, bulk deals give large owners too much power. Joe Caruso, a franchise consultant in Havre de Grace, Md., points out that Burger King's deal with Carrols gives the big owner the right of first refusal on sales of restaurants by existing franchisees in 20 states. That could make it tougher for small players to buy into the system, or for existing small owners to expand, he argues.Mr. Caruso also suspects the deal will give Carrols more say in companywide initiatives. Franchisees with 10 units or less "could be drowned out," he says. Steve Wiborg, president for Burger King's North America operations, says Carrols's right of first refusal on sales of some restaurants won't damp competition among franchisees in those markets. "We'll continue to make sure Burger King grows in the right way," he says.Meanwhile, some industry experts and franchisees dispute the idea that multiunit owners have a bigger say than small owners. Jeff Ritson, president of Bistro Group, a Cincinnati franchisee that operates 30 TGI Friday's outlets, says large operators don't have much pull in a chain, since key aspects of the restaurant are controlled by corporate headquarters.But critics say focusing on big owners may also hurt the overall franchises. Mr. Adams, who helps retiring McDonald's franchisees downsize, says chains risk a decline in the quality of operations as the number of locations per franchisee grows. "Having that one franchisee keeping an eye on things yields happier customers and a more motivated staff. Sales always increase," he says.Mr. Gimbel, the Capriotti's owner, says that as a single-unit operator, "We can wow customers with our hands-on service." But he hasn't ruled out expanding. "It's been great building up and growing this location. I'm excited about doing that again somewhere else," he says. Mr. Loten is a small-business reporter in The Wall Street Journal's New York bureau. He can be reached at angus.loten@wsj.com. Sarah E. Needleman, the Journal's small-business assistant editor, contributed to this article. ...
  • Recommended Reading for Young EntrepreneursBy Emily Glazer There are tons of books that promise to help people become entrepreneurs—but most of them are targeted at adults. What about the many kids and teenagers itching to start a business? We asked some experts on kids and business for their top picks to get youngsters started. Steve Mariotti, founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a group that's dedicated to getting low-income kids interested in business, recommends "Teen Business Blasts Off!" by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Amy Rosen. The book, a companion to a documentary film, focuses on how a group of teens started their ventures and handled things like business plans and presentations. The stories show kids that their peers have done it and so can they, Mr. Mariotti says. (He adds that the movie is worth watching, too.)Mr. Mariotti also likes "The Student Success Manifesto" by Michael Simmons, which talks about the entrepreneurial mind-set and the broader vision of life that it brings. He suggests it for a slightly older audience—those between 15 and 21—because it addresses experiences and obstacles in a more mature fashion. Among the book's lessons, says Mr. Mariotti: "What happens to you is important: Write down what you do, write down all the obstacles and one by one work against the obstacles to make your dreams come true." Jack Kosakowski, president and chief executive of Junior Achievement USA, a nonprofit in Colorado Springs, Colo., that educates students about the economy, recommends "Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs with Big Ideas!" by Adam Toren. The book, he says, teaches kids ages five to 13 the principles and rewards of entrepreneurship, using easily digestible charts, diagrams and activities. "We often hear from young people that they have a good idea for a business but don't know how to get started," says Mr. Kosakowski. "This book boils it down in an age-appropriate way."A useful book for kids 8 to 15, he says, is "Growing Money: A Complete Investing Guide for Kids" by Gail Karlitz and Debbie Honig, which breaks down ideas like saving, investing, spending and credit. "Having that foundation, financial literacy, is important," he says.Finally, Mr. Kosakowski likes Donna Fenn's "Upstarts: How Gen Y Entrepreneurs Are Rocking the World of Business and 8 Ways You Can Profit From Their Success," which discusses how the younger generation is building disruptive technology using the Web and other digital tools. Jeff Cornwall, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., says "Business Model Generation" by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur is a good tool to help teens understand all of the aspects of a business, like operations, marketing and revenue, with straightforward writing and lots of graphics. "This helps them do a much better job of getting something started and getting it started correctly," he says. "It gets them looking for opportunities in the marketplace and trying to produce those." Thom Ruhe, vice president of entrepreneurship at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, recommends looking beyond books, too. For instance, he suggests lemonadeday.org, which teaches kids how to operate a classic first business—the lemonade stand—by focusing on things like creating a budget, serving customers and repaying investors. Another worthwhile site: allterrainbrain.org, which features cartoons that teach kids how to build a company, sell a product and more.Mr. Ruhe also recommends the Kids' Pages at the United States Patent and Trademark Office site (uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids). Among other things, the pages explain how to establish an invention notebook to regularly document your ideas and progress. "You can find value in mining your own ideas, but you have to start with a little bit of discipline," Mr. Ruhe says.Junior Achievement, meanwhile, has worked with the Small Business Administration to create "Mind Your Own Biz," a site that walks kids ages 11 to 18 through creating a business plan. (You can find the site at studentcenter.ja.org/business.) Mr. Kosakowski also points budding business brains to youngentrepreneur.com, a social-networking site where users can post questions in categories like "Women Entrepreneurs," "Buying or Selling a Business" and "Inventors/Inventions." Ms. Glazer is a staff reporter in The Wall Street Journal's New York bureau. She can be reached at emily.glazer@wsj.com. ...

News from Entrepreneur.com