A Statewide Program to Advance Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development Funded by the AEDC
A Lack of Resources Could Be Stunting Your Community's Economic Growth.
Benefiting Your Community & the Entire State.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses play a vital role in not only Arkansas’ economy but also in the national economy.
Bringing New Job Opportunities to the State
Small businesses and startup companies comprise almost 50% of all employees and 99% of all employers in the United States. Arkansas trends above the national average in both stats.
Creating More Jobs for Your Community
Small businesses and entrepreneurs create approximately 65% of all new jobs in the U.S. and 85% of net new jobs. In fact, they create approximately 4.74 new jobs in their first year and, over the past two decades, have created two times the number of jobs compared to larger companies.
Investment for the Local Economy
Small businesses and startup companies invest $0.67 of every dollar they generate back into their local economy.
Championing for Small Business & Entrepreneurship in Arkansas Communities
75Strong is a statewide program focused on educating, equipping, and deploying economic developers, chamber executives, community leaders, university representatives, and others as entrepreneurial developers who will build capacity across the state for those who serve small businesses and startups.
As a part of this program, participants create a strategic plan for their community and/or region to build and foster entrepreneurship. We will also partner with participants, who serve as entrepreneurial developers, to provide direct entrepreneurial and business-building support to small businesses from their communities.
Growing Local Economy
Entrepreneurial development is a vital piece of strategy in economic development, as entrepreneurs and small businesses play a vital role in growing local economies.
Strengthening Communities
Growing capacity to serve existing and future businesses strengthens the role of participants’ organizations in their communities and the resources they can provide to business owners.
Certified Experts in Entrepreneurial Growth
By completing this program, participants will earn the prestigious Entrepreneurial Development Professional (EDP) certification, recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), establishing them as a leaders in economic growth.
Strategic Planning for New Business Ventures
Through the program, participants will create a strategic entrepreneurship plan for their communities or regions to guide the growth of resources and the development of businesses in their area.
75Strong Program Overview
Entrepreneurial Development Curriculum
Participants will pursue an extensive curriculum that will educate them on how to build entrepreneurial development through the International Economic Development Council’s (IEDC) Entrepreneurial Development Professional (EDP) credential to bring those resources back to their community.
Stay up to date with future cohort announcements by filling out this interest form.
Staff & Facilitators
Grace Rains
Conductor
Drew Smith
Conductor
Jeff Standridge
Conductor
Kristopher Adams
Conductor
Florence Meadors
Conductor
Kate Loughridge
Conductor
Esperanza Massana-Crane
AEDC
Laura Kingrey
AEDC
Bob Kucheravy
AEDC
Mallory Race
AEDC
Cohort Members
Jon Merryman
Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance & Area Chamber of Commerce
Arkadelphia
Gary Brinkley
City of Arkadelphia
Arkadelphia
Kelly Poppe-Gale
Henderson State University
Arkadelphia
Marcus Orf
Ozarka College
Ash Flat
Vickie Williamson
Little River County Economic Development
Ashdown
Walter Burgess
Aurora Startup Studio
Bryant
Brandi Schulz
Cave City Area Chamber of Commerce
Cave City
Amanda Smith
Spring River Innovation Hub
Cherokee Village
Tracy Suter
University of Central Arkansas
Conway
Jack Pillow
Conway Area Chamber of Commerce
Conway
Christie Lindsey
Phoenix Youth and Family Services, Inc.
Crossett
Kimberly Bryden
Cureate
Fayetteville
Shaheen Lokhandwala
MixMingle Innovate
Fayetteville
Sasha Grist
Western Arkansas Planning and Development District
Fort Smith
Daniel Presley
City of Harrison
Harrison
Jeff Nielsen
Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce
Harrison
Kasey Griffin
City of Heber Springs
Heber Springs
Ginger Harper
Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
Heber Springs
Joseph Whitfield
Helena-West Helena Chamber of Commerce / Delta Magic
Helena-West Helena
Patricia Ashanti
Delta Circles
Helena-West Helena
Angelica Manzanares
Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce
Hope
Brandi Tuttle
Hempstead County Economic Development
Hope
Christy Burns
Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce
Hope
Ethan Dunbar
City of Lewisville
Lewisville
Candace Williams
Advocates for Community and Rural Education DBA Rural Community Alliance
Little Rock
Joshua Nguyen
The Venture Center
Little Rock
Kellen Davis
Little Rock Regional Chamber
Little Rock
Madhav Shroff
Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
Little Rock
Malik Barnes
AMERICANS FOR ACTION INC
Marianna
Beth Wilson
City of Marion
Marion
Kellie Wall
Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce
Maumelle
Regina Burkett
WOODRUFF COUNTY, ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
McCrory
Robert Evans
Chicot-Desha Metropolitan Port Authority
McGehee
Yukiko Bivens
Edward Jones
Monticello
Donnie Crain
Conway County Economic Development Corporation
Morrilton
Dani Pugsley
Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce/ North Central AR Economic Alliance
Mountain Home
Julie Allen
Newport Area Chamber of Commerce
Newport
Christel Taylor
Newport Economic Development Commission
Newport
Jon Chadwell
Newport Economic Development Commission
Newport
John Twyford
Arkansas State University-Newport
Newport
Jorge Gonzalez
North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce
North Little Rock
Catherine Norvell
Osceola Main Street
Osceola
Allison Hestand
Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce
Paragould
Marcus Len Francis Davis
The Generator
Pine Bluff
Sarah Price
City of Pine Bluff-Economic & Community Development
Pine Bluff
Graycen Bigger
Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority
Pocahontas
Martin Eggensperger
Black River Technical College
Pocahontas
Danielle Housenick
Main Street Russellville
Russellville
Tara Cathey
Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce
Searcy
Darrell Welch
Forward Searcy Inc.
Searcy
Phil Brown
Harding University
Searcy
Veronica Ozura
FRIENDS - Sevier County Economic Development
Sevier County / De Queen
Daymara Baker
Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO)
Springdale
Julie Murray
Van Buren Chamber
Van Buren
Shannon Newerth-Henson
My HR Pros + City of Van Buren
Van Buren
Tracy Burba
Main Streett Mercantile
Van Buren
Raymond Whiteside
City of West Memphis
West Memphis
Frequently Asked Questions
75Strong is open to chamber executives, economic developers, municipal leaders, and university partners in the state of Arkansas, giving preference to those serving in rural areas who are looking to cultivate successful entrepreneurs and small business development in their communities.
The EDP certification is an internationally recognized credential from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). It signifies expertise in entrepreneurial and small business development, elevating participants’ credibility and effectiveness as community leaders.
The program equips participants with the skills and resources to create strategic plans for promoting entrepreneurship and supporting small businesses. This leads to job creation, economic growth, and a thriving local economy.
Thanks to funding from the AEDC, the cost of the program will be an initial $1,500 that will be reimbursed in $500 tranches as participants complete 3 program milestones - when the EDP is completed, when a community entrepreneurship strategic plan is developed, and when the business building curriculum is completed.
Preference will be given to:
- Communities or regions with MULTIPLE applicants, making it easier for participants to collaborate to create entrepreneurial development plans within their communities or regions (for example, applicants from communities where a chamber executive, higher education partner, municipal leader, and community developer all apply). We highly recommend recruiting other applicants from your region or community to apply with you.
- Participants from underserved, rural, or under resourced communities or regions.
- Individuals who are committed to the program AND willing and capable of deploying an entrepreneurship initiative in their community or region.
- Attend in-person meeting dates as needed, the program will be partially virtual and partially in-person.
- Complete the EDP curriculum, study, and sit for the EDP exam.
- Participate in Ecosystem Building curriculum and work within their community to develop a strategic plan for entrepreneurial development.
- Recruit 3-5 businesses from their community or region to participate in the business-building curriculum.
- Participate in the program for the full 2 years.
- Provide the $1,500 program deposit, which will be reimbursed in 3 $500 tranches over 3 strategic program milestones (i.e. if you complete the program, you will receive the $1,500 back in full).
