RBC I The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Emerging Leaders executive-level training series is launching in Colorado and 50 other cities and communities across the country this year.
The 2016 class will be hosted by the City of Englewood, Colo., and held in their civic center.
The Emerging Leaders training focuses on small, poised-for-growth companies with potential for job creation. The seven-month intensive, executive entrepreneurship education series includes approximately 100 hours of classroom time per participant and provides the opportunity for small business owners to work with experienced mentors, attend workshops and develop connections with their peers, city leaders and financial communities.
“The SBA’s expansion of Emerging Leaders last year to more than 20 new locations made this invaluable training accessible to more entrepreneurs than ever before,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The training, mentorship and resources that these small business owners receive help them take their enterprises to the next level, spurring business growth, job creation and stronger communities.”
The Emerging Leaders initiative has been a catalyst for expanding opportunities for small businesses since its inception in 2008. Graduates have reported that nearly 70 percent achieved revenue growth and more than 80 percent created new jobs or retained all existing jobs.
Graduates have secured federal, state, local and tribal contract awards worth more than $700 million.
Local recruitment for the 2016 training cycle is underway, and classes are scheduled to begin in Englewood in April. There is no cost to participants, but interested business owners must apply for the limited number of seats available.
Information on how interested small business owners can apply and eligibility criteria can be found at www.sba.gov/emergingleaders.
For more information about Colorado’s Emerging Leaders Program, please contact Sarah Hughes in the Colorado District Office at 303-844-6505 or [email protected].
