About Dana F.
Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Spirit
"When planning for a year, plant corn.
When planning for a decade, plant trees.
When planning for life, train and educate people.” ... more
Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Spirit
"When planning for a year, plant corn.
When planning for a decade, plant trees.
When planning for life, train and educate people.” - Anonymous
The great entrepreneur Henry Ford once said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." As a small business owner, I have spent the last decade providing professional consultative services to businesses, organizations and individuals with a desire to own their own businesses, market their products and services, or improve their organizational processes.
My niche has been to serve new business start-ups and small businesses, although I have also served larger firms and non-profit organizations. An important component of my consultancy has involved introducing clients and new business prospects to basic principles of business planning and organizational development, and providing services that envelop these principles. A key aspect of this process has involved educating clients on the value of my offerings. I’ve achieved this by involving clients in the processes required to complete their work. In so doing, clients are able to gain a greater appreciation for the work performed by witnessing the level of expertise and professionalism required to help them achieve their business goals. They are able to see first hand the level of our commitment to produce the best product possible. This approach helps build long-term client relationships and repeat business opportunities, not to mention the all important client referral.
As an entrepreneur, one must wear many hats. That’s what is so exciting about being your own boss -- in good times or bad -- you are never bored! One of my professional goals has been to identify and teach these business principles to young people who possess the “entrepreneurial spirit,” and have a desire to learn. What I have found is they are no different from many of my business-owner clients in that they possess certain character traits needed to own and operate successful businesses (passion, courage, leadership, non-conformity, curiosity, creativity), but lack the information, guidance and resources needed to nurture and grow their exceptional ideas into flourishing business ventures. In my quest to teach young people on a broader scale how to start and run their own businesses, I developed curriculum presented in fun, hands-on, age appropriate learning modules for children K-12, incorporating State Academic Standards of Mathematics (STEM) for Problem Solving: students make decisions on how to approach problems and communicate ideas.
This is my dream -- come true! Sponsored by the Indianapolis Public Library, I have been able to share what I have learned over the years, by planting the seed of knowledge that will flourish in the minds of young people who dream of becoming successful entrepreneurs.
