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Entrepreneurship Education
SCA provides on-the-job-training for early stage business owners and emerging entrepreneurs with a Rapid Growth System*.
The chapter weekly meeting is a workshop, operated by Co-Op associates as a model small business. It's "product" is a fast-paced and high-powered business development event, with an engaging format, motivational speakers, self-introductions and referrals.
On the macro scale, it's an economic development project. It produces stronger, healthier companies, demonstrating self-sufficiency while serving a genuine need in the community.
On the micro scale, it's an individual learning tool. It teaches the entrepreneur "business ownership and management" skills in a practical, non-classroom environment.
The SCA was one of the early pioneers to accept that "education was no longer confined to schools" (Tom Peters) and "the health of our free enterprise system is dependent upon the vitality of our emerging businesses" (C. Dean Kring).
The methodology was designed in conjunction with the
Texas Education Agency and leading professional educators (in continuing, adult and
vocational education) as a delivery system for the needs common to all early stage
business owners:
1.) Market Expansion: sales, customers, clients, contacts, referrals, patrons,
investors;
2.) Business Development: profits, a stronger company, management systems,
producing a better bottom line;
3.) Entrepreneurial Education: identifying the niche in the marketplace,
positioning, understanding and operating at risk, and the audacity to be in one's own
business;
4.) Professional Growth: poise, polish, communication, leadership, and team playing
skills.
After more than five years of preparation, The Co-Op launched the first chapter meeting March 15, 1983 with 14 companies present. As of March 8th, 2017, more than 45,000 people have attended SCA events, in excess of 42,542 tips, leads, referrals and items of business have been reported and more than several hundreds of millions in revenues have been generated.
Further, Co-Op companies have won virtually every award
for business growth in Houston, some nationally and some even internationally, and they
continue to do so today!
The Co-Op has received national and international acclaim for its many accomplishments,
including sponsoring the first business
incubator in Houston - which became the oldest business incubator in Texas -
plus, the first Womens
Business Center in the nation, plus, the first virtual incubation
program in the world.
All without one dime of public funding, grants, gifts, contributions or donations.
The Co-Op is business owners teaching other business owners how to have a successful business.
To see endorsements, click here.
To see some past clients, click here.
To see highlights of what SCA has accomplished, click here.
To see all the business incubators that SCA has sponsored, click here.
To establish an SCA chapter in your community, click here.
To learn how SCA might benefit your company or community, email service@servicesca.org.
"To
teach entrepreneurship, you must be able to do it."
C. Dean Kring, Director of
Research, SCA
*Service Mark of Services Cooperative Association
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Cooperative Association. A not-for-profit cooperative association of independent
businesses. All rights reserved ®
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