Page 130 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

What Makes a Successful Entrepreneur? 119

his or her skills going forward. The performance coach works with the en-
trepreneurs on both a one-on-one and group basis. The purpose of the
coaching is to help entrepreneurs focus on the execution of their game
plans and the operation of their businesses.
The Service Provision Sub-System is developed by first articulating, or
mapping, the extent and level of assistance available to entrepreneurs in the
community. This involves identifying all service providers, then assessing
them according to how their services help their client entrepreneurs meet
the latter’s needs and at what entrepreneurship skill level they are working
(see table 6.2 for a general depiction of this latter concept).
This mapping exercise makes it possible to then identify gaps in service
delivery that can subsequently be filled. It also makes it possible to more
strategically address the issue of offering services at the “right price.” An en-
trepreneur with Rookie-level skills whose business is in the start-up stage is
able to pay little or nothing for technical or financial help, while a Triple A
entrepreneur operating a company in the growth stage is very capable of
paying for assistance at market prices.
A perusal of table 6.2 shows that the service providers who work with
entrepreneurs at lower skill levels tend to be publics and nonprofits. These

Table 6.2. Development Level Targeted by Service Providers