Oklahomans seeking to start a business offered support from OSU program

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

For the past four years, Phyllis and Micheal Peabody of Broken Arrow, Okla., have owned and operated Hollywood Fitness Repair, a company that manages fitness equipment for corporations and commercial fitness organizations.

Like most entrepreneurs, the Peabody’s have worked hard to build their business into a profitable, sustainable venture, slowly expanding their company’s clientele and profitability along the way. In 2009, the Peabody’s progress was invigorated after Phyllis attended the Oklahoma State University’s Cowboy Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs. The Cowboy Bootcamp is a series of courses for Oklahomans interested in launching their own ventures and those in the early stages of start-up.

“The Cowboy Bootcamp gives you a lot of confidence, resources, tools, feedback, and helped me jump-start my business,” Phyllis said. “It was a milestone opportunity for me.”

Since attending the Cowboy Bootcamp, the Peabody’s have implemented financial tools that have helped them understand the health of their company. After attending the 2009 Cowboy Bootcamp, they were able to identify where they needed to make changes to improve the internal quality and processes of their company.

The bootcamp is presented by the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship in the Spears School of Business at OSU.

“The Cowboy Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs is a hands on-environment where you can learn to develop a profitable venture and how to manage the day-to-day operations of your business,” said Nola Miyasaki, director of the Riata Center.

Each bootcamp class is taught by nationally recognized OSU School of Entrepreneurship faculty members and guest entrepreneurs. Mentoring and coaching also will be provided to individual businesses by the Riata Center consulting staff and MBA students in partnership with the University of Tulsa.

Sample topics to be covered over the six weeks include:

the characteristics of great entrepreneurs,
what makes a great business concept and business model,
the real role a business plan plays and why entrepreneurs need to write it themselves,
the need-to-know on bookkeeping and accounting,
what it means to think and act like a “guerrilla” when it comes to marketing,
the internet’s role in a new business,
how operations should be organized,
issues in hiring people and outsourcing, and
trademarks and intellectual property.

Last year’s bootcamp provided a promising forecast for the 2010 program’s success, as it helped numerous entrepreneurs around the state. 

The Riata Center currently is accepting applicants for the 2010 Cowboy Bootcamp, which will be held on six consecutive Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon at OSU-Tulsa’s campus beginning October 9 and concluding November 13. Optional sessions about strategic topics also will be offered on select Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m.

Program applications will be accepted through October 6 with only the first 55 applicants being accepted. Because of generous sponsors, the fee for the six weeks of instruction is $650 and includes instruction, course materials, and refreshments. A limited number of $200 scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The scholarship application is available on the online Cowboy Bootcamp registration form. Visit entrepreneurship.okstate.edu/bootcamp or call Mary Means at 405-744-7871 to register or for more information.