Kauffman Foundation: Supporting Small Businesses and Naming a New VP of Entrepreneurship

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To combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation recently committed $2.8 million in aid to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, grantees and educational institutions in the Kansas City region.  In addition, they added a new member to its executive team after a nationwide search.

The foundation named Philip Gaskin its vice president of entrepreneurship.  Gaskin, who joined the Kauffman Foundation in 2016, most recently was senior director of entrepreneurship.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Kickoff 2019

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Headlines from around the world celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week, which removes unnecessary barriers to entrepreneurs in creating and growing new ventures.

• NERv Technology from Canada takes top prize at EWC global finals
• Crown Plaza Partner to invigorate startup ecosystems around the world
• Photo Exhibition at Palais des Nations shows entrepreneurial migrants and refugees
• Mind the Gap: New Index of Dynamic Entrepreneurship (IDE) encourages countries to strive for systemic balance
• Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® weggchat® from USA conducted via Twitter brought women entrepreneurs the world over together to learn what it takes to go global

November is Global Entrepreneurship Month

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November is officially Global Entrepreneurship Month according to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee because entrepreneurship is seriously important to a state's economy.

“More than 90 percent of our state’s businesses are small businesses,” stated Lisa Brown, Department of Commerce director. “They are the lifeblood of local economies, creating jobs that strengthen communities. Global Entrepreneurship Month is a unique opportunity for everyone to explore the idea of starting a business and being their own boss.”

This month-long series of events is part of an international celebration of entrepreneurship that dates back to 2008. More than 170 countries participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week in November, which is supported by the Kauffman Foundation.

More than 250 events statewide (check out one here) are expected to be hosted all month long.  Learn more here.

The Current State of Entrepreneurship

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In early 2018, Global Strategy Group and Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national online survey of 2,165 business owners.  This sample included:

• 764 first year startups
• 1133 startups that were fewer than five years old
• 1032 businesses that were more than five years old

Discover the key findings in the report, Breaking Barriers:  The Voice of Entrepreneurs with the ©2018 Ewing Kauffman Foundation.

Do Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners Support Trump?

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Are the Trump administration and Congress doing more for large corporations than they are for small business owners?  According to a new national survey of 1,225 entrepreneurs from the Kauffman Foundation, conducted by Global Strategy Group and Public Opinion Strategies, it seems so.

Considering that Trump lost the popular vote in 2016, he will need every scrap of support he can get to win in 2020, and judging from this new survey data, he may not be able to rely on entrepreneurs and small business owners to get there.

Read the entire article here to find out whether small business owners support Trump.

Let's Celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week

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Discover how to get involved in #GEW2018 this November 12-18.  What's Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)?

During one week each November, thousands of events and competitions in 170 countries inspire millions to engage in entrepreneurial activity while connecting them to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors. Powered by the Kauffman Foundation, the initiative is supported by dozens of world leaders and a network of more than 15,000 partner organizations. GEW is held November 12-18, 2018.

At the Global Small Business Blog, we practice global entrepreneurship every single day of the year.

How do you plan to celebrate?  What will you do to foster entrepreneurship -- join GEW, find an event or create one?

Read more about Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).

What is Depleting America of the Diversity, Nuances and Strength That Made It Great?

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According to the Kauffman Foundation, immigrants are twice as likely to start businesses in the United States than American-born citizens.

However, because the Department of Homeland Security is rescinding the Obama Administration’s International Entrepreneur Rule, which allowed foreign-born entrepreneurs to stay in the US for up to five years to expand their businesses, immigrant entrepreneurship is declining. 

Not only does this hurt aspiring immigrant and international business owners everywhere, it decreases the creation of thousands of jobs, and depletes America of the diversity, nuances, and strength that made it great.

Read more about how founder are making Silicon Valley borderless for immigrant and international entrepreneurs.

Good quote:  "The companies that really want to have a global impact need to understand cultural differences."

Even a Caterpillar Knows How To Unleash Itself Into a Beautiful Butterfly

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Today marks the beginning of Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. It runs this year from November 16-22 and virtually connects approximately 4 million people in 87 countries (read Kauffman Foundation's release about it).

Each nation has found a different way to kick off what is the culmination of months of organizing and engaging their communities.

How do you plan to celebrate and connect with the world? You can start by making a comment here with "I support Global Entrepreneurship Week!"

To find out more, visit Unleashing Ideas. Get live updates at the Unleashing Ideas Blog.

Go ahead ... unleash yourself and your potential -- globally!

The Wisdom of Bloggers on the Economy

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The first-ever Economics Bloggers Forum at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation was held last week. The experts shared perspectives on the business of blogging and the most pressing topic of the day: the economy.

A couple of the questions asked:

• What is your blog's business model?

• What has been the personal impact of your blogging?

• What 1-3 blog posts have you written of which you are particularly proud?

Learn more (immediate download of 40-page PDF file):

Read The Wisdom of Economic Bloggers: Blogger Survey Summary

And here's a good listing of all the people who contributed to the report along with their blog links. Not too much of a global focus but it's a start.

Unleash Your Global Entrepreneurial Spirit

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More than 75 countries around the world are launching the first ever Global Entrepreneurship Week (www.unleashingideas.org), November 17-23, 2008.

The brainchild of the Kauffman Foundation, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is an international initiative designed to inspire, inform, mentor, connect and engage entrepreneurs and to encourage them to "unleash" their ideas and solutions on a global, connected marketplace.

Find out more here, join in on the discussions, and spread the good global word.