EntrePaducah’s Terry Reeves: He’s Ready for Your Business

Got the entrepreneurial spirit? Now's a great time to start a business in Paducah. And Terry Reeves, newly named concierge of EntrePaducah, wants to hear your ideas.

Created a year or so ago by some of our area's most forward-thinking folks from the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Paducah Economic Development Corporation, a group called the Think Tank and other key organizations (see sidebar), EntrePaducah is a free service dedicated to helping people create small and growing businesses in our area.

Now staffed by Terry, former corporate communications director of local success story Dippin' Dots, EntrePaducah:

• devotes resources specifically to launching small businesses,
• identifies businesses that can eventually spawn additional businesses and
• serves the public by offering a single, identifiable location to get help.

That location: the Commerce Center, 401 Kentucky Ave., where Terry Reeves maintains his office, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

iList Paducah's own entrepreneur, Mary Thorsby, conducts a little Q&A with Paducah's own entrepreneurial guru:

Terry Reeves, you are smart, smart, smart, no doubt about it! Why were you interested in the EntrePaducah concierge job?
EntrePaducah seemed to "get it" in regard to the new economy. Big industry is fantastic, but coming from 12 years in retail franchising, I very much agree with EntrePaducah's vision of helping small businesses get started.

The USA's "reset" button has been hit, not just on the economy, but our outlook on what's important. Public service is important, and I want to be part of that movement.

Terry, "concierge" makes me think of the oh lá lá Ritz Carlton. What does concierge mean for EntrePaducah?
It's similar in that I help people. There are many great resources that serve this area, but an entrepreneur shouldn't have to exhaust himself or herself knocking on doors. I've got a big welcome mat out at the Commerce Center in Paducah for anyone seriously wanting information on starting a business.

Coming very soon, we will employ a Technology Concierge. That person will work specifically with entrepreneurs interested in high-tech enterprises.

Oh, and for the record, as concierge I can also recommend great restaurants…mainly because I eat at all of them!

Gotta have those power lunches! So if I came to you today with an idea, what could I expect?
You can expect me to listen, intently, to your ideas and how you plan to implement them. Most entrepreneurs are experts in their field, but they may not have picked up business skills along the way. That's OK. I'll assess how and who can help you the most, we'll contact those people, and then it's on to the next step.

But Terry, in this economy? Yick. Is now really a good time to launch a new business?
I think the answer to that question is the same now as it was in the boom years. If your product/service addresses a need in the community…it will probably work. If it addresses a desire…it could be a little tougher.

What makes businesses fail, in my opinion, is lack of relevance and lack of good, solid planning.

Absolutely! Nothing like a good, solid plan. It's on our to-do list here at iList Paducah! By the way, I was flattered to be the December EntreForum speaker. How does EntreForum fit in with EntrePaducah?
EntreForum is produced by EntrePaducah. Every other month, entrepreneurs, especially ones just starting, are invited to hear the stories of other entrepreneurs in a brief presentation. Afterward, our entrepreneurial mentors are available to talk one-on-one about specific issues.

Some EntreForums are at 7 a.m.; others are at 5 p.m.

And you've got one coming up!
Yes, our next one is at 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 14, at IVS Inc., 404 Broadway in downtown Paducah. Owner Todd Duff has a great entrepreneurial story to tell. Folks should please email or call me at 443.1746, x208 to RSVP.

Will there be cocktails? We had cocktails at my EntreForum.
That's because you hosted the cocktails! I don't think we're doing that this time around. But we'll have catering by Laura Duff of A Pampered Palate.

Ah, well, Laura Duff's catering beats cocktails any evening! What other products and services will EntrePaducah offer?
As a "full-service" advocate of entrepreneurial growth, we're going to attack the culture of the region. How often do you hear, "Why don't we have (blank) here?" It's usually because a potential entrepreneur could provide that (blank), but has never been exposed to things you need to know to start a business!

Exactly! Sometimes people grow up assuming they'll always work for someone else. How do you shift that mindset?
I think through our connection to WKCTC, Murray State, the Chamber of Commerce and other programs, we can help teach entrepreneurism at all age levels — from students to retirees and in between.

Terry, you've been on the job for two months. What have you learned already?
That there are still plenty of people wanting to start a business, despite the economy, and that people need help to start those businesses. The culture change toward entrepreneurial education and support will require the help of every single person in the community, region and state.

And the word "entrepreneur" can be very hard to say and type!

Hah! What are your top three priorities going forward?
To look under every rock to find out what help is available to small businesses; to promote EntrePaducah, hence, promote entrepreneurial growth and to never, ever, ever, ever, ever forget that I am here to help people.

Right on. You know, advertising on iList Paducah is an excellent way for entrepreneurs to reach a fantastic, Web-savvy and very good-looking audience.
I like your promotional skills.

I like your mentoring skills! Speaking of which, folks could simply buy a business how-to book. But you're offering something very special and different.
I'll offer the local angle. How-to books are great…they'll give you the big picture about starting a business. I'll introduce entrepreneurs to the right people who can help the most.

OK, but here's the big question: Will you fund these new businesses?
I wish I could. We work with agencies that have access to funds. What we need locally are "Angel Funders" — people who are willing to help small businesses open the door or get past a bump, yet not expect an instant return.

Angel funding isn't a replacement for a dismal stock market. True investors know they have to have faith and trust in their investment…then give it time to prosper.

Got money? Call me at 443.1746, x208. There are some exciting entrepreneurial concepts on the launching pad.

OK, last but not least: I'm curious. What did you learn from your time at Dippin' Dots and as a WPSD reporter that you'll carry over to the concierge position?

From WPSD and previous newsrooms where I worked, I learned the importance, and value, of neutrality. No one will be judged when they visit EntrePaducah…because they'll find me to be outwardly neutral about everything except helping them succeed.

Dippin' Dots was a great learning experience, both in marketing and business-building. We regularly marketed our product at all levels…customer and business-to-business.

I love social media and the possibilities. We also helped hundreds of people build a small business through Dippin' Dots franchising…and that's what I want to do as concierge for EntrePaducah!

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