Last week, our friends at Greater Louisville Inc. hosted a very informative and interactive discussion about the often ballyhooed, often misunderstood Phase 0 grant for use in the SBIR/STTR Phase 1 application process. Simply put, the Phase 0 grant is Kentucky's way of allocating resources to those companies that plan to engage in the SBA's SBIR/STTR program. Unfortunately, Kentucky ranks very low in both the applications and awards in the SBIR program, and Avocado Group is supporting GLI's initiative to generate more interest and successful proposals for this competitive program designed to commercialize emerging ideas and research.

We were encouraged to see a variety of ideas and people at the workshop, and we are quite excited to find ourselves on the bleeding edge of entrepreneurship in Louisville and Kentucky at large. Because the SBIR process can be extremely time-consuming and demanding, Avocado Group reminded the audience that our experience and expertise can help facilitate and accelerate the application process for Kentucky's Phase 0 funding. In case you're confused, the Phase 0 grant is used to offset the cost of developing a Phase 1 proposal, and the award of up to $4000 also guarantees a thorough review and feedback from a professional proposal reviewer (who previously accepted/rejected these types of proposals when he worked at a federal agency).

With our experience in new venture creation and business plan development, Avocado Group serves as an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs who choose to navigate the SBIR process. Please let us know how we can help your idea become more successful through the SBIR/STTR funding process!

Tonight we heard great news about RentalHouses.com! I worked with this determined and enthusiastic group of individuals recently to develop the business plan they used to attract investors. As stated in the Business First article, RentalHouses.com raised

"...$3 million in recent funding that will enable the partners to bring their plans to fruition...It is the brainchild of company president Robert Massey Jr., who is also president of residential property-management firm Robert Massey Co. He developed the concept with three other founding partners: Robert Massey Sr., who is vice president of Robert Massey Co.; Denis Frankenberger, former owner of Advanced Machine Co.; and John Archer, owner of Premium Com­puter Solu­tions, which offers computer sales and service...Robert Machado, a former president of the National Association of Residential Property Managers, is one of the primary investors...Louisville's Yearling Fund also made a significant contribution; the early-stage venture-capital fund is overseen by partners Dale Boden, Bill Lomicka and Ty Wilburn."

Congratulations gang! We look forward to following this success story and helping to create more in the future.

Amy

Nick and I spent most of last week updating website content, revisiting strategic goals, and putting together our first newsletter. Nick, who by the way is the excellent engineer of our website, added this blog. I have never been a blogger but have been paying attention to the blogging buzz recently. It was not until I began looking for newsletter content did I realize how powerful they could be or how much useful information exists on them. So valuable were they in uncovering trends in entrepreneurship and small business that I now feel compelled to share a few with you, our audience. Of note areThe Entrepreneurial Mind, Fast Company, Small Business Trends, and Venture Blog.

Want to learn more about blogs? Here is an excellent blog about business blogging. Also, find out how a consumer food company is using blogs to get grassroots attention.

Happy Blogging!

After a very busy 2004, we are excited about the prospects 2005! We learned at the 2005 State of Entrepreneurship presentation that Louisville has made tremendous strides toward cultivating an environment and culture that promote entrepreneurship and small business development, but there are also challenges ahead. Avocado Group commits ourselves to furthering this progress, and we are very excited to bring new ideas to life this year.

Over the last few months we've dashed around the eastern seaboard and crammed our heads with valuable knowledge from regional SBIR/STTR conferences. After all that travel, we are now excited to attend the SBIR Phase 0 workshop right here in Louisville later this month. Entrepreneur magazine reiterates the lucrative benefits of the SBIR program, and we are excited to share and expand our knowledge of the subject on January 19 @ GLI.

2005 is sure to introduce an amazing array of new opportunities, new faces and new places. As our knowledge and capabilities grow, we look forward to earning the business of our clients one ripened opportunity at a time!