I can't get it out of my head that the way to build new industry in
America is to build new businesses. Having been someone who has dealt
with the
Virginia Employment Commission in the past, I know their primary focus
is getting the unemployed to apply for jobs. What if there are no jobs
to apply for? Certainly, in our region here in
southwest Virginia, there will be <are> more people
seeking work than there are job openings or vacancies.
What if the VEC
asked the unemployed one question -- this question -- "Have you ever
considered starting your own business?" And, if the answer was yes,
then what if the VEC gave these would-be entrepreneurs a list
of resources or 30 minutes of consultation with a business resource
person to further direct them?
I rechecked the VEC web site to see if there were any obvious links to entrepreneurial resources. I found a link to
Labor Market Information on the home page, which can lead you to
The VA Business Resource Directory(note: the Resource Directory is 150-page, 3MB file, you may want to select the chapter links for quick look at the document).
The VEC does a good job of guiding you through the unemployment compensation process, which is exactly what they are supposed to do, but I could not find language on the site that clearly states "So, you want to be an entrepreneur?" or "Thinking about starting your own business, start here." Finding entrepreneurial resources on on the
VEC site is kind of like finding a new job -- a little more difficult than you thought.
Added following post:Be sure to click on
READ THE CONVERSATION below. Here is an excerpt from a comment by Stuart Mease: "