Being an entrepreneur is a challenging lifestyle choice. Starting and growing a business is an imprecise science and success can be elusive. There is little formal education available. You have to be an artist, a magician, a super salesperson, and possess a cult-like belief in your vision.

by Neville Gilfoy

And yet entrepreneurs are society’s wealth creators. They see ideas, services, products, processes, or opportunities that no one else does. They recruit investors, employees, suppliers, customers, and they create entities that immediately contribute to the economic growth of their community.
    
While most entrepreneurs have no formal training, they often manage to garner support from friends, advisors, other businesses, government, and many other stakeholders. In fact, leaders in communities around the region are now recognizing that if their towns and cities can provide the right environment, more entrepreneurial activity will arise, increasing local prosperity.
    
One community which is a stand-out at recognizing and fostering entrepreneurial potential is Saint John, N.B.  Led by Enterprise Saint John (ESJ), a mighty collaboration has emerged among ESJ, the business community, municipal government, the education system, and both provincial and federal governments.
    
They have encouraged youth entrepreneurship through the creation of Fusion (a networking and mentoring group for 25-40 year olds), opened their doors wide to immigrants and foreign students, encouraged the growth of the francophone business community, and brought business careers and the classroom closer together.

The Saint John strategy is not the only one—similar movements are underway throughout the region. They were just the first group of leaders to get it right. The rest of us can look to Saint John for a workable model.

And as we move into 2009, Progress and its partners will be seeking out other progressive communities that are nurturing, supporting, investing in, and growing their entrepreneurial class.

Tell us what your community is doing. And look for these special features in upcoming editions of Progress.