Posted at: 10/26/2012 7:42 PM
By: Katie Eldred
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Email to a FriendIdea Would Help Turn Business Ideas into Reality
(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Starting up your own business can seem daunting or nearly impossible. But the new Rochester Chamber of Commerce chair wants to ease some of those worries. He's hoping to put in place a one stop shop for entrepreneurs.
Karrie Geroux followed her dreams when she opened up her art and gift store Art Bitz, in downtown Rochester.
"You hope, you really hope that you'll make it," said Geroux.
She says it wasn’t easy.
"First finding a space, then finding your advertising budget, and logging in inventory."
Rochester Chamber of commerce chair Scott Heck is hoping to give dreamers and entrepreneurs some help.
"They are ideas and dreams, because they are hard.”
Heck learned personally how difficult it is to start of a business when his wife started her own flowers shop. His hope is to use successful business owners as mentors to potential business owners.
"It's a one stop for somebody who's had an idea or a dream," said Heck.
The mentors would offer advice, as to whether the business is a good idea and how they could make it work.
"Come in meet with counselors and advisors, people who have started a business before, help with business planning, and all the legal things," said Heck.
He says it would not only help create more small businesses, but help people follow their dreams.
"From an economic standpoint the more dollars the more successful a community is, but also if they have an idea a dream, now you've got a happy individual and the whole community is happier," said Heck.
While Geroux says owning her own store is a lot of work she wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
"People come in and laugh say wow I've never seen this before, that's what's really fun and that's what makes it worthwhile," said Geroux.
As of now this is just an idea, but Heck has already had several successful entrepreneurs come forward and volunteer to help.
