- May 2, 2024
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+ Adult Ed offers course, potential for incubator
As part of its Flagler Small Business Incubator program, Flagler County Adult Education will offer a 10-week entrepreneurial studies course, beginning March 3, with two of the course’s graduating students to be offered a spot in its incubator program.
Under the director of volunteer Bob Cahill, the classes will meet three hours each Saturday for the semester’s duration and cover the fundamentals of business finance, administration, logistics, personnel management, marketing, business ethics, succession and insurance.
Nationally, it is estimated that as few as 18% of business startups will survive past their first five years. According to Adult Education, however, participation in a small-business-incubator program increases the probability of success to 87%.
Two of the course’s graduating students will be invited to enter the Flagler Small Business Incubator, where, for a small fee, that individual will be provided a small office furnished with equipment, administrative support, a receptionist, clerical assistance and interns. Member companies also have access to business mentors and consultants.
For more, call 446-7612.
+ Office-space owners refocus for call-center incubator
Business partners George DaConceicao and Manuel Costa have been leasing office space in Palm Coast since 1991. But with their fourth building currently operational on Old Kings Road, they’ve begun to rethink their strategy.
After the departure of one of the complex’s tenants, a 640-square-foot “ultra-modern” renovated office was left vacant.
Initially, DaConceicao and Costa were going to gut the place — rip out its seven cubicles, private office and newly wired phone system — then put it back on the market as blank-slate working space. Then DaConceicao had an idea.
“This thing here is all set up for someone to come in and start their business with no money,” he said. “With the economy the way it is or what have you, why not give somebody (a chance to launch)?”
Instead of leasing the space out to just anyone, the partners are trying to create an incubator atmosphere for a call-based startup company. The prospective company would pay rent — $900 per month — but wouldn’t require the purchase of much, if any, equipment capital. After three years leasing, the tenant would then own the equipment and pay a monthly fee of $750 per month.
“I could just turn around and put all this merchandise up for sale,” DeConceicao said, “but we’re sitting here in the office, and I said: ‘Why don’t we try to get somebody to come in and take advantage of what’s here?’ … This is the perfect opportunity for someone like that.”
The partners’ complex, at 25 Old Kings Road, is currently at 80% capacity.
For more, call 569-4549, or email [email protected].
— Email [email protected].
