SBA’s emerging leaders

To apply in the Twin Cities metro area, download and fill out a one-page application at https://www.sba.gov/mn and send it to Sarah Swenty at sarah.swenty@sba.gov with Minnesota Emerging Leaders Application in the subject line.

Emerging Leaders Program Accepting Applications for 2019

MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Minnesota and North Dakota Districts are accepting applications for Emerging Leaders, a free executive-level, mini-MBA style training program in the Twin Cities and Fargo/Moorhead areas. The deadline for small to medium-sized business owners and CEOs to apply is March 11, 2019, and classes are scheduled to begin in April.

The seven-month intensive, entrepreneurship education series is for small, poised-for-growth companies with potential for job creation. It includes approximately 100 hours of class time per participant and expands opportunities for small business owners with access to experienced mentors, workshops, and connections with their peers, city leaders and financial communities.

SBA’s Emerging Leaders has been a catalyst and highly beneficial for small businesses across the country with hundreds of Emerging Leaders graduates documenting positive outcomes, including:

Gaining a collective $83 million in new financing.
Revenue growth (reported by nearly 70 percent).
New job creation or retention of all existing jobs (reported by more than 65 percent).
Securing more than $684 million federal, state, local, tribal and corporate contract awards.
Recommendation of the program to others (reported by 96 percent of Emerging Leaders graduates).
A maximum of 20 Emerging Leaders spots are available in each location and classes will be held every other week from April through October. To participate, small businesses must:

Be in Twin Cities, Fargo/Moorhead, or the surrounding metro areas,
Generate revenues between $250,000 and $10 million,
Have been in business for at least three years,
Have at least one employee besides the CEO participant,
Attend 13 workshops and seven mentoring sessions,
And complete required coursework.
More information about the initiative can be found at www.sba.gov/emergingleaders.

To apply in the Twin Cities metro area, download and fill out a one-page application at https://www.sba.gov/mn and send it to Sarah Swenty at sarah.swenty@sba.gov with Minnesota Emerging Leaders Application in the subject line.

Northwestern Minnesota business owners should apply at www.sba.gov/emergingleaders and contact Sherri Komrosky at sherri.komrosky@sba.gov with any questions.