Starting a small business is no small decision. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and starting a business of your own, there are some key steps you need to take first.

Step One:  Understand Your Own Strengths and Skills.

Take a look inside of yourself and ask the following questions. What is your prior work experience? What are your personal interests and hobbies?  What education or courses have you taken? What skills and talents do you have? What are you an expert in?

Norman Vincent Peale said it best, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

Looking closely at your strengths and skills can help you identify specific expertise that may lend themselves to starting your own business.

Step Two:  Ask yourself, “Is My Idea Feasible?”

I know this one sounds obvious. Aren’t all things possible to those who believe? Certainly, but quite a few great ideas didn’t make it either because the service or product was not timely or too expensive.

Ask yourself the following questions. Will your product or service serve an existing market in which there is a demand? Will your product or service be competitive in the market based on its price and quality? If you answered yes to these questions, you are on the right track.  If you answered no, you need to carefully assess your business idea before moving forward. A feasible idea has to be right for you and for the market.

Step Three: Seek Support and Guidance.

As you receive the proper support and guidance your confidence will grow. Let those with experience guide you through the steps of business development. Returning to school and taking part in professional development coursework can help you learn more about entrepreneurship, how to create a business plan, marketing and financing a business.

Having the right strengths and skills and matching them with a feasible idea is a good place to start. At Moraine Park, we support your journey  by offering workshops that help you accomplish your goals. Get started today by enrolling in a face to face class in September in Green Lake or take a class in November in Fond du Lac. 

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2ZAvoZz.

A strong workforce doesn’t happen by chance. For Centro Inc., of Beaver Dam, growing internal talent is the key to their future success.

“It’s important that we develop talent from within,” Myron McMahon, operations manager at Centro, Inc. said. “We provide rotational molding technology, which is a specialized market. We can’t place an ad in the paper and expect to get many that are skilled leaders in the field. For this reason, we need to engage our newer frontline employees and provide them with professional development opportunities.”

Centro was founded in 1970 near Oxford, Iowa, and today they have eight locations across the Midwest and two international locations in Brazil and Ireland. They work to provide custom molding to industries such as agriculture, automotive, construction, medial and bio-medical, consumer goods, lawn and garden, and many more. Some of their customers include John Deere, Toro, Scag, and Metalcraft.

Their internal training began at the main headquarters in Iowa, with a request to mimic that training at their Wisconsin locations in Beaver Dam and Horicon. Their goal was to provide all employees with similar training opportunities despite the plant locations. Centro connected with Moraine Park’s Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) department to achieve this goal.

“We had the curriculum from our Iowa location,” McMahon said. “The EWD team was then able to take that curriculum, correlate it to Moraine Park’s training, and create a leadership program that fulfilled our needs.”

Their training, taught by Moraine Park instructors Roy Krueger and Tim Meyer, has been customized to fit the mission, values, and structure of Centro. The EWD team understands that not all companies are alike. For this reason, they offer flexibility in scheduling so that opportunities to grow don’t inhibit current company production.

“Developing leaders as our talent pipeline will serve well for our future,” McMahon said. “The Moraine Park instructors provide exceptional teaching and even work Centro’s mission and values into the lessons. I can’t say enough good things about our experience with Moraine Park’s EWD department.”

Centro’s first class of 10 is set to complete their Leadership Tier 1 training on June 11. There are plans for a second group this fall, and in total Centro is working to create three different internal professional development opportunities; Supervision 101, Leadership Tier 1, and Leadership Tier 2.

Learn more about partnering with Moraine Park for customized training. Contact training@morainepark.edu or call Angie at 920-924-3449.

In this economic climate, every competitive edge matters, leading business professionals to continually explore ways to eliminate waste thus improving overall production quality and efficiency which is the six sigma methodology that has proven results through the Moraine Park training program.

On Thursday, June 13, 2019 the Six Sigma Green Belt Spring 2019 class presented their final project results and received their certifications upon successfully completing the program. The program participants included Jeff Straup and Brent Del Ponte both Production Generalists from Grande Cheese Company and Clinton Gumieny a Quality Technician from Amerequip Corporation.  The graduation ceremony took place on the Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Campus with business representatives, sponsors and project champions present.

The participants completed 88 hours of class time and additional time working on their independent projects which included developing a project team, collecting and analyzing data in an effort to reduce waste, eliminate re-work and improve customer satisfaction through product improvements. The return on the investment from these project resulted in approximately $26,000 in hard savings which averaged $8,684 per company with projected opportunity to continue the saving as the projects are fully implemented and scaled.

The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) – Green Belt Certification takes employees to the next level of training in the Six Sigma philosophy. Six Sigma is a comprehensive and flexible system for achieving and sustaining bottom-line results in your organization. The fall course will begin on August 27^th with a deadline of August 2^nd to register by emailing training@morainepark.edu or calling 920-924-3449.

There will also be a complimentary Lean Enterprise/Six Sigma Executive Overview podcast available at https://www.morainepark.edu/business-and-industry/webinars/ in November 2019.

Hi, my name is Claire Sager. I am 24 years old, living in West Bend, WI. In 2013, I graduated from Living Word Lutheran High School in Jackson.

Personally, I enjoy reading, hunting, photography, and could spend days getting lost in museums. I am engaged to be married this August! As the day comes closer; we get more and more excited. My fiancé has an 8-year-old son. As a family we enjoy attending the races at the Beaver Dam Raceway, mini golfing, swimming at the beach in Port Washington, traveling, and playing outside.

After high school, I took some time off of school to really decide what I want to do in life. At 19, I started school at Waukesha County Technical College for Interior Design. Every part of that program was great, but I needed a change; which happily brought me to Moraine Park Technical College.

Here, at MPTC, I had a variety of career and education opportunities. I really wanted to find a path that could support a family, offer benefits, and something I could enjoy doing. I knew it would be hard to replace the design program. Going into MPTC, my mindset was not replacing my love of design but encouraging an outcome that would bring my family a world of opportunities.

I took my strengths into consideration and decided to enter the Administrative Professional program. At the time, this gave me the option of having a dual program with a degree in the Legal Administrative Professional program. With the dual program, I will earn two associate’s degrees in 2.5 years. I am very proud to say; I will complete a 2.5-year program in 2 years! Along with the associate’s degrees, I will have a Technical Diploma in Office Assistant and a Certificate in Customer Service. I am thrilled to be walking at the commencement ceremony in May and receive two of my four achievements. The other two I will receive after the summer semester.

Recently, I heard that the program for Office Management will end and a new program will take its place. I am seeking this credential as well. In December, I will achieve my second Technical Diploma, as a Virtual Assistant.

In total, by the end of 2019, I will have the following:

Administrative Professional Associate’s Degree
Legal Administrative Professional Associate’s Degree
Office Assistant Technical Diploma
Virtual Assistant Technical Diploma
Customer Service Certificate
I strongly believe in education. Something so great about Moraine Park is that they offer real opportunities for adults. All of the achievements I will be graduating with would not be as opportune at a university. For a working adult, an adult with a family, or a student fresh out of high school MPTC offers success in various ways. Moraine Park can offer students an education, success, a career, and a positive start to their future!

My instructors have not only educated and lead my classes, but they also give me insight and constructive feedback for my career field. I continue to learn about more ways to apply my degree and possible outcomes of my education. My instructors encourage the benefits of my education and career. Aside from the textbooks and classes, I have learned life skills to fit my trade and make me a better person. Communication, soft skills, and professionalism are just a few of the other benefits a student learns throughout their time at MPTC.

With all of my education credentials, I have a world of opportunity. My degrees will allow me to work in an endless amount of industries. To name a few, I could work for a law firm, school district, insurance company, corporate office, local business, or work remotely. I like the variety offered by my program choices and the option to grow and promote within a position. When necessary, I will continue education and training for my success and growth.

After Moraine Park I will join the workforce. In which exact field/industry I have not yet decided. As I said, I have an endless amount of options! I have hopes to work for a school district, a corporate office, or a law firm.

Not only have I gained an education, but Moraine Park has granted me possibilities for what could be. I will be able to provide for my family, encourage our hobbies, grow in a business, and continue developing skills that will help my career and personal life.

morainepark.edu

“My name is Macy Moldenhauer. I live in Hartford, Wisconsin, and have lived there since I was two.
I attended Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, Wisconsin and graduated in 2015. I then did two years at UW-Washington County and earned my Associate of Liberal Arts and Sciences Degree in 2017. I took the following year off from school because at that point I was still undecided about what to pursue for a career. During that time, I worked as a waitress at Ponderosa and a receptionist at Nail Essentials in Hartford.

During my free time, I enjoy reading, shopping, watching movies, singing, listening to music, watching sports, going out with friends, and spending time with my family at the lake.

I started Moraine Park Technical College in the fall of 2018 and am currently in my second semester in the Administrative Professional Program. I chose this program because the career options and outcomes associated with it relate to the kind of person I am and have become through my job experiences. I am very organized, hard-working, and personable, and this program further prepares me in the areas of customer service and business communications. Through both my waitressing and reception job, I have grown to enjoy working with customers and have learned much more about the business field. This program is a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge in these areas and continue them in my professional career.

I like that this program is much more “hands-on” training rather than typical college classes, which consist mainly of long lectures and exams. The courses in this program give me the opportunity to practice new skills every day, skills that I will use on a regular basis in my future administrative career. The instructors in this program have been so helpful to me, and I greatly appreciate their kindness and dedication in what they do.

I plan to graduate in the Spring of 2020, where I will be earning my second Associate Degree. After graduating, I hope to find an Administrative Assistant position in the service/manufacturing or educational field. My ultimate goal, however, is to become an Executive Assistant in a larger company or corporation, where I will be able to perform higher-level administrative duties.

Nail Essentials has provided me with plenty of customer service experience over the past four years. I think that is why I found all of my customer service classes at Moraine Park to be a breeze! They were great refreshers, however, and I learned a lot more about the customer service industry through them. As a receptionist, I am only able to learn the very basics of business, but my program at MPTC provides me with several business and accounting courses that further educate me in this field of study. I have also completed several computer literacy and typing programs, as well as a business document formatting class, all of which I am unable to learn about at my job.

I am only in my second semester of the program yet I feel I have already learned a great deal about what it means to be an administrative professional.

What I like most about Moraine Park is the incredible staff and the support they give to their students. My instructors are always willing to help and are very understanding no matter the situation. They are aware of the fact that most students work part-time or full-time outside of school, so the amount of homework they give each week is never unbearable. Finally, I appreciate their efficient communication; if I ever need to e-mail an instructor, they always answer back within the same day. “

For more information on Moraine Park programs, visit morainepark.edu.

            Moraine Park Technical College’s Business Practice Firm students made a generous donation to ASTOP this holiday season. The Business Practice Firm class is a required course for business-related Associate degree programs. This year, the class developed a Marker Art Gallery business, where they created homemade arts and crafts, and then sold them on campus. Ryan Burke of Fond du Lac, Kristina Faymoville of Fond du Lac, Alyxis Hall of Oshkosh, Mikayla Kirchner of Adell, and Elizabeth Raven of Fond du Lac, worked together to develop a full business model and manage the marketing, human resources, accounting, and production. 

“The Maker Art Gallery inspired creativity,” said Amy Harmsen, business practice firm instructor. “The students worked hard to create different options that would be attractive to a wide variety of people.”

The gallery sold items such as holiday wreaths, spray paint art, hair ribbons, and drawings. On December 20, the students presented ASTOP, a sexual assault service provider that serves Fond du Lac, Green Lake, and Waushara counties, with a check for $122, the full proceeds from their gallery.

“I’m proud of their work,” said Harmsen. “Not only did the students learn how to run a business, but they also helped to better their community in the process.”

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College held its seventh Strategy, Alignment, Talent
(STRAT) 2.0 program graduation ceremony on December 12, 2018, at the Fond du Lac campus.

The STRAT 2.0 program was developed by Moraine Park’s Economic and Workforce Development division and goes beyond the typical training –  integrating feedback, stretch assignments, experiential learning and one-on-one coaching to accelerate individual performance. Individuals are sponsored by their employers and organizations to participate in cross-functional development linking strategy and execution to achieve measureable results within their organizations.  Through the program, students participate in workshops, networking events, professional coaching and self-assessments to reinforce application of key concepts to enhance individual and organizational effectiveness.

STRAT teaches participants how to make big-picture management decisions and helps them develop self-awareness as a leader that improve their company’s performance. A local executive sponsor indicated, “STRAT teaches participants how to deal with today’s issues and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. You need to look at how to put out today’s fires while preventing them in the future.” The program supports companies with their succession planning strategy and developing their talent pipeline for the next level of executives.

The STRAT 2018 participants included Kelly Weninger, Human Resources Manager at A&W Iron & Metal, Inc.; Shannon Neu, RN Manager at Beaver Dam Community Hospital; Briana Wagner, Strategic Projects Manager at Grande Cheese; Megan Pea, Deposit Operations Officer at Horicon Bank; Christopher Stath, Director of Purchasing and Sales at Sadoff Iron & Metal Company; and Oliver Vogel, IT Administrator at Spring Valley (not pictured).

Registration is currently in process for the 2019 STRAT session. To register, call 1-800-472-4554 ext. 3449. For more information on the STRAT program visit morainepark.edu/strat.

Maker Art Gallery is coming to an end!  Only ONE more Thursday left to purchase one of a kind art created locally by Moraine Park students and a Fond du Lac High school student.  Maker Art Gallery inspires creativity to shine through different dimensions by offering different types of art such as spray paint art, wreaths, hair ribbons, and drawings.

Maker Art Gallery is open on Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Final day is December 13.) They are located in front of the cafeteria on the Fond du Lac campus. Discounted art!

A portion of the proceeds will go to ASTOP.

Follow us on Instagram: makerartgallery2018

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For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Maker Art Gallery was founded by five Business Practice Firm students from a variety of program areas. Maker Art Gallery specializes in selling handmade arts and crafts at an affordable rate. They inspire creativity to shine through different dimensions by offering different types of art such as spray paint art, wreaths, and drawings.

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