CHICAGO – Continuing to deliver on his Opportunity Returns pledge to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in Southern Illinois, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced that the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center (SIEC) has awarded three new challenge grants to area companies. The challenge grants are $5,000 awards designed to help accelerate the achievement of a critical milestone for young business ventures using the e-center’s services.
“At the very heart of our Opportunity Returns strategy is a belief that entrepreneurs and small business drive our economy and will continue to do so in the years ahead. By investing in young firms in Southern Illinois with high growth potential and giving them the resources they need to take their ventures to the next level, we’re not only fostering their individual success, but unleashing the collective economic potential of this entire region,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
Local companies receiving challenge grants are:
Cannon Distributing, a supply chain management business in Carbondale that serves its clients by reducing both the direct and indirect acquisition costs traditionally associated with building maintenance purchases. One of the company’s priorities over the past three years has been working closely with the school districts of Southern Illinois in an effort to develop the Southern Illinois Public Cooperative (SIPC). This coordinated purchase organization is enabling schools to save significantly on their building maintenance purchases.
Cannon is utilizing the challenge grant to develop tools that are helping its business grow rapidly, including new software that allows the company to more closely interact with its customers through a web-based portal, which provides the customer with interactive purchasing, customized reporting and purchase analysis tools. Cannon has also worked closely with the SIEC staff to develop an expansion and relocation plan, which resulted in an infusion of capital that allowed the company to relocate its headquarters and develop new office and warehouse space.
The Pillow Shop, a Carterville-based company specializing in feather pillow restoration/cleaning and quality custom-made feather pillows. The company is currently experiencing significant growth in the retail sector and is seeking additional funding to further expand its product line. SIEC and Illinois Entrepreneurship Network (IEN) partners have assisted the Pillow Shop with refinement of its business plan for presentation to funding partners, and helped with the submission of the plan to the Southern Angels Business Plan Contest, where it took first place in the retail category and won the grand prize award of $15,000. The company combined this award with the challenge grant to develop a strong brand image, new marketing materials and sales tools, which the company has parlayed into product showings with many national chains.
So iLL Inc, a De Soto-based, small manufacturing company that produces a line of indoor and outdoor rock climbing hand and foot grips for artificial rock climbing walls. The company’s product is used by individuals of all skill levels for real rock simulated training and recreational purposes. So iLL has used its challenge grant to significantly grow its business and greatly increase sales
"With the help and interaction of the IEN programs, So iLL Inc. sales have increased dramatically. From mentoring to visibility, the IEN has helped So iLL Inc. achieve business professionalism and greater profitability,” said Daniel Chancellor, co-founder and owner of So. iLL.
The Southern Illinois e-center is one of 15 entrepreneurship centers Gov. Blagojevich has opened over the last two years. The entrepreneurship centers make up one vital component of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network (IEN), a comprehensive network of resources designed to strengthen the state’s capacity to develop small businesses into market successes and help entrepreneurship act as a more dynamic engine of growth. In March, Gov. Blagojevich launched the new IEN Web site, www.ienconnect.com, which features a free business needs assessment and a referral within 24 hours for personalized, face-to-face assistance.
“Engaging businesses to meet their untapped potential through the tools of the Entrepreneurship Network is what we do at the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center,” SIEC Director Emily Carter said. “Gov. Blagojevich is helping businesses of all sizes to grow, and, thereby, create jobs.”
Since its opening, the Southern Illinois e-center has awarded $100,000 in Challenge Grants. The challenge grants are one of a number of specialized resources the SIEC and other entrepreneurship centers offer its clients. The awards assist entrepreneurs or small businesses with obtaining professional services for comprehensive business plan assistance, evaluation of a proposed start-up or expansion, or other accelerated support purposes. Award funding is determined based on the potential for successful achievement of a significant business milestone for client firms. Applications are awarded based on their display of project viability, growth potential, public purpose or other merit-based factors.
“This e-center and the challenge grants it is providing are really a wonderful representation of the new model for economic development in Southern Illinois that Gov. Blagojevich has created. That model dedicates resources at the community level where they are needed most and works to create economic opportunity one person at a time, one business at a time and one job at a time,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.