Building a Creative Services Business Incubator:A Lesson on Developing Collaborative

Relationships across Diverse Stakeholders

To Do:

• Develop business

model

• Understand

stakeholder

concerns

June 2011

Students+ Equipment

+ ClientsMagic

PartnersEastern Leaders

Group

Creative Services Business Incubator

Ann Arbor SPARK

Washtenaw Community

College

Partners

Eastern Leaders Group

Washtenaw County

WCC AdministrationPresident & VP

WCC Faculty

Creative Services Business Incubator

Ann Arbor SPARK

Washtenaw Community

College

WCC Administration Project Management

Customer RelationshipsEastern

Leaders Group

Washtenaw County

WCC Faculty

Advisory Committee

Creative Review

Committee

Creative Services Business Incubator

Ann Arbor SPARK

Washtenaw Community

College

WCC Student-Tenants

Client Businesses

WCC AdministrationPresident & VP

WCC Administration Project Management

“The” Value

PropositionEnsure student-tenants are

producing high quality work Economic DevelopmentProvide affordable ,

professional creative services to small businesses and start-

ups

Build a Sustainable Business EcosystemServe

Community

Increase entrepreneurial activity on campus

Mentor “creatives” Serve Students

Prepare ALL students for employment

Serve existing incubator clients at SPARK business

incubators

Support student business development

Occupational Faculty

0Classroom instruction that prepares students for employment.

0Filter through a high number of requests from outsiders.

0Provide meaningful experiences for students to prepare them for employment.

0Protect students from getting taken advantage of.0Protect reputation of college.0Protect personal reputation.

The Problem with Timelines

- 2010 – idea emerged.- Spring 2011 Feasibility Study complete.- Summer 2011 WCC became partner.- Fall 2012 Launch Incubator.

Key Activities0 Feasibility study.0 Money.0 Physical incubator.0 Business workshops.0 Business mentoring.0 Business networking.0 Client generation.0 Connection to Advisory

Committee members.0 Tech support for physical

assets.

0 Project management.0 Discipline-specific technical

expertise.0 Determining equipment

needs.0 Mentoring student work.0 Developing service

offerings.0 Assigning appropriate

pricing.

Key Activities

Student-tenants will offer a defined list of creative and web services to client businesses at a discounted fixed rate.

Key Activities

0 Package 1 – Logo.0 Logo development .

0 Package 2 – Branding.0 Letterhead – electronic and print.0 Business cards.

0 Package 3 – Website.0 XXX pages.0 One form.

0 Package 4 – Marketing.0 Trifold brochure.0 Tradeshow Banner.0 4x4 Print Ad.0 Web Ad.

Key Resources

0Project Management.0A Business Incubator.0Access to Students in Creative Fields.0Faculty Support.

June 2011

Students+ Equipment

+ ClientsMagic

Challenges, Lessons, Insights

RUN, RUN VERY FAST and FAR, FAR AWAY….