When it comes to starting up a new company from scratch, there are plenty of hurdles that business owners have to clear before getting the ball rolling smoothly.
The navigation of the new entrepreneurial endeavor labyrinth can be made a little easier with the help of a business consultant. That's why
MTEC SmartZone in Houghton recently hired experienced start-up business consultant Jeff Banker.
"Whenever I get involved with a start-up, an idea or a prototype, I always like to answer the question: Does this make sense to build a business around?" Banker says. "I want to know: Is there a sustainable competitive advantage to the position?"
Banker has been around the block a few times when it comes to getting a business up and running. He's been a lead executive for multiple start-up and early-stage firms in his career and has a large amount of connections in the various entrepreneurial communities throughout the state and the Midwest region.
He specializes in strategic leadership, entrepreneurial drive and skill set, relationship management, fund raising, team building, market research and business planning. His goal is to identify early in the start-up process whether a potential idea or prototype has an opportunity for growth.
"The idea is to move them further down the commercialization pipeline to where they become viable," Banker says.
Banker is founder and managing director at Catalyst CEO Group and CEO-in-Residence for Spartan Innovations.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: MTEC SmartZone
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