UAHT offers course for start up firms

By George Smith, 12/12/22 9:34 AM

HOPE – Economists and futurists are in agreement that in the next several decades, small, start-up businesses are going to drive local economies and commerce.

The global marketplace is already relying heavily on robotics and artificial intelligence for mass-produced goods; autonomous vehicles are already on the roadways and robotics are being implemented in virtually every industry, from health services to auto repair to welding to construction.

George S. Smith, a business instructor at the University of Arkansas, Hope-Texarkana, believes “The future of business lies in the entrepreneurial spirit of creative souls that want to work, want to contribute to society and want to set their own business and personal agendas for life.”

For the past four years, UAHT has offered a courses aimed at budding entrepreneurs – “Entrepreneurial Strategy and Leadership.” The course is taught concurrently on both campuses at 6 p.m. Mondays.

The course, designed by Smith, who has been instrumental in starting two community business incubators, answers such questions as what businesses or services or professions are going to be recession-proof in the future and what can residents of the Four States Area do to prepare themselves for the “new normal,’ whatever that may be?

Smith noted “UAHT, with campuses in both cities, has the instructors, courses and tools expressly geared to prepare students for success in a wide variety of business and professional options.”

In looking at a “new normal”, UAHT has a variety of courses that are designed to prepare individuals for the future; the college also focuses on classes designed to showcase opportunities for students with the dreams, creativity and determination to create a professional niche in the future economic base.

The college catalog includes a wide array of professional and technical courses in areas that are going to be in demand in the future job market.

What does the future hold?

National economists, as well as Forbes magazines, are predicting start-up businesses aimed at specific areas of the consumer-centric marketplace will be in high demand.

Smith said, “The entrepreneurial course also is geared to business owners and employees who see a need to increase revenue, its economic role in the community or expand its services or product line, or those who work for an existing business and would like to look at ways to seek promotion opportunities.” Smith offers individualized, off-line advice and assistance to all students at no additional  cost.

Smith is a former editor and publisher of newspapers in four states (including the Hope Star and Texarkana Gazette. He was also corporate communications executive for two Fortune 500 companies, and director of global communications for a Japan-based Global Positioning Systems company. Smith is also author of “Circumference of Me,’ a “unique; management guide for our life and times”; the book is used at several universities as auxiliary reading in business courses, including masters’ level courses.

Additionally, Smith was a co-founder and consultant for two business incubator programs, one in Marshall, Texas and the other in Fayetteville. For more than 10 years, he was a national motivational speaker with a focused message on business and community development.

About the course, Smith said, “In Entrepreneurial Leadership, students create a virtual business from scratch; they go through every step of actually conceiving of a business to exploring key areas of business ownership from laws and regulation to financing, development of a competent staff, branding and marketing across all available avenues, hiring, firing, delegation and crisis management.”

At class end, Smith said, “Each student will have a comprehensive business plan that will be an applicable guidebook to starting virtually any business with required systemic changes necessary to personalize any business plan.”

Smith encouraged any interested person to contact him by email (gsid143@gmail.com) or text (501-259-8545) to discuss the class, which is also available via distance learning capabilities.]