ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – A free informational seminar for job seekers who are considering starting their own business will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2010 , 9:00 a.m. at The Sacks Group, Inc., 213 North Main Street in St. Charles. The seminar will introduce The Matterhorn Project, a unique new business apprenticeship program that is one in a series of Economic Recovery Programs developed by The Sacks Group.

The Matterhorn Project is a hands-on, day-to-day coaching and education program that enables entrepreneurs to start small businesses while being trained by experts as they learn and earn, according to Dick Sacks, president of The Sacks Group, a small-business consulting firm. The Sacks Group has been working with small business in the St. Louis area for 25 years, making it uniquely positioned to teach hands-on skills to start-up entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs and new businesses will drive local job creation and economic recovery in 2010, according to Sacks.. Recent research shows that small businesses are the primary engine for new job growth. A study released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in November 2009 reported that companies less than five years old create nearly two-thirds of net new jobs. Sacks believes that statistic indicates that brand new start-up businesses will drive job creation and the recovery of the U.S. economy.

“So many Americans are at a crossroad in their lives,” said Sacks. “That is especially true for mid-to upper-level professionals who have had well-paying corporate positions eliminated. And for the first time in their lives, they have a low prospect of finding a similar position in an existing company. Many of them should consider creating their own jobs by starting a new business.”

Many unemployed people have excellent skills and experience but most of them lack the tools needed to successfully run a small business. That’s why Sacks and his partners Mark and Melissa Hollander developed a series of new programs including the Matterhorn Project to coach, train and mentor new entrepreneurs.

The Matterhorn Project is a new business apprenticeship program designed to help would-be entrepreneurs reduce the length of their learning curve. The first six months of the program are devoted to intensive training and strategic planning, followed by 12 months of actual business operation under the watchful eye of a one-on-one coach.

“We actually create an 18-month small business apprenticeship to guide and support entrepreneurs through the most challenging aspects of running a business,” said Mark Hollander. “We help them succeed by letting them intern in their own businesses, while benefiting from oversight by experienced small business experts.”

According to Hollander, a banker for more than 27 years, the primary challenge most people have in starting a new business venture is raising enough capital to see them through to success. Sacks also sees a direct correlation between a new business owner’s learning curve and the financial capital needed to get a business off the ground.

“It’s only common sense that eliminating trial and error when learning to run a business is a less expensive process than spending time and effort running around in circles,” Sacks said. “Too many entrepreneurs run out of money before they’ve mastered small business ownership. We can assist an entrepreneur in getting things right the first time, which means a more efficient use of limited start-up capital.”

Although several publicly funded initiatives are available to help new business owners, the Matterhorn Project provides an unprecedented amount of personal attention to each entrepreneur.

"This is all about one-on-one coaching over an 18-month timeframe,” Sacks said. "Other programs simply don't compare.”

The Sacks Group is a small business consulting and business services firm providing the same high-level of financial, tax, administrative and data processing services used by large corporations. Founded in 1985 by Richard J. Sacks, The Sacks Group helps business owners identify reality, prioritize needs, develop strategies and learn the practical aspects of business operation. Sacks is the author of “The Twelve Commandments for Small Business, A Practical Guide to Beating the Odds”, which was on the Amazon.com list of “Hot New Releases” for six months.

The Sacks Group’s Economic Recovery Program series includes a personal finance coaching program known as the Compass Project, the new business start-up program known as The Matterhorn Project, and The Lighthouse Project, which helps existing small businesses adjust to the new economy.

For more information, and to register for the free informational seminar, visit www.twelvecommandments.biz or call (636) 949-9949. Seating is limited.
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Mary Schanuel
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Synergy Group
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