Everyday Entrepreneurship with Andy Gold [Audio 6:04]

Bakeries, tattoo shops, IT consultants – these “everyday businesses” are getting help from a new grant to Hillsborough Community College.

Entrepreneur and HCC faculty member Andy Gold has built a successful, experiential entrepreneurship program at the college. Now they’ve received a $250,000 matching grant to offer non-equity dollars and loans to help everyday entrepreneurs. There are 3 tiers of funding:

• Grants for $8,000 to $10,000
• Interest-free loans for up to $50,000
• Below market rate loans for over $50,000

The eligibility requirement to be considered for funding is to complete one college credit program in entrepreneurship at  Hillsborough Community College. Those range from 12 credits (four classes in one semester) to 25 credit programs or the full AA or AS degree in Entrepreneurship.

Gold jokes that many communities suffer from SVCD – Silicon Valley Cognitive Disorder – and focus much of their attention on more provocative technology startups. He’s going the other way, leveraging the entrepreneurial talent at HCC and this grant, to help build the nuts-and-bolts everyday companies that can support generations of owners and employees here locally.

While none of the funding options involve equity, Gold is exploring setting up a companion Angel fund to serve businesses that might benefit from an equity investment.

To learn more or contribute to matching the grant, contact Andy Gold: agold3@hccfl.edu or 813.259.6062, or contact the Hillsborough Community College Foundation.

Click the arrow below to listen to our conversation.