inmates on a special "education nation" edition of "your business." small businesses are vitelizing the economy and american express open are here to help, proud to present "your business" on msnbc. hi there, everyone. i'm j.j. ram berg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. this week, nbc news is taking a closer look at the state of our education nation.

since we're kicking off this week-long series for msnbc, we wanted to tell you about a unique educational experience for some budding entrepreneurs in the pacific northwest. this is no ordinary program. and it's not for everyone. all of the students are women and they're all convicted fellens who are currently serving time behind bars. at the coffee creek correctional facility in oregon, once a week you'll hear a conversation like this. >> sitting there whether you're busy or not, is she a cost or expense? >> expense. >> welcome to life or life-long information for entrepreneurs, it's a 32-session course teaching female inmates at this minimum security campus how to start and run their own companies. >> effective communication involves active listening to understand what others are sayings, feeling and needing. >> even though some of the women

have been convicted of crimes like attempted murder, assault and manslaughter, nobody cares about what the students did to get into prison. the focus is on what these women will do when they get out. >> i've always liked to run things and i would love to be the owner of a business, rather than the employee. i would love to employ people. >> reporter: his woman is a student of the life class. throughout the term she and her fellow classmates are learning everything you need to know to launch a company from the ground up. >> we cover the balance sheet, we cover skills like communications, effective listening, effective speaking, we cover marketing. the class is built around being able to write a business plan. >> reporter: doug cooper is the assistant director of mercy corps northwest in portland, oregon. he's been with the life program since it started about four years ago. >> people that were incarcerated, obviously, were going to come out into an environment where having a

felony conviction it's going to get difficult to find living wage jobs. to stretch your own business or being self-employed seemed like a viable option. >> after having conviction of manslaughter i didn't think anybody would want to hire me. the idea of starting my own business, and being my own boss and still being able to make a living, was very appealing to me. >> reporter: so far, about 100 inmates have completed the course and five to 10% have started businesses. michele barten will soon join those ranks, she'st about to start her comp anprints. just about a year and a half after getting o of prison. she came up with the idea while enrolled in the life class. >> in prison, mail is a huge issue and a lot of people are really disappointed when they don't get a birthday card. it just seemed to me like it would be a good thing to do if you could mail out cards for people and they wouldn't have to worry about it. >> reporter: after raising

$1,000 herself and a $3,000 grant from mercy corps she was ready to go. >> it was exciting to actually sit down and write something up and figure out what the feasibility of the idea is and really pick it apart. >> reporter: but actually, starting a business, right out of prison, isn't the goal. creating the confidence so someone could stop one, is. >> we want them to be more economically secure and by that have that as a means to rebuild their life and be successful and never come back. the name is correctional facility. if the implication is that you are learning to do something better, that requires education. >> hey there. >> hey. good to see you. >> yeah. >> i felt so hopeless for so many years. you know, i thought, what's the point of going on. nobody's going to want me. people are going to judge me, criticize me for the rest of my life.

>> reporter: tonya's was one of the first students to ever take the classes while serving an 8 1/2 year sentence. >> i know when i started the life program, i started to have that little glimmer of hope that i don't have to be that person with a mark. >> reporter: while she hopes to one day open up her own business, the entrepreneurial program helped her get a job when she was released. she now works at the department store marshalls where he manages five other people. >> the life program taught me how to be a better employee. the skills they taught me about being a supervisor, shows me how to have more respect for my supervisors and how to interact with them. >> reporter: like tonya, elizabeth huffman, a current student, says the class has given her a whole new attitude towards life. >> when i came here i was really, really kind of lost, you know, really feel like you don't have a whole lot of hopes and dreams. >> reporter: that was then. today, elizabeth is working on her second business plan, after getting her feet wet with her first idea. >> i did my last business plan,

my last class, second time through on a beading company which i actually implemented and i made a bunch of jewelry and stuff and actually have made money to support myself and my mother too while i'm in here. >> reporter: she like elizabeth is bursting with ideas. >> i want to open up like a prisons resources and photo print small, nothing big, just small, to help the women in here because they may not have family. >> reporter: whether she ends up opening that shop or not, time will tell. but for now, shahlan da and the other women are taking what they are learning from the life class and turning their lives around. >> i refuse to come in and leave the same way i came in that was my thing. because i knew underneath everything else, there was a bigger person than what i portrayed myself to be. >> i think i've been most impressed by the women's desire to change and to start a new life.

consequently feels like we're doing a real service by trying to give them a way for that to happen. >> this is real. this is real. you know, i feel like i can't be stopped. >> the life program is just one of many entrepreneurial educational programs around the country helping people get a better life by learning how to be a small business owner. let's turn to this week's board of directors. scott gerber the founder of the young entrepreneurial council, a entrepreneurial himself, owner of sizzle it.com. >> lawrence is an instructor at the wharton school. great to see both of you guys. >> thanks for having me. >> i find that piece so nice and heartwarming, particularly a, for the people who start businesses, but more importantly, and what they say in the program, for the confidence as giving these women to know they could start a business. you, deal with entre pre nurls, people studying to be

entrepreneurials. do most end up being entrepreneurials or do they take something from the course. >> i don't think the majority do. even if you're not going to be an entrepreneurial yourself, studying through a group and making those relationships and understanding really help you in the business world, whatever side you're on. >> you work with entrepreneurials for your council. how many of these people studied it? >> that's a good question. a lot of people just find the natural calling and it's, you know, in my case as an example, when i became an entrepreneurial i went to film school. you're talking night and day. i do think that your education, your post-graduate life, these are the things that shape you and help you make decisions. if you put people in the right mindset, right setting with the right group of people you can do amazing things to train an entrepreneurial mind. >> do you think it is something that has to be innate in your blood, and then you go to school and it helps shape you? or can you be a corporate person and suddenly turn into an

entrepreneurial? >> i think there is a certain amount that has to be in you initially to be successful as an entrepreneur, people can learn to be better at being entrepreneurs. >> that, but also in times like these where the economy is not the greatest of situations, you know, we're in a time plansds when necessity and desperation are trying starting to kick in because of the need of an income. i think that today, there are not just educational resources out there, mentorship, variety of peer groups you can join, things to help you move yourself forward, become an entrepreneur, even if you weren't born with that hard core gene. >> so much available on-line and it's really helped a lot of people who probably in the past would have had a harder time getting through the entrepreneurial ups and downs. >> it can be cheap depending on what your company is, start-up costs are lower. >> you have software as service organization, you can have a website for $5 a month that looks almost as professional as

any hyper local small business. there's the tools that are there, the infrastructure is far less expensive to get started and it just makes -- you just really have to make sure you're starting a business within your means, within your vocal that makes sense and give it all you got. >> something you desperately care about that you're really passionate about that and persistence are the two great determination factors. >> helps you when your heart palpitating 3:00 in the morning. >> we turned this into a broader discussion but that was an amazing piece and, you know, kudos to mercy corps and those women. students pursuing entrepreneurial studies need to learn the importance of the pitch. we're going to put one of these students to the test. jeff is a senior at the villanova school of business and he's already an entrepreneurial. let's see if our panel warms up to him and gives his elevator pitch an "a." >> hi. i'm jeff. co-founder of keep it warm. we are a socially responsible

apparel company specializing in winter wear. for every product sold keep it warm will donate one to someone in need. our initial product is the villanova blanket which is currently sold in the book store and on-line. our first donations will go to the locoda people of south dakota who suffer devastating winters in one most of the poverty stricken areas of our country. we are looking to extend our donation groups to other groups as well. we are asking for $50,000 to expand our product offerings, market our story, and higher a creative product designer. we expect our investors can receive a 100% return on their investment within two years. you can find out more about keep it warm at www.keepitwarm.net or find us on facebook. this is an exciting opportunity and we ask you to join the movement, help others and keep it warm. >> that was so good! i don't usually put my opinion right in but it's always mba

students so good at this. i am not the investor or potential investor. i'm going to let you go. scott, what did you think of the pitch? >> flawless pitch, especially as a student, that's one thing that i always am so impressed by, that folks can really pitch just like you did. great work there. couple questions i would have, the first would be, who creates your product? how do you make the story more compelling? there are certain instances in the united states and abroad where even that part will help you in your pitch and add to that level of wow factor. i would want to know just a little bit more about how exactly you're going to get it out there. obviously you have a cause and you have a school that obviously is involved that helps. i want to know how i'm going to get my money back but i love the product. >> lawrence? >> i think you want to think about distribution channels and the human feedback to the investors, show them through case studies, interviews, youtube video something to make it a little more exciting and get some of the people, the human side of it, involved. >> all right. would you take another meeting? i think it's obvious? >> yes. >> i would take another meeting.

>> it's interesting. this is one of those such a good story that story itself might get you take to another meeting and find out about the financials. >> hook us with who you're helping, show that image, and you will win. >> all right. good luck with everything. you have such a nice mission. hopefully great company. thanks so much for joining us. appreciate it. thank you for everything today. >> pleasure. >> and if any of you have a product or a service and want feedback from our elevator pitch panel on your chances of getting interested investors, just send us an e-mail. the address is yourbusiness@msnbc.com. please include a short summary of what your company does, how much money you're trying to raise and what you intend to do with the money. somebody out there watching the show might be interested in helping you. business training courses on-line can be a great resource for entrepreneurs. here now are five free on-line business training sites courtesy

of alyssa gregory founder of the small business social network small business bonfire. sba on-line small business training offers a series of 30-minute courses on business basics. many of the courses include audio explanations, videos and podcasts. cutstown business development center provides courses from sites like small biz you, virtual adviser and custom programs from the pennsylvania sbc network. find on-line courses that cover your office and productivity needs at hp learning center. microsoft's office provides tutorialals ranging from basic uses to more advanced training so you can get the most out of the office application. training presentations, interactive guides and workbooks can be downloaded. finally, non-profit organization my own business incorporated provides a 16-session business course that covers important topics for anyone starting or operating a business.

still to come -- we answer your education related small business questions, including one about how to market to high school and college students. and a unique program in detroit. a non-profit that teaches people the skills they need to be entrepreneurs. sam: i'm sam chernin. owner of sammy's fish box. i opened the first sammy's back in 1966. my employees are like family. and, i want people that work for me to feel that they're sharing in my success. we purchase as much as we can on the american express open gold card. so we can accumulate as many points as possible. i pass on these points to my employees to go on trips with their families. when my employees are happy, my customers are happy. vo: earn points for the things you're already buying. call 1-800-now-open to find out how the gold card can serve your business.

what happens when you mix classes for entrepreneurs with the possibility of getting some funding? you get biz u. the detroit based program which has expanded to cleveland teaches present and future small business owners how to get a company up and running. last year we found out how some businesses get a little start-up cash as well. >> any type of way i could help detroit was -- would be great for me. >> i have a deep and profound love for the city of detroit, being born and raised here. >> reporter: jamie and lauren want to give something back to their hometown. while both 20 somethings left detroit for college they've returned to the motor city and

now they're in a new kind of school. >> when i came back, i needed to find a job. and i couldn't find one. i couldn't even get a job at the gap. so i had to do what most people probably should do, which is try to create an experience for myself. >> i guess i've always been an entrepreneur, all the way through college, leading up to this. >> reporter: the "this" he talks about is bizdomu. part of the newest class detroit based non-profit. the 3-year-old program gives entrepreneurs a hands on education inside and outside the classroom. >> we can train people to be great employees and you need to have great employees, but if you train somebody to be a great entrepreneur, they create commerce and wealth. >> reporter: dan gilbert, founder of quicken loans and owner of the cavaliers. the hope is that businesses started by program participants will help revitalize detroit. >> we're really going to be there with you every step of the way, helping you to get that biz

up and running. if that business is not the one you should get up and running we'll help you switch to a different business. >> reporter: the four-month program is a free full-time gig. students get a stipen to offset the costs of living. >> average age is about 34 and, you know, they come from, you know, leaving the automotive industry to, you know, leaving a mortgage industry. the only requirement we have is you have to be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or g.e.d. at the minimum. >> reporter: the program isn't for anyone. you need to have a thick skin and right mindset. >> we work on behaviors of the entrepreneurs. we think their idea is secondary, the idea is important, but we think if we get the right person and we engrain in them the right behaviors if the idea doesn't work, they'll get themselves off the map and open up another business. >> reporter: long hours are the norm. classes are held five days a week and there are assignments at night and on the weekends. projects from past classes have

included selling memberships to the detroit zoo and taking part in trust building ropes courses. >> some very demanding curriculum but entrepreneurship is demanding. this is not a place you're going to come in and read a book and take a test. you have to experience it to do it. >> reporter: it funds some of the businesses students pitch at the end of the training. if the idea is approved they split ownership of the company with the entrepreneur. some owners get as much as $100,000. >> they take a 33% ownership in the business and bizdom 66% ownership in the business. as the business becomes successful and pays back the money through equity distributions and once that's paid back, the ownership flips. now the entrepreneur is the 66% owner and bizdom the 33% own >> businesses must be based in detroit. they are encouraged to be online ventures. >> and we believe they can grow from one or a few locations that that. >> one location was founded by a

graduate. >> it's a facebook application that connects them. we male them il them to people , and typically people 65 and older. >> the idea itself was oern bout a bizdom discussion. >> they come up with the best five ideas, and then often times it's when you come up with the obvious ideas that the fresh ideas come and the ones outside of the box. >> with some ideas in mind and funding in their future, they are ready to take on the onpr

business. >> and everybody is having conversations, and then you listen to what people want to do and have done, i am supposed to be here and everybody in the room is supposed to be here. >> it's time to answer some of your business questions. scott and lawrence are with us once again. the first question is getting an education while running a business. what do you do if you built-up a good business but straight out of college you realize that maybe what you are interested in doing may have to be in a different industry. do you recommend pursuing a masters or nba in that while still growing your business? >> i think it's fantastic. you get all the information that you need. you can pivot your career while you are getting your nba, and it gives you an opportunity to

network and have time to put into something else and make that change. >> i say keep it running, growing, and do the same thing outside of the educational ranks that you did to build your first business. network your way to get the information that you need. i don't think you should be dedicating a significant amount of resources at that stage in your career when you clearly demonstrated you can be a leader. >> you are saying skip the nba. >> yeah, i say skip the nba. >> you are shaking your head. >> no, i think it's great. people have different ideas. >> i am a intrapreneur. >> you have to research them and know the gate keepers and the best ways to district and the proper ways can you message to

those folks regardless if you are high school or anybody else. have a keen out look on who those folks are and the people around them and all they consume on a daily basis. >> yeah, go to the high school newspapers around you, if you want to test small. >> yeah, there are high school guidance counselors and college admissions people to find out what high schools and areas they are all coming from, and you can start one yourself. >> if you can grow your twitter base, and you will probably get a lot of people following you that you can schedule a meet up with. >> thank you so much, you guys, for awful this advice. very much appreciated. if any of you have a question for our experts, just go to the website, the address is forum.com/yourbusiness. again, the website is

openforum.com/yourbusiness. or you can e-mail or questions and comments, the address is yourbusiness@msnbc.com. scott and lawrence had really helpful advice about how to improve your business. now let's get some great ideas from small business owners just like you. >> my tip is, to be creative and not just strategic. use the web development tools out there to help outsource your company and to also get your company the leads that you are looking for. >> my great idea in efficiency is using dragon speech duck taytion on my mobile device because it can dictate what i say and it can provide a written copy that i can e-mail, text, or send to my colleagues away from the office. >> my tip to intrapreneurs to be to get help. as often as a first time

business owner, we try to do everything ourselves, but you need help so set aside money in your business budget for an assistant, whether it's a physical or virtual assistant, but get the help you need. it's time for your favorite game show. in keeping with the educational theme we have two students with their hands on their buzzers. today we picked two college students against each other. they are both entrepreneurship counselors at the small business development center. are you ready, guys? you guys are friends, right, so this will get heated. >> no, rivals. >> rivals today. what is the most common form of training immediately after hire.

>> santiago? >> have them shadow an experienced employee. i am writing out the score on my paper. this is how high-tech we are. number two which of the costs is deductible as a business expense? >> alec? >> i will go with all of the above. >> has small business lending, increased, decreased or not changed in the first quarter of 2011? >> i would say it has increased? >> well, guess what? you're wrong. let's move on, alex. you get a chance to steal. >> he said increased so i will say it decreased. >> you got it, alex. all right. >> for the win or tie.

we're seeing who is buying drinks tonight. and then according to the princeton annual review report, which is the best intraprene entrepreneurship program in the nation in >> santiago? >> babson college. >> i think we will dispute that question because another of your schools was in that question. >> thank you so much. are you looking to offer online training for employees but don't know where to start? check out the website of the week. options include the use of pdfs, power point and videos.

trainees are quizzed after each report. mind flsh is free to use with ten trainees or less, and it's $400 to $800 a month for more employees. you will find all of today's segments plus web executionive content with more information to help your business grow. and don't forget to become a fan of the show on facebook, or follow us on twitter. a intrapreneur had two failed businesses find unique success for a line for babies. >> find out how learning from failure can lead to small business success. ful then, i am j.j. ramberg.

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