FL DVR CBTAC Program: Counselor Training

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FL DVR CBTAC Program Counselor Training

• Beth Keeton, Center for Social Capital
• Ethel Brock, FL DVR
• Pam Hinterlong, FL DVR

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RSA Self-Employment

• Self-Employment and business ownership are
  referenced as vocational outcomes and options
  that can be provided to individuals under the
  Rehabilitation Services Act
• Section 7 (11) (C)
• Section 103(a)(13)

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Why Self-Employment?

• Offers opportunity to enhance quality of life and
  self sufficiency
• Businesses grown around individual
• Talents, skills, interests, etc.
• May be best fit for some

SBA, Office of Advocacy Frequently Asked Questions
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Why Self-Employment?

• Accommodations written into business plan
• Can reduce transportation issues
• Can provide flexible hours

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Why Self-Employment?

• Potential for greater financial rewards
• Unique opportunities associated with SSA benefits
• PESS
• TWWIIA
• Challenges job scarcity and tight labor
  market assumptions in ways that benefit entire
  community

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Florida Small Business

• 1.9 million total (2006)
• 426,023 small employers in 2006
• Represent 99 of states employers 44 of
  private-sector employers
• Created 58.7 of net new jobs from 2004-2007

(http//www.sba.gov/advo/research/profiles/08fl.pd
f)
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Florida Disability Statistics

• 3.9 of individuals receiving disability benefits
  are working (SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2006)
• 75 of individuals with developmental
  disabilities want jobs (Wilson Resources, 2002)
• Average wages 162.50/wk
• Average hours/week worked lt 20

Increased range of options are necessary!
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Success Stories
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FL CBTAC Program

• Launched in 2007
• Contract with Center for Social Capital began in
  July 2008
• Goal Certify vendors to provide comprehensive
  Self Employment services
• Y1 Outcomes 74 vendors certified statewide

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Center for Social Capital Role Responsibilities

• Develop provide certification training
• Develop online resources and manual
• Provide ongoing TA to
• CBTACs
• VR Counselors
• Customers
• Facilitate State Level Networking meetings
• Provide ongoing training in variety of formats

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CBTAC Role

• Support entrepreneurs through all stages of
  business development, including
• Identifying potential business concepts
• Conducting market research/feasibility studies
• Developing necessary business financials

CSC
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CBTAC Role, cont.

• Support entrepreneurs through all stages of
  business development, including
• Analyzing SSA benefits
• Determining potential funding sources

USING INFO TO WRITE BUSINESS PLANS, and SECURE
FUNDING!!
CSC
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CBTAC Training TA Overview

• Must meet Vendor Certification minimum
  qualification requirements (www.rehabworks.org)
• 3-day certification-level training
• Intensive training on all 4 modules
• Simulation activities for key areas of business
  plan development, including
• Developing business financials
• Assessing feasibility
• Analyzing SSA benefits
• Writing business plans
• Completion of certification field assignment

CSC
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CBTAC Training TA Overview

• Ongoing follow-up support available as necessary
  by Center for Social Capital
• Regional on-site TA
• Individualized off-site TA
• e.g., phone, internet, IVocalize
• Quarterly Regional Networking Meetings

CSC
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When to Refer to a CBTAC

• If/when customer
• Identifies interest in self-employment
• Presents a business concept counselor
• Presents a business plan to counselor
• Wants to discuss/explore self-employment vs. wage
  employment
• Initial Meeting may replace Vocational Evaluation

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CBTACs in your area

• Vendor Profile on desktop
• RIMS only lists county of location
• Most providers are willing to travel to other
  counties / areas
• Customer/ Counselor may meet with more than one
  potential CBTAC
• before making referral

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How CBTACs Can Support VR Counselors

• Work with customers to
• Determine if Self Employment is a viable option
• Assess identified business concepts
• Assess existing business plans
• Provide support to improve or complete
• Identify other funding sources
• Educate customer team about Self Employment

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CBTAC Responsibilities

• Receive referral from VR counselor
• Conduct initial meeting with VR Customer
• Gather information
• Explain general process including the steps to
  develop a business plan
• Business Planning Team Development
• Assist VR Customer in developing a viable
  business plan by working through the modules
• Assist with implementation of business plan

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CBTAC Responsibilities, cont.

• Refer back to VR at any point if
• Customer self-selects out
• Exploration process reveals Self Employment not
  viable
• CBTAC invoices only for completed benchmarks
• Information learned during Self Employment
  exploration used to support other job development
  efforts

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CBTAC Responsibilities, cont.

• Assess plan for long-term support
• Identify follow-along funding (if req.)
• Delineate support structures in plan
• Paid supports
• Natural supports
• Employees/services (e.g., accounting)
• Work with counselor to determine when case will
  close

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CBTAC Responsibilities, cont.

• Work with customer to assemble Business
  Development Team
• Critical for long-term support
• First step in process (may be ongoing throughout
  process as well)

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Business Development Team

• Membership could include
• Family members and/or friends
• Provider agencies, State Agencies, CWICs
• Representatives from SCORE, SBA, etc.
• Accountants, lawyers
• Community Business Mentors (person running
  similar business)
• DVR Counselor
• Other Support Services

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CBTAC Training TA

• Modules

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Initial Meeting

• Purpose
• Provide overview of process
• Discuss advantages disadvantages of both self-
  and wage-employment
• Consider potential team membership supports
• Answer questions related to Self Employment
• Evaluate if Self Employment seems a viable option

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Initial Meeting Report

• Summary of meeting, including
• Who attended
• Topics discussed
• Evaluation on the viability of Self Employment at
  this time (and explanation)
• If returning referral, provide explanation as to
  why not accepting
• Summary of Next Steps

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Module 1 Business Concept Development

• Training
• Person-Centered Planning
• Discovery
• Identification of potential business concepts
• Action Steps
• PCP/Discovery/exploration process action
  planning
• Researching potential business concepts

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Module 1 Report

• Summary of
• Discovery activities
• Person-Centered Planning
• Business concepts to be explored
• Identification of team members participating in
  meeting(s)
• Action Plans from meeting(s)

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M1 What You Should Know

• What was learned during Discovery
• Team member roles/responsibilities
• Business concepts to be explored
• Why concepts fit customer

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Module 2 Market Research Benefits Analysis

• Training
• Purpose of Market Research
• Forms of Market Research
• Overview of Benefits Work Incentives
• Action Steps
• Honing of business concept
• Develop Market Research Action Plan
• Benefits Analysis (connect w/ CWIC)

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Module 2 Report

• Summary of market research efforts
• Summary of team meetings, team members involved,
  etc.
• Identification of business concept
• Update on benefits analysis
• Referred to CWIC, list of benefits received, etc.
• Action plan from meeting(s)

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M2 What You Should Know

• Research who, what, how, why
• How was research done
• Interviews, sell a few, advertise/analyze
• Who was interviewed
• Potential customers
• Industry experts, competitors, etc.
• What questions asked, information derived, etc.
• Why product/service needed AND fits customer?

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M2 The 3 Cs

• As a result of market research, should have
  pretty extensive knowledge of
• Customers
• Competitors
• Capabilities

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M2 Feasibility Studies

• Formal feasibility studies sometimes needed
• Smaller financial investment to explore idea more
  fully
• Assessed on case by case basis
• TA available

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Module 3 Marketing Business Financials-
Training

• Developing Marketing Plans
• Customers (Target Market), Competition,
  Competitive Edge, etc.
• SWOT Analysis
• Strategies for marketing (pricing positioning,
  advertising, etc.)
• Business Financials
• Start-Up and Operating Costs
• Cash-Flow Balance Sheets
• Profit Loss Statements
• Break-Even Analysis

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Module 3 Marketing Business Financials- Action
Steps

• Development of Marketing Plan
• Completion of Business Financials

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Module 3 Report

• Summary of
• Market characteristics
• Key marketing strategies
• Overview of business financials
• Start-up costs, PL, CF, etc.
• Action plans from meeting(s)
• Update on benefits analysis

Submit initial list of key start-up items never
too early to begin the search for Vendors!!
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M3 What You Should Know

• Marketing Plan
• How product will be priced, placed, and promoted
• Costs associated with marketing should be in
  business financials

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M3 What You Should Know

• Business Financials
• Projected sales, expenses, net profit for first
  3 years
• Projected cash-flow for first 3 years
• CASH FLOW MUST ALWAYS BE POSITIVE!
• Projected start-up expenses
• Vendor, vendor, vendor
• See Vendor Certification Handout

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M3 What You Should Know

• Benefits analysis
• Whether PASS is an option
• How benefits will be impacted by Self Employment
  earnings
• TTWIIA opportunities

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Module 4 Business Plan Development

• Training
• Business structure (sole-proprietorship, LLC,
  etc.)
• Management Summary
• Operations Summary
• Resources available to support Self Employment
• Action Steps
• Completion of Business Plan
• Include all supports needed how they will be
  provided

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Module 4 Report

• Summary of operations plan
• Description of team
• How all components of day to day operations will
  be supported
• E.g, what needs to be done on a day to day basis
  who will meet the need
• Overview of plan for long-term support
• Implementation hours requested
• Final update on benefits analysis
• Description of any additional start-up costs
  identified

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M4 What You Should Know

• Operations/Production Plan
• How business will run on day to day basis
• Who will be responsible for what
• Management Plan
• What are all key management activities
• Support necessary how will be provided
• Long-term support/funding

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Business Plan Implementation

• If Implementation Hours are requested, the CBTAC
  should provide details on how many hours will be
  needed for each item to be accomplished
• Implementation Hours may be approved by Counselor
  in increments / phases

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CBTAC Benchmark Rates
Initial Meeting 300
Module 1 Business Concept Development 1750
Module 2 Market research Benefits Awareness 600
Module 3 Marketing Finance 1750
Module 4 Business Plan Development 600
Completed Business Plan 2000
Business Plan Implementation per hour 39
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CONTACT INFORMATION

• For more information about self employment cases,
  please call or email
• Pam Hinterlong, Program Manager
• 850-245-3302
• Pam.Hinterlong_at_vr.fldoe.org
• Ethel Brock, Contract Manager
• 850-245-3277
• Ethel.Brock_at_vr.fldoe.org
• Beth Keeton, Trainer, Center for Social Capital
• 727-289-6389
• bkeeton_at_centerforsocialcapital.org