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It's
Never To Late To Learn
Education is a key
ingredient in the success of any business. Local businesses often
fail in American Samoa due to poor financial management skills among
business owners. The Cooperative  Extension Service at the American
Samoa Community College moved to provide entrepreneurial and
home-business development training by forming the American Small
Business Development Network in partnership with the ASCC Small
Business Development Center and the Women’s Business Center. The
network assists communities, local business owners and farmers in
developing sound business plans. Five CES staff members have been
certified to instruct every course offered through the NX-Level
Entrepreneurship series, which provides basic business skills
training. To date, CES agents and SBDC counselors have delivered
three education workshops for micro- and home-based entrepreneurs.
Over 72 participants have completed the NX-Level courses. Several
participants have obtained commercial loans from the ANZ Amerika
Samoa Bank after submitting business plans completed in their
courses.
 A 50 percent
unemployment rate on the Hopi Reservation prompted tribal livestock
producers to look at ways to gain additional supplemental income.
Producers, along with Arizona Extension educators and the Hopi
Office of Veterinary Services, developed a local
livestock-preconditioning program. Despite depressed cattle prices
and weather interference, results for the steers were higher weight
gains-but results in attitudes among the Hopi producers were even
more significant. The $600,000-project was funded out of their own
pockets and they worked together to bring in new buyers for their
preconditioned steers-contributing team efforts to expand their
marketing opportunities.
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