Annette Weeks, a northwest Missouri native with years of practical experience as a business owner and facilitator of entrepreneurs, has been named director of the Center for Entrepreneurship within the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western State University.
“Small businesses are extremely important for our region, and the Craig School of Business has created the Center for Entrepreneurship to be a resource for them,” Weeks said. “We offer a multitude of resources and assistance to help entrepreneurs start, sustain or grow their business.”
“I am delighted to welcome Annette to the Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Mike Lane, dean of the Craig School of Business. “Her background is an excellent fit for this position and will allow us to begin serving budding entrepreneurs immediately. We look forward to partnering with other business development organizations serving the needs of the region and broadening the available services to meet the community’s needs.”
The Center for Entrepreneurship will train, mentor and support entrepreneurs, providing one-on-one business coaching in starting, operating and growing businesses. Among other services, the Center will help entrepreneurs create a business plan and secure financing to start their business, and to create a strategic plan and integrated marketing plan to help their business grow. Faculty and students in the Craig School of Business will serve as a resource for the Center’s clients. All services are free of charge and confidential.
The Center for Entrepreneurship partners with Steve Craig, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and other franchise businesses to create opportunities for Craig School of Business students and alumni to fulfill their dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Currently, 19 alumni operate businesses in 13 states through the program.
Weeks has spent the last seven years as the enterprise facilitator for Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, a nonprofit organization that offers free business coaching for clients wishing to start a business or those who need help with an existing business.
Previously, Weeks was co-owner and general manager of Jesse James Antique Mall in St. Joseph, helping to develop the business into northwest Missouri’s largest antique mall. She also helped start a home décor shop, The Rusty Chandelier, and a convenience store, Jesse’s Last Stop.
Weeks earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in math from Missouri Western. She taught for several years before business opportunities pulled her into entrepreneurship, and she looks forward to helping others experience the joy the business world brought her.
“It brings me great pleasure to assist clients in making their dreams a reality – to start with a concept that they may have been thinking about for a long time and put it in to a plan for success,” Weeks said. “The joy on their faces at a grand opening celebration is gratifying.”
To contact the Center for Entrepreneurship, call 816-271-4283 or email Weeks at aweeks@missouriwestern.edu.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.