 So one of the other assets that we have here at our business incubators is we actually have a position here called the Entrepreneur-in-Residence. This is somebody who actually is utilizing the incubator space. They are a member of the incubator and they're utilizing the space for their business that they're running, but they also have unique skills and unique experiences that allow them to really assist the other business owners that we have. So the one individual who we have serving as our Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the West Pasco Entrepreneur Center is Jen Conan. She actually has a bookkeeping business that she runs and she'll go into a little bit about the business, but she also has been through every component of our programming here at Smart Start. She's been part of Co-Starter, she's been a microloan recipient, she's on the roundtables, she helps out with everything that we do here and all of our entrepreneurs. So she has a great unique experience about the program and it'd be great to hear from her. So let's introduce Jen here and hear some things from her. Hi Jen. Hi there. Hello, it's nice to meet you. Nice to meet you as well. All right. Thank you for doing this. Okay, so tell our viewers your role. How, what's your role in the Smart, nope, Start Smart Program? Smart Start. Oh gosh, Smart Start Incubator Program. This, like I said with Jason, say it six times fast guys. It's all good. So as Entrepreneur-in-Residence here, I work with Tari, the on-site members, the designated seat members, the off-site members, the roundtables and prospective people that come. Everyone. Well, I offer them insight to the benefits of the program. Okay. And then different things that entrepreneurs are going to encounter along the way. July of 2015 was my first application and process into the Incubator when we were at the original New Port Richie Center. So you get some groan and groan. Yes, and New Port Richie that year was officially awarded the number one Incubator Center in the country and it was recognized by New Port Richie City Council. That's huge. Absolutely. So, but what did that mean for me as an entrepreneur? It meant that my business moved from Hernando County to Pasco County because of the economic initiatives and my revenue within less than three months doubled moving to Pasco and within a year to Pasco was tripled and that was because of the mentoring program, the microloan program, the press releases that come along with being in the program and the fact that they offer you tools like co-starters, graduations, out and about in the community, they give you speaking engagements, they introduce you to the people in the community that are as interested in your business as you are and they help with the connections. So my company has been through a lot of changes this year and it had to rebrand itself because of a partnership issue and in the rebranding I'm not in a position where I'm one of the companies that can write a nice check to the EDC but I can volunteer my time and in volunteering my time I can help entrepreneurs not make some of the mistakes that I made, I've watched other businesses make and I've been a bookkeeper for 22 years so I have start-up experience and I work with CPAs and my passion is fixing people's businesses and helping them make them efficient and profitable and productive and I'm not going to add a ton of jobs to Pasco County in my company but I help all of the companies I touch add jobs to their companies and it has helped me grow my business but I've been privileged to watch the organization grow and seeing this center come to fruition in October and then have our like grand opening and see county commissioners come out community leaders, city leaders and just watch how well this was embraced. There's good things to be for Pasco County and everywhere I go everybody I talk to well how is your business doing it how did you do that I did it with the Pasco Economic Development Council and Pasco EDC. I work with Tari in West Pasco my consulting company because I have two companies my consulting company is in Tari Center okay and that's how I have my entrepreneur and residence my bookkeeping company is in Andrew Center I try to give time to both centers Andrew Center is Dade City okay and it's the sister center to this one okay so two separate locations exactly the same thing they both have the Start Smart Program Smart Start Program Smart Start Program they both have it but just one is in Dade City one is in Newport Richie Newport Richie this way we've covered the entire county exactly between Incubator Centers and corporate headquarters right here in Central Pasco okay and I give time in both centers and I get exposed to a lot of people by doing both centers I imagine Tracy Ingram is the entrepreneur in residence and my counterpart in Dade City okay and Tracy has a wealth of knowledge and he participates like I do in both centers to see the benefit of the entrepreneurs exactly and that's pretty much what this is about watching the businesses go grow but Pasco County does it better than a lot of other counties economic development programs proud Pasco proud right there partially because they're not just looking at the startup or the collaboration they were setting you up for tools for success and stages to grow they have programs for entrepreneurs stage one stage two and stage three okay and they're with you throughout their motto is from your first dollar to your first million I always like that I really like that I like that and I hope to be here 10 years from now exactly retiring I 100 believe that you will be I do because of what I did so that's why I do what I do that and you do an incredible incredible amount everything that I've heard that you do so far incredible job I'm privileged to love this it changed my life it changed my business I've watched it change other people's business so now it's personal it's not just business and trust me what I do it's boring numbers are boring and they're a necessary evil and everybody has to have them but if you truly understand them then you can do all the other functions in your business and want to be successful in other aspects I help answer entrepreneur problems that they may not know about sales tax issues 1099 contracting issues insurance issues payroll issues HR issues liability insurance issues insurance audit issues you know and I'm software trained so in most all of the accounting software but I'm a beta tester for one of the biggest ones I beta test for QuickBooks to make QuickBooks talk to other software because I do that I'm exposed to a lot of software therefore I have tools that I can pass on to other entrepreneurs and see them benefit from it that's that's that those are the connections that's what you want and that's what you can get here so that's thanks for taking the time to talk to us happy guys again move to Pasco if you're if you have a business idea if you want to start a business if you have recently started a business and you don't feel like maybe you're getting the support that you would like in another county and you are able to the the key is to do your licensing for your business in Pasco correct you will be a part of you have to have a Pasco operated business and depending on where you are like the city of Newport Richie requires a city license so we have both the county license okay and the city license okay and the idea is it's it's to grow Pasco and it's to add value my ultimate goal after my daughter graduates high school this year will have my residence and house in Pasco I did not move because I had two children completing high school okay they would not have been to their betterment however I do most of my business in Pasco I recommend all small business in Pasco and medium business to other businesses okay this way the businesses are doing growth together exactly and the Pasco EDC has one of the largest network of people that I've had the privilege of meeting and our trade show this year spoke to that in volumes with the success stories we had Mitler Toledo came here you know we honored mr. Starkey it was an amazing process to see it come all the way around full circle that makes me really happy you were seeing it here firsthand growth that's what I talk about all the time growth it's key it's essential this is a great way to do it all right so we are wrapping up our time at the Pasco EDC smart start smart start and we I hope you guys liked all of the information that you received today if you are a local business wanting to start or if you are a local resident wanting local resident wanting to start your business or to grow your business or you're looking to move to Pasco County this is going to be the place that is going to make it happen for you that's going to give you the resources the tools all of the help that you could need in the support this is your spot so you can find the link below for the Pasco EDC smart start program in the description if you would like to know more information and to all of our subscribers and followers that are outside of Pasco still love you and adore you just as much thanks for following along with us do not forget to like comment subscribe and I will see you tomorrow guys