Grow's national-caliber trainers offer a variety of online and in-person workshops.
Grow will be presenting at the
2009 National SBIR/STTR Conference, Reno, Nevada
November 2-5, 2009 -
"Re-energizing America"
Training & Workshops
Grow experts provide training that addresses a broad range of important topics for small firms, including business strategies, operational issues, and the all-important area of raising working capital. We specialize in providing training and workshops related to the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs.
Here's a description of the workshops that Mark Henry, Jim Casart, and Catherine Henry will be presenting at the 2009 National SBIR/STTR Conference:
Monday, November 2, 2009
WORKSHOP C (morning): Coaching the Coaches
8 a.m.-Noon Pavilion D
$120 (includes lunch and refreshment breaks)
Moderator: Barbara Stoller, Director, SBIR Resource Center Technology Ventures
Corporation (AZ)
Presenter: Mark Henry, Grow LLC
Designed for those who wish to provide effective coaching and advisory services to
potential SBIR/STTR applicants. The workshop is based on 25 years of experience working with and providing training to SBDCs, university tech-transfer offices, and other SBIR support organizations across the country. Beyond covering program fundamentals, the session will focus on key characteristics of competitive applications and applicants—as well as the strategies that must be employed to coach candidates toward success in the program. Candidate-screening techniques and tools will be provided, and role-plays and case studies will be used to illustrate the critical elements of being an effective SBIR/STTR coach. Attendees also will be given an opportunity to put the techniques being presented into practice during the session.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
8:50-10:15 a.m. Reviewing the Reviewers Pavilion C
Moderator: Mark Strait, Federal Funding Coordinator, Department of
Commerce, Idaho Office of Science and Technology
Presenter: Mark Henry, Grow LLC
There are four things you don't want to watch: sausage being made, laws being made, proposals being written, and proposals being reviewed. Proposal review is a frighteningly human and unpredictable process, which means there are no sure formulas for success. However, one way to shorten the often-challenging learning process in the government proposal arena is to glean all you can from the experiences of others.
This session allows you to do that by taking advantage of lessons (potentially) learned via proposal reviews received by hundreds of applicants over three decades. It is possible to identify themes and approaches that work and don't work with your "typical" reviewer. It is also possible to learn what helps build credibility with reviewers and what raises red flags for them.
You can get a feel for how various agencies tend to differ in the ways they judge proposals. In short, lots can be learned from looking at what reviewers say and from sorting out what they tend to expect. The goal is to avoid a review such as this one: "The abstract is very clearly written, which makes it fairly easy to determine that there is little innovation or technical value in what's proposed…"
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Strategies for Technology Start-Up Companies Pavilion C
Moderator: Gary Archamboult, South Dakota SBIR, Small Business
DevelopmentCenter
Presenter: Jim Casart, Grow LLC
SBIR funding can often be over- or under-utilized by small firms moving along the path to commercializing technology. Moreover, government funding is often used to support company structures that do not allow the principals to get the most possible value from the "free" money the government provides. We will cover key strategic topics identified during decades of experience working with SBIR winners to make the most of SBIR funding.
Topics cover everything from initial structure of the company to the basic steps of exit strategies and acquisition/licensing plans. Learn how to best leverage your SBIR funding.
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
9:45-10:30 a.m. Submitting Your Proposal Electronically Pavilion C
Moderator: Janet Roderick, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
Presenter: Catherine Henry, Grow LLC
You don't want to put scores of hours into writing your proposal, only to have the electronic submission system jeopardize your application effort. Learn about the important administrative steps and the timelines involved in getting ready to submit a grant or contract proposal into the
various government systems. It is essential to avoid missing any key steps in the electronic submission process. This includes planning for federal registration in general as well as specific registration and submission tips for different agencies.
The presentation will also cover selected project-management tasks that help to keep a proposal effort on track and on task within the tight timeframe of a submission schedule. Learn to avoid the common pitfalls of registration and proposal submission, as well as what to do when things don't go as hoped and the computer-generated error messages start showing up in your e-mail. This can be a nerve-wracking business, but you can learn how to submit grant or contract proposals on time and within the solicitation requirements in a way that reduces the stress and strain.
Come visit us at our exhibit!
Grow's Training and Workshops
Grow's training activities are led by Mark Henry. As a manager/principal with several SBIR-funded firms and as a national consultant, Mark has been involved in the planning, preparation, and production of some 1,800 SBIR and STTR proposals, and he is known around the country as the "Vince Lombardi" of the SBIR Program.
Mark has been active throughout his 30-year career in national outreach, training, and advocacy for small, high-tech businesses. He has been asked to give SBIR presentations at more than 50 national and regional SBIR meetings since 1984, and he has conducted SBIR seminars and workshops in more than 30 states over the past 26 years. He now offers a range of interactive online training courses, along with the in-person workshops he provides.
Past comments from people who have received SBIR/STTR training from Mark:
"Our win rate went from 0 for 17 to 60% success on dozens of proposals after Mark's training!"
"Mark Henry really IS the Vince Lombardi of the SBIR Program."
"Mark Henry is extremely knowledgeable about the SBIR program and knows how to get the message across. He tells it like it is."
Several examples of Grow workshop offerings:
- Introduction to the Federal SBIR/STTR Programs—Phase I Seminar (Instructor: Mark Henry)
(Can be offered as a 4-hour or 8-hour course, in-person or online.) - Managing Phase I's to Get to Phase II's in the SBIR/STTR Programs (Instructor: Mark Henry)
(Can be offered as a 4-hour or 8-hour course, in-person or online.) - Understanding the Fundamentals of Administrative Proposal Management and Electronic Registration/Proposal Submission (Instructor: Catherine Henry)
(Can be offered as a 1-hour to 4-hour course, in-person or online.) - Strategies for Technology Start-Up Companies (Instructor: Jim Casart)
(Can be offered as a 1-hour to 4-hour course, in-person or online.) - Getting Ready to Write an SBIR/STTR Proposal (Instructor: Mark Henry)
(Offered as a 10-hour online course over 5 weeks with homework.)
Please contact Grow LLC at Chenry@growllc.com or Mhenry@growllc.com if you are interested in signing up your company or organization for one of these training workshops, or call 303-990-2114 to learn more about Grow's training offerings.
References Available!