Give Your Business the EDGE

The owner of a new Holdrege real estate business said the PK EDGE class gave him valuable tools and resources to start his new business.

Scott Boulware, owner of the new Heritage Agency, said the class encouraged him to formulate a business plan to turn his ideas into profits.

The next session of PK EDGE classes (Educating, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs) will begin Monday, Aug. 17, in Holdrege. The 12-week class exposes participants to all aspects of owning and operating a business.

Prior to the class, Boulware said his ideas were just ideas. The class forced him to write down a specific business plan. He also gained insight into valuable topics such as financing, accounting, legal business structures and insurance.

“I would say it’s definitely worth it,” Boulware said of the class. “The teachers that I had were very willing to invest their time into helping us.”

Teachers included bankers, lawyers, accountants, business leaders and other professionals.

Boulware specifically remembers hearing from Roger Allmand, former CEO of Allmand Bros., who talked to the class about how business owners can impact a community and have a positive influence on the lives of their employees.

Boulware said even if the class helps someone determine that they are not ready to open a business, then it’s worth the time and money.

Boulware has worked in real estate for more than a decade in Holdrege and Kearney and just recently earned his broker’s license. He and his wife, Michelle, will be operating Heritage Agency from 708 Fourth Ave. in the former Lakeside Photography building.  

The next session of PK EDGE classes will be from 6-9:30 p.m. Mondays starting Aug. 31 at the Johnson Building in downtown Holdrege. Anyone who registers by Aug. 1 will receive the early-bird discount of $50. The cost to provide this course exceeds $1,000 per business, but thanks to the contributions of PK Partnership Sponsors, tuition is $450 per business (or $400 if registered by Aug. 1). 

For more information or to register, contact the PK EDGE Program Manager at (308) 995-4148 or alli@phelpscountyne.com

The PK Partnership of Phelps and Kearney County is a public-private consortium of area professionals with a deep interest in helping businesses succeed in South Central Nebraska.