Are you a small business owner or entreprenueur looking for business assistance?  Let us help--simply click on the InsYght button above to learn more.  This free service connects you to resources that can help your business by matching you with entrepreneur tools based on your unique profile requirements.  Help is but a click away!

Welcome to Mecosta County!

Mecosta County truly is the "County for Every Season."  There is no better place to work, raise a family, or vacation.  The county's prospering rural economy allows our residents to enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere and a high quality of life.  The diversified economy of Mecosta County is centered on agriculture, higher education, and a broad range of manufactring specialties which combined produces unparalleled economic stability.  

2012 West Michigan Economic Outlook

On December 14, 2011, The Right Place of Grand Rapids hosted a 2012 West Michigan Economic Outlook forum.  Presenting were Birgit Klohs, President and CEO of The Right Place, Rick Baker, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and Doug Small, President of Experience Grand Rapids.  Also featured was George Erickcek, Senior Regional Analyst of the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.  Erickcek’s presentation, entitled The Economic Outlook for the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Area: Are We There Yet? provides an interesting statistical analysis into the successes and challenges still facing West Michigan.  A copy of his presentation is available by clicking the link above.

Mecosta County is Pure Michigan

In 2010, Mecosta County undertook an initiative to participate as a partner with Travel Michigan's award winning Pure Michigan advertising campaign.  Support from a variety of local partners resulted in Mecosta County's participation in the Spring, 2011 marketing campaign.  To learn more about the treasures awaiting to be discovered in Mecosta County, click on the link below to listen to the Mecosta County "Best Kept Secret" Pure Michigan radio ad!  Be sure to visit Michigan's official Travel and Tourism site to learn more about what our great state has to offer.

Launching Your Entrepreneurial Future

On November 16, 2011, 35 budding entrepreneurs attended a free 3-hour workshop aimed at helping them understand how to launch their entrepreneurial future.  Presented by Ron Steiner, Entrepreneurship Development Educator of Michigan State University Extension and director of The Starting Block incubator facility in Hart, the workshop introduced participants to the challenges and problems of entrepreneurship and how to turn them into change and innovation.  These workshops are designed to identify those individuals that want to start their own business or enhance their existing small business and introduce them to the next opportunity in that process: the FastTrac New Venture program.  This 30 hour intensive program will focus on providing the specific tools every business needs to be successful.  The FastTrac New Venture program will be offered once a minimum number of interested individuals have been identified as committing to attend.

If you are interested in this advanced training or learning more about future offerings of the basic three hour intro to entrepreneurship, contact Michelle Herron, Business Services Director at Michigan Works! West Central at (231) 660-0253.  Join us today and launch your entrepreneurial future!