Business Initiative$

Application Statistics for Program

January 2003

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Gender:             Male: 15 (44%)             Female:  19 (56%)

 Ethnicity:          African: 1       African-American: 20 (59%)    Caucasian: 6 (18%)   Hispanic: 4  Italian: 1   West Indian: 1    Afro-Jamaican: 1                 (52% minority)

 Age:                  18-25: 6 (18%)  26-30: 7 (20%)  31-35: 6 (18%) 36-40: 6 (18%) 40-44: 4 (11%) 51-55: 4 (11%)   65+: 1 (2%)

Household Status:  married with children under eighteen: 6     single: 17   single with children: 7

married: 2             divorced: 2

Disability:             5 (depression; dyslexia; hearing loss; bipolar; anxiety disorder)  (15%)

Educational Background  (terminal level):

High School/GED: 10 (29%)                                  Some college courses: 9 (27%)        

Vocational/technical certificate: 2 (6%)                   Community college: 3     (9%)   

Undergraduate degree: 9 (27%)                          Post-college graduate degree: 1 (2%)

Assistance Received:            Food Stamps: 3  Social Security: 3     SSI: 2   (24% receive assistance)

Average Household Income:

Under $10,000:                   5             (15%)

$10,000 – 14,000:               4             (12%)

$20,000 - $24,000:             3             (9%)

$25,000 - $29,000:             2             (6%)

$30,000 - $34,000:             1             (2%)

$35,000 - $39,000:             7             (20%)

$40,000 - $54,000:             2             (6%)    

(some respondents declined to provide this information on the application)

 BUSINESS INFORMATION

Self-Employment Process:

            Still trying to decide whether to start own business:             14

            In process of starting own business:                                     20

            Have been selling product or service for less than 6 months:  2

            Have been selling product or service for more than 6 months: 5

            How Long Have You Been Considering Your Business Idea:  range is from several months to  

20 years

Current Employment Status:

            Self-employed less than 35 hours a week:                   2

Self-employed more than 35 hours a week:                2

Employed by other less than 35 hours a week:           3

            Employed by other more than 35 hours a week:       23

            Unemployed less than 6 months:                                 2

            Unemployed more than 6 months:                               4 (one retired)

            Homemaker:                                                              3

            (respondents may have answered with more than one response)

 Primary Motivations for Self-Employment (selected responses):

1)      “The ability to create.”

2)      “To do something that I always wanted to do, and so not mind the hard work.”

3)      To support my daughter and self, offering a product that is original and good for the community.  And to be a writer.”

4)      “Independence, and the ability to employ others.”

5)      “Financial independence.”

6)      “Wanting to be my own boss.”

7)      “To become self-sufficient, and provide a service to the community.”

8)      “To be in control of what project I do.”

 Existing Written Business Plan?:                       No:  33             Yes:  1

 Keep Household Budget?:                                  No:  16             Yes:  18

 Ever Saved for Something Important?:             No:  3               Yes:  31

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