The Kentucky Small Business Development Center's 'Grow Kentucky' program supports local businesses seeking growth, utilizing economic gardening principles that focus on nurturing existing companies rather than attracting new ones. Participants receive approximately 40 hours of specialized assistance over 4 to 6 weeks, addressing strategic and sales challenges through tools like market research, sales leads, and digital marketing assessments. Eligibility requires a commitment to growth, a minimum of five employees, and annual revenue of at least $500k, with a modest fee of $1,500 for participation.

1. Dedicated to YOUR Growing Business
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
Grow Kentucky – Economic Gardening
2nd Stage Company Services

2. What is Grow Kentucky?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 An economic gardening program
 Designed for “grow your own” companies
 As opposed to recruiting outside companies
 Focused on companies that want to grow

3. Where did it come from?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Economic Gardening-created in Littleton, CO 1987
 25 year results
 Jobs 15,000 – 30,000
 Sales tax revenue $6 – 21 million
 Population growth 23%
 No recruitment of outside companies
 Not the standard incentives

4. What Makes It Different?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 The types of companies we target
 Companies that want to grow
 The types of issues we address
 Strategic and Sales
 The types of tools we use
 Databases and tools usually employed by major
corporations

5. What Kind of Help Will I Get?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Market Reseach
 Targeted Sales Leads
 Web site and social media assessment
 Search Engine Optimization
 Customized maps –e.g. pins in a map, heat maps,
demographic maps, ect…for location selection,
distribution channels and marketing strategies
 Help with Strategic decisions

6. So how does it work?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Initial interview with call leader (1-2 hours)
 Phone call with full team to clarify information and
develop research tasks
 Information/messages posted on Bitrix 24
collaboration Website
 Frequent check-in calls to ensure we are on track
 Follow up explanations from specialists
 Close out/Wrap up call

7. How long will it take?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 About 40 hours of high quality assistance from
specialists
 Focusing on one or two major issues
 4 - 6 weeks for entire engagement

8. What kind of tools do we use?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Search Engine Optimization
 Web marketing
 Competitor strategies
 Social Media strategies
 Geographic Info Systems
 Qualified sales leads
 Heat maps
 Database research
 Market info
 Competitor intelligence
 Industry trends

9. How will we work together?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Gardening Team are Not consultants
 Not deep in your industry
 Do not make recommendations
 Extension of your team
 Strategic information to help you make decisions
 Frameworks for trouble shooting problems
 Work quickly
 Continue to work with SBDC

10. Do I get qualified sales leads?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Qualified Sales Leads
 Side by side analysis against of 3 or 4 top
competitors
 SEO, Key Word, Web site and Social Media
marketing and sales assessments/recommendations
 Maps of competitors, clients, prospects,
demographics, traffic counts and more
You will Get

11. Do I Qualify ?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Must have five or more employees
 Annual Revenue of $500K and up
 Must be profitable
 Have a commitment to growth
 Kentucky based company
 Must be selling product or service outside of
your immediate local area

12. How do I apply?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Go to www.ksbdc.org click on Grow Kentucky link
or dial 1-859-257-6957.

13. FAQs
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
 Is there a cost? Yes, we charge a modest fee of
$1,500. There are a limited number of
scholarships available. Call for details.
 What sort of outcomes have been achieved? On
average clients realize at least a 20% increase in
revenue IF they fully leverage the information &
recommendations provided.

14. Need More Information ?
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
Contact: Gordon Garrett, Associate State Director
859-257-6957
gmgarr2@email.uky.edu
www.ksbdc.org