SBDC supports a midlife career change
Small-engine repair has long been part of Roy Magsamen's life, either as a hobby or a job. Now at age 45, with more than 20 years of repair experience and nearly 16 years in customer service, Magsamen is taking on the challenge of business ownership. He is launching RM Small Engine Repair LLC in Fort Atkinson.
Filling a community need
Roy Magsamen
When the owners of the local Ace Hardware discontinued their outdoor power equipment sales and service, Magsamen responded to the opportunity to fill a service gap and provided a seamless transition from one dealer to another.
"What a great handoff," says Bud Gayhart, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Small Business Development Center (SBDC) counselor who advised Magsamen. "Roy is current on small-engine technology and has certification from both Briggs & Stratton as well as Tecumseh. It's the perfect solution to what may have been a significant problem in the radius around Fort Atkinson."
Training is critical
To pursue his dream, Magsamen enrolled in the SBDC Business Plan Boot Camp. "It was a real eye-opener in terms of letting you know you can't just turn the key and go," says Magsamen. He anticipates the biggest challenge will be the absence of a regular paycheck, but is confident that he can succeed. As one of only a few small-engine repair services within a 20-mile radius, he expects to be busy and plans to hire employees within a year.
Easier transition
Midlife entrepreneurs' experience often contributes to an easier employee-to-owner transition, according to Gayhart. "Frequently the more mature person is better networked," says Gayhart. "Roy has been established in the community for a long time. He's connected to the bank, insurance company, attorneys and accountants, and it's easier for him to make things happen."— Leah Call
For more information: http://www.wisconsinsbdc.org/.
Finding balance between elder care and work
More than 14 million U.S. workers are balancing their jobs with caring for an older relative, and their numbers are growing.
Costs to employers include absenteeism, workday interruptions and reduced hours. A July 2006 MetLife study estimates the total cost to employers for full-time, employed caregivers is $33.6 billion.
Elder Care & Work: Finding the Balance, a new curriculum for working caregivers, focuses on healthy care giving, workplace strategies and community resources. One challenge in reaching both caregivers and employers is that many caregivers don't identify themselves as such, and employers don't recognize how care giving affects their employees.
The Wisconsin Alliance for Family Caregiving and Bringing Elder Care Home LLC in collaboration with University of Wisconsin-Extension, offers the training to family caregivers and professionals. As of August, there were 44 trained class leaders in 29 counties.
Elder Care & Work is one of four curriculums offered statewide. The most popular, Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregiving, empowers caregivers to take care of themselves. Class leaders in 39 counties have reached almost 1,100 participants. Class leaders work for UW-Extension, local and tribal aging offices, AARP, interfaith groups, hospice and other nonprofit organizations. — Jo Futrell
For more information: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/caregiving
Program Specialist in Aging
Mary Brintnall-Peterson,
mary.brintnall-peterson@ces.uwex.edu, (608) 262-8083
Washburn County Family Living Educator Dianne Weber,
dianne.weber@ces.uwex.edu,
(715) 635-4444