The Entrepreneurial League System® (ELS), developed by Gregg Lichtenstein and Thomas Lyons, draws on the analogy of the professional baseball league system. It begins with the "rookie league" (for the most inexperienced entrepreneurs) and progresses all the way to the "major league" (entrepreneurs who are highly skilled).
The ELS is intended to recognize that entrepreneurs are very diverse and come with varying skill levels and experiences. As such, assistance must be tailored to meet the unique needs of entrepreneurs, depending on their placement in the entrepreneurial league system ladder.
An added benefit of the ELS is that it offers entrepreneurs a good road map of the specific skills they need if they wish to move to higher steps along the entrepreneurship ladder. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs receive coaching on developing these skills and take part in support groups comprised of individuals who are in the same business development stage.
Implementing an effective Entrepreneurial League System® also calls for greater coordination among providers. Rather than run the risk of duplicating efforts, the ELS encourages local and regional service providers to work together in providing assistance that best meets the needs of the full range of local entrepreneurs (such as microenterprise programs targeted to rookies and venture capital investments for entrepreneurs in the major league).
Check these reports to learn more about ELS:
• A Story of Entrepreneurship and a Region’s Successful Economic Transformation
• West Virginia Entrepreneurs Building a League of Their Own
