The Venture Center

Post-Crescent
March 25, 2009

You’re probably familiar with the seasonal Halloween Express stores that Combined Locks resident Todd Cloutier has run every year for the past six years.

Now he’s trying his hand at another temporary sales event that he’s setting up right now in the former Wheel & Sprocket space, 603 N. Westhill Blvd., Grand Chute, next to Home Depot.

Cloutier is a Mr. Mom of three girls, and this latest venture is a huge consignment sale of children’s and maternity clothes that opens a week from Friday, and runs April 3 to 5.

He’s operating it under the Just Between Friends national franchise. “I looked into doing it myself, but the software, knowledge and logos was worth the franchise expense,” he said. 

Consigners register at the www.jbfsale.com Web site and get printed labels with barcodes for their items. The site also gives sale times and indicates when the admission is free and when it costs $2.

“I went to one of these sales last week in Madison and they had 45 consigners and 6,000 items. There were lines of people (to shop). I was hoping to get 75 consigners, but I have over 100 now,” he said.

The large space can accommodate four times that, he said.

Post-Crescent
March 26, 2009

GRAND CHUTE — Kathi Drake moved to Wisconsin with her family in 1988, her master's in business and accounting degree in hand.

Now, as an instructor at Fox Valley Technical College and its E-seed entrepreneur program to help budding entrepreneurs, she feels she's closed a vital loop.

"I always knew my career would culminate (and) I would take all my knowledge and experience and bring it to some aspect of business. Now I know where I'm supposed to be," she said.

Q. What drew you to the retail end of upscale clothing?

A. I didn't enjoy just sitting in a cubicle doing tax work, so I started a clothing store in downtown Neenah. We specialized in clothing you couldn't find in the area.

Q. How long did that last?

A. I closed the store in 1996. A friend who had a business across the street learned about direct sale clothing and asked if I wanted to go into business with her.

Q. In 2007, feeling direct sales in the industry were on the wane, you looked in another direction. What brought you FVTC?

A. I was introduced to Amy Pietsch (director of the Venture Center at FVTC). We had an immediate connection.

Q. You speak with passion about your years in retail and direct sales, along with the challenges of sole ownership and so forth. So are you trying to pass on that passion to your 21 E-seed students at FVTC?

A. I am. I'm doing everything I can. I want them to be wildly successful. When you love a business, it becomes your second home. I never minded the hours.

Q. Why did you leave the direct sale world?

A. The need for frivolous clothing is at a halt right now. Buying expensive clothing is fun, but you can only buy so much of it. And it lasts forever because it's great stuff. I just felt that era might be over for a while.

Q. You have a simple philosophy?

A. Helping somebody being the best they can be. That's as valuable to me as how much money I make.

Q. You spoke about the need for creative people to channel their talent into practical ends? Can you elaborate?

A. You've got to react to what the market wants. So I take someone who is very creative and help them be realistic about their goals. No idea is a bad idea as long as the market wants it, as long as it's saleable.

Pete Bach: 920-993-1000, ext. 430, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Inc. Innovator Update: Amy Pietsch of FVTC's Venture Center
Venture Center head shares vision with new, existing business owners
Post-Crescent
February 23, 2009 

GRAND CHUTE — Amy Pietsch is the proud parent of hundreds of people in the Fox Cities.

As director of the Venture Center at the Fox Valley Technical College for more than three years, and a lead E-Seed teacher beforethat, she has helped guide hundreds in starting or improving businesses.

Nearly 700 people have taken the E-Seed entrepreneur class since its inception. Of that number, more than 160 have started their own businesses that continue to this day.

"We have a 100 percent success rate," said Pietsch, noting that it's also a success when some don't start due to unworkable business ideas or insufficient funds.

"Our goal is not to be a startup factory. Our goal is to help people build sustainable businesses. They can do a business plan and know what it takes."

Last spring's E-Seed class had 26 students. This spring's has 41. Contrary to what one might think, its numbers are not increasing because of laid-off workers. Those with existing jobs still outnumber those who are unemployed.

The ones who are unemployed, however, turn out to be successful in greater percentages.