NATCHEZ — Carl Clark was not new to businesses, but he knew he still had a lot to learn.

He had an office on George F. West Boulevard selling insurance, but the space was a mix of old furniture Clark could get his hands on for cheap.

Clark wanted better, and signed up for the Entrepreneur Academy, a partnership between Alcorn State University and Natchez Inc. aimed at helping small businesses reach their full potential.

“I’ve been business pretty much all my life, but there is always new things to learn and ways to improve,” Clark said.  “So it was a way for me to learn some new things. To find out what was going on, and get myself up to date.”

The curriculum for the four-month academy covers basic businesses information and tips and tricks for more specific types of business, including getting funding, potential legal issues, how to advertise online and off and the development of a business plan.

The newest class of the academy will begin Aug. 19. Enrollment will end Aug. 16.

Ruth Nichols, the director of the academy and assistant vice-president for educational and community partnerships at Alcorn, said the academy was started because there are plenty of organizations and programs helping big businesses, but she wanted to think small.

“We spend a lot of time on the business plan, it’s a big barrier,” Nichols said. “It’s like the monster in the room.”

Nichols said the reason the business plan is difficult is because it is the first time starting a business becomes something concrete.

Entrepreneur Academy graduate Aimee Guido — who is now communications manager for the academy through her job at Natchez Inc. — said the program is hands-on and tries to simulate the struggles one may have when starting a new business.

“You learn a lot starting out, you may get some bumps and bruises as you go and as you learn,” she said.

The classes are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and start and end on time, Guido said. Students are expected to find their own resources and do what they can on their own.

If a student gets stuck on a particular issue, Nichols said the academy brings in local experts in to answer questions when possible, and the academy will help to find anything else.

“Thank the Lord for the Internet is all I can say,” said Allen Terrell, manager of the APEX technology center for Alcorn, where the classes are hosted.

Terrell works to make sure that students have the resources they need to start businesses, but also a functional office space.

After a student graduates from the program, they have the option to use the office space the academy has rented in the Apex Center in downtown Natchez on Wall and Franklin Streets.

Terrell said the Apex Center has five office spaces acting as business incubators.

Clark is one of the people taking advantage of the office space, and said it has been a major benefit of going through the program because the offices are fully furnished and the rent is reasonable for someone running their own business.

“Out of all the things that’s happened going into the academy, ending up here was probably one of the best things,” Clark said.

Whenever Clark meets face-to-face with clients, he does not have to worry about his space looking unprofessional, or his potential clients having to drive out of their way to meet with him, he said.

“You don’t have to cater to a certain clientele, you can cater to anyone.” Clark said. “You move to another level.”

Clark said his business is better than ever, and he wants to see more space being used for business incubators.

“In the City of Natchez, a lot of times they want to bring in these big business that takes two or three years for them to get established,” Clark said.

“If we invested more into places where small businesses can start, and can be in a community of other business people, we can have just as many people employed and business growing.”

Enrollment in the academy costs cost $25.

For more information, contact Guido at aguido@natchezinc.com or by phone at 601-445-0288.