The Global Experience of Small Business School

For the first episodes of the show  lists of wonderful businesses were compiled.  People were nominated for their successes, their integrity, and their generosity. As people watched those first episodes, many wrote or called and said, "I know a business that is as good as that one! Do an episode of the show about these people. They are wonderful!"

In 1995 the Voice of America (VOA) began broadcasting the show around the world. Again letters, emails and telephone calls would come virtually every day, "Do an episode of the show about this company!"

The early history.  This weekly, half-hour show has aired on PBS stations in the USA and on the Voice of America around the world.  Since 1994 the goal had been to do as many as 26 episodes per year.

The future. Today, the goal is to do at least two-to-three episodes per year in every Designated Market Area using the best local producers. That goal would result in no less than 400 local episodes just in the USA. result in no less than other 400 episodes.  In time, the the goal will be to increase the number of local episodes so no less than 4000 episodes per year are produced and every episode is ranked by the viewers and all  episodes are available for upload by the many broadcasting entities from PBS, VOA to every local station in the world.

The Local television market: 

Each week every broadcast episode will simulcast on the web.  During the broadcast and for a half-hour after, there will be an online collaboration involving local viewers, local business leaders, and people from the global web community.

Each broadcast (and simulcast) will be localized each week by a prominent business advocate in each geography.  Before the show begins, viewers of television and the web  will be invited to come online to collaborate:  "Join us now on the web with other viewers and local business leaders as we study best business practices and we look to see if these can be applied within our community and within our local businesses.” 

At the end of the show, that person,  “If you are not online already, come online now to review the case study guide for this episode and to discuss best business practices with other local viewers and visitors  from around the world." 

The Focus. 

This show is about starting and running a business successfully.  It is a focus on the founder and the audacity of starting a business and the processes by which there is a transformation into a successful business.  It is also about the right attitudes and character to run a successful business. 

Typically,  episodes are about businesses with less than 500 employees.  Exceptions have been made when the founder of a larger business is still available.  Each country will create their own highly-vetted lists of businesses and it is from that list the next business to be profiled will be selected.