Not content to rest up on the day before his television marathon tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb 1st), and keeping his experienced ear-to-the-ground on America’s unacceptable unemployment rate and problems the entrepreneurial community is facing, Governor Romney privately met with business owners today at ABI (Amoskeag Business Incubator) in Manchester, New Hampshire:
ABI press release:
Governor Romney Looks to NH Entrepreneurs for the Pulse of
Small BusinessManchester, NH – January 31, 2011 – The Amoskeag Business Incubator (ABI) today welcomed and hosted former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Romney toured the ABIs nearly renovated and modernized 15,000 square foot facility that is home to over 30 of New England’s most innovative companies. Romney proceeded to meet with about 10 business owners in a private session. “What I really wanted to do was come here today and get a sense of entrepreneurship in New Hampshire and for the nation; what is working and not working for you as business owners,” said Romney.
For more than an hour Governor Romney listened and shared his perspective on the need for entrepreneurship and his desire to create efficient capital markets that support the small business owner. Romney’s visit is at the ground floor of a growing entrepreneurial movement in the region that is being led by the ABI. The ABI is set to launch an exciting rebranding and strategic plan focused on a new vision that will elevate its relevance and attract the most innovative minds, ideas and businesses in New England. “There has been a lot of chatter about what we have been up to at the ABI. The energy is contagious and I think Governor Romney wanted to see for himself the new entrepreneurial landscape we are creating,” said Jamie Coughlin, VP of Strategic Initiatives at the ABI.
More from the UnionLeader.com:
MONDAY UPDATES: MITT’S QUIET STOP. Mitt Romney visited the non-profit Amoskeag Business Incubator in Manchester’s Millyard while in New Hampshire today.
The Granite Status reported last Friday that the former Massachusetts governor and likely 2012 presidential candidate would be in the first-primary state today for private meetings with Republican activists.
Word of his meeting with business owners came this afternoon in a press release from the incubator. It said that Romney toured the incubator’s renovated 15,000-square-foot facility that hosts more than 30 of “New England’s most innovative companies.”
[...]ABI’s helps develop technology-based start-up companies.
► Jayde Wyatt
No one looks on Mr. Romney as being “too old” for the rigors of the presidency or the campaign trail, but he is in his 60′s. Scheduling this trip through New Hampshire followed by tomorrow’s TV appearances will help show that he is still vigorous enough to handle the campaign trail.
Romney understands business and understands the need of new, inovative, small companies. While we understand that not all will take off and become something bigger, and some may stay small, we need to encourage these incubators. Venture capital takes the risk and earns a good return on investment when a company takes off. I’ve been at the other end and there is a risk as well. The thing is, this is where the new jobs are going to come from for the future.
I think that you will find that 60s are not to old for a presidential candidate. Would you rather have a 65 year old with the wisdom and experience to run a business and state. Or a 40 something with no experience or that has failed and is clueless as to why they failed. I’ll take the former and not the later.