Aileron – A Clinic for Entrepreneurs

Aileron, a $30 million training center located outside of Dayton, OH is squarely aimed at helping small
business owners lead and manage their companies, with an emphasis on driving growth, innovation, and
jobs.

Founded as the brainchild of Clayton Mathile (founder of Iams Pet Food Company, who sold that
company in 1999 for over $2 billion), Aileron was initially established in 1996. Since that time, over
1,500 businesses have taken its seminars. Keeping with his goal of contributing to the business success
of these clients, founder Mathile has funded Aileron to cover 95% of the program costs for each
participant.

Aileron’s “clients” are small business owners who are too wrapped-up in the day to day aspects of
running their business to focus on internal controls, management practices, and long-term strategy
issues. Fewer than half of Aileron’s clients have any formal business training.

Aileron’s curricula would be described as nontraditional, and features both outside lecturers and actual
business owners, followed by intensive sessions with Aileron consultants. Participants use these
consultant sessions to help with issues such as implementing performance-based pay systems, better
defining internal job roles, implementing performance management systems, and finding a better work/
life balance as business owners.

Aileron is seen as providing an alternative to the more academic-based approaches to training
entrepreneurs that is found in many university-based programs. Eventually, Aileron wants to offer their
programs nationally by branching-out to social networking and the Web.

For more information, visit www.aileron.org