Small Business Center Spring 2015

Transcription

1 All Seminars are free. Please call (919) for more information. To register, go online: Our Core Business Seminars, identified as CBS, target topics every existing and potential business owner and would-be entrepreneur should know. Attend 5 of these seminars, and receive an Entrepreneurial Foundation Certificate. The Central Carolina Community College Small Business Center at Triangle South Enterprise Center is pleased to announce the 2015 Business Plan Competition. Those who enter the competition may be eligible for a low interest loan of up $50, or qualify for 6 months free office space at the Triangle South Enterprise Center. To enter the competition, you must take our Core Business Seminars. Rules for the Business Plan Competition and application can be found on the Triangle South Enterprise Center website at Winners will be announced during Small Business Week on May 14, Common Mistakes That Undermine Any Business We have all heard the old saying learn from others mistakes. Opening and operating a small business normally involves a great deal of time and a substantial financial investment. During this seminar, you will learn the fifteen most common mistakes made by entrepreneurs and many corporations that ultimately undermine the business. Presenter: Bob Moore 20 Best Businesses to Start in 2015 and Why (CBS) Grueling surveying, quizzing, and guessing tasks can make an entrepreneur catch analysis paralysis when trying to determine the best type business to start. This workshop will start with a list of over 500 business types and narrow it down to twenty that seem to have the most promise to succeed in our region. Presenter: Jeff Gowen 25 Ways to Boost Small Business Sales and Profits This seminar includes a wide range of easy to implement exercises, methods, and strategies to immediately increase customer traffic, and sales volume with increased profits. We will discuss new, creative, and out-of-the-box guerrilla marketing strategies that will deliver maximum positive sales and traffic. Presenter: Steve Carver 50 Home Based Businesses for Start-Up Programs This course is designed to provide start up entrepreneurs with the flexibility they seek in career options by exploring the availability of a home based business. Topics will include the start up requirements in North Carolina, the business plan, the marketing plan, and the financial plan. Presenter: Patrick Rodriguez, SBA ABC s of Starting a Small Business (CBS) What does it take to be an entrepreneur? How do I choose the right legal entity? Do I need a business plan? Where can I get money? Who are grants for? And much more! Presenter: Alyssa Mako Access to Capital, 5 C s of Credit In this presentation, you will learn about the basics of small business lending, known as the 5 c s of credit: Character, Capacity/Cash Flow, Collateral, Capital, and Conditions. Presenter: Ed Timberlake Alternative Financing for Your Small Business (CBS) Most startups and those in business less than two years can only gain access to capital to start or grow their business through the U.S. Small Business Administration and their affiliated resource partners! This course will provide information about the current U.S. lending environment and issues shaping local lending practices of the banking community. Presenter: Patrick Rodriguez, SBA Art of Marketing and Advertising a Small Business (CBS) The presenter will be sharing experiences, tips, and methods to teach small business owners the art of long-term marketing, short-term advertising fundamentals, and strategies. The primary focus will be on how to develop strategies to make all your marketing investments produce better traffic and increased sales. Presenter: Steve Carver Business Structure 101 (CBS) Learn the advantages and disadvantages of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, chapter S-corporations, and limited liability companies (LLC s). Presenter: Joseph Tart Choosing Your Business Structure (CBS) Learn the advantages and disadvantages of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, chapter S-corporations, and limited liability companies (LLC s). Owners need to understand which type of business organization is right for them based on tax laws, risk of lawsuit, and capital availability. Presenter: Dora Owens Creating a Web Presence for Small Business Owners This course will cover the basics of getting your business online. Topics include selecting and registering your domain name, software tools for website creation, site design tips, and optimization methods to improve ranking in Google and other search engines (SEO). Time will be set aside for quick SEO tips on participants websites. Presenter: Shelly Ryder 31

2 Credit for the Entrepreneur Focuses on how the small business owner should manage good credit for himself/herself personally, and also covers the business credit report. Presenter: Alyssa Mako Customer Service for Small Businesses Offering outstanding customer service can be difficult in today s marketplace. The key is to understand that by offering great service you can deal with the difficult people more professionally, work more efficiently, and get along with co-workers more effectively. Presenter: Mike Collins Directing Traffic How to Get Customers to Come In Learn how a few stores with similar products and services vastly outsell others. The answers are found in the strategies, methods, planning, and determination of the owners of the more successful stores use to enjoy a larger market share than the competition. Presenter: Steve Carver Doing Business with the Federal Government: Contracting 101 Attendees learn the basics of how to sell products, services, and construction/engineering services to the federal government. Topics discussed include methods and levels of procurement, marketing to the federal government, socioeconomic small business programs, registering as a contractor, locating, identifying, and responding to federal opportunities. Presenter: Jeff Gowen Dynamite Marketing on a Firecracker Budget (CBS) Entrepreneurs are using big business strategies like targeted ads, letters, phone calls, open houses, and customer specific sales techniques to reach potential customers. This seminar will help you create a low-cost marketing plan for your business. Presenter: Mike Collins Facebook for Beginners (Part I) More than 500 million people log onto Facebook each day. Find out why your business should reach out to the many people (and their networks) sitting in this audience. Presenter: Kelly Quinones Facebook to Market Your Business (Part II) With more than 500 million people and potential customers actively using Facebook each day, you know why you should be promoting your business. The question is how, especially now that Facebook has changed so significantly. Get answers to this and your other pressing questions. Presenter: Kelly Quinones Financial Planning for Your Small Business (CBS) Understanding your business financial statements is critical to your success. We will develop a business financial statements from the start of the business. You will learn how the statements are constructed and how to analyze them to improve business performance. Presenter: Carl Baumann Financing, Funding and Cash Flowing a Small Business (CBS) A critical part of starting and staying in business is accessing capital and understanding cash flow. This seminar will give you guidance about startup costs and monthly operating expenses involved in running a business. Presenter: Steve Carver Finding and Writing Grants This seminar focuses on how to get organized to prepare grant proposals with grant-writing tips. Topics to be discussed include: identifying funding sources, how to be prepared as an organization, elements of a grant proposal, etc. This is an excellent seminar for non-profits. Presenter: Karen Kennedy Free Online Resources for Small Businesses and Non-profits Small business owners and non-profit managers often don t have a large budget for marketing, research, and other essential business operations. There s good news, however! A world of free and low-cost resources are available to you 24/7 via the internet. You ll be surprised what you can get for free! Presenter: Kelly Klug Getting it all Done: Time Management for Small Businesses Trying to get everything done can be impossible in today s up-to-the-minute world. But, what if you could set and meet your priorities, work more effectively with the people around you, dig out from under the paperwork and avalanche, and move closer to a balanced life, wouldn t that come close to getting it all done? Presenter: Mike Collins Home Based Business: How to Start One That Works (CBS) This seminar will show you how to: choose the business that fits you, plan your start-up, find the permits, handle the legal issues and incorporate if necessary, create a business plan, find money for your business, market your home-based business, handle the stress of a business that works too well, or doesn t work well enough, and get out when it s time. Presenter: Steve Carver How Social Media Can Boost Your Bottom Line Facebook isn t the only social media tool available to small businesses. Learn what social media outlets exist and how you can use them to better attract and engage customers. Presenter: Kelly Quinones How to Become 8a Certified This seminar will provide information and steps necessary to enroll in the SBA 8a program for businesses owned by minorities, women, disabled veterans, and those economically disadvantaged. Presenter: Joe Ann Shaeffers 32

3 How to Raise Your Credit Score In this three-hour seminar we will discuss the history of credit scoring, how to read a credit report, and what factors are used in calculating your FICO or Beacon score. This seminar will also include information about the importance of maintaining good credit and the positive financial consequences it produces. Presenter: Bob Moore How to Rent Your Own Property In this seminar you will learn techniques for establishing rental agreements, collecting rent, avoiding evictions, protecting your property from vandalism, and ultimately helping you make money. Presenter: Rose Hammond How to Write a Business Plan (CBS) A strong business plan is a critical part of business success. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This seminar will give you practical advice on writing a business plan. Presenter: Nancy Blackman Introduction to Business Plans (CBS) In this introductory seminar, you will walk through a sample plan and get a step-by-step strategy for gathering the pieces you need. You ll walk away with tools to create your own plan and the motivation to make it happen! Presenter: Kelly Klug Introduction to Google Tools When Gmail became available, many of us had no idea it would be followed by such a long stream of free online tools. Today, many businesses rely on Google s suite of tools including Drive, Calendar, Alerts, and Places. This seminar will review some of the most popular tools and demonstrates how you can use them in your business or organization. Presenter: Kelly Klug Is GSA Right For You? GSA Schedule contracts can be ideal for small businesses that sell products or services that government agencies buy using these contract vehicles. Upon completion of this workshop, attendees will be able to respond to a GSA solicitation. Topics include: review of a GSA solicitation, requisite GSA training, and the GSA Vendor Toolbox. Presenter: Jeff Gowen LinkedIn: Beyond the Profile As a businessperson, you have probably created a LinkedIn profile, but have you explored other ways LinkedIn can help you? Whether you are just looking to network or are trying to drive more customers to your door, LinkedIn has an entire toolbox to help you. Presenter: Kelly Klug Marketing With Pinterest (CBS) Chamber Lunch Box Series Optional Lunch Available for $8.00. Learn to use Pinterest to drive traffic to your business websites, establish credibility, convey expertise, and develop relationships with clients and partners. Learn the new business accounts and the latest widgets to link your business website to your Pinterest account. Presenter: Karen Tiede Prepare for a Bank Business Loan You will learn a simple yet effective method to start the process of making yourself debt free! Also, we will discuss the shams and quick fixes that should be avoided and how to properly and legally deal with creditors. Bring a list of your debts with balances and monthly payments and learn how to develop your own debt elimination plan. Presenter: Bob Moore Proposal Pricing Upon completion of this training, attendees will be able to develop the pricing volume of a response to a federal solicitation. Topics covered include: direct costs vs. indirect, finding pricing requirements, describing RFP team actions, develop a timeline for the pricing volume, and identifying RFP tasks and deliverables. Presenter: Jeff Gowen Proposal Writing Topics covered in this seminar include: reading and understanding a request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ), proposal development teams for writing a RFP/RFQ response, capabilities matrix development, team selection, developing a proposal schedule, developing a compliance matrix, developing a proposal outline, and responsiveness and compliance. Presenter: Jeff Gowen QuickBooks Basics This seminar will offer participants a basic understanding of the popular Quickbooks accounting software and the benefits of using it in a small business environment. We will cover setting up the system, user interface, common data input, forms, and the many useful reports that Quickbooks generates. Presenter: Lori Stiles QuickBooks Basics: Part I (CBS) This seminar will cover creating your company file and the very basics to get you started using QuickBooks for your business. Presenter: Nancy Blackman QuickBooks Basics: Part II This is the second part of the QuickBooks seminar and will cover setting up customers, vendors, how to prepare invoices, assess finance charges, enter bills, and pay bills. Presenter: Nancy Blackman QuickBooks Payroll Payroll really can be easy and accurate with Quickbooks Accounting Payroll. This seminar will cover setting up your Quickbooks file to handle payroll, adding employees, creating paychecks, paying liabilities, creating and filing payroll tax forms, and much more. Presenter: Lori Stiles QuickBooks Payroll This is the third part of the QuickBooks seminar and will cover payroll, payroll reports, 1099 s, and W-2 s. Presenter: Nancy Blackman 33

4 Record Keeping and Taxes for Small Businesses (CBS) This seminar will cover basic record keeping and taxation for small businesses including federal and state taxes, employment taxes, depreciation, deductible expenses, record keeping systems and software, financial statements, and resources for small businesses. Presenter: Lori Stiles Small Business Lending This session is designed to help women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs understand how to access credit for their businesses. It will review the six basic principles many lenders use to make credit decisions. Finally, you will learn about the Rural Center s Micro-enterprise Loan Program and details about its lending criteria and application process. Presenter: Amanda Sorrells Starting a Small Business (CBS) At this seminar you will discover how to find the business that fits you, where to find resources to get started, and how to plan your small business like a big business. You will also learn how to prepare a simple business plan to get started. Presenter: Mike Collins Taxes & Recordkeeping (CBS) What federal and state taxes must small business owners deal with? Identify the records needing to be kept, for how long, how they are to be maintained, and the best format to do so. Tax implications covered. Participants will work through the various records in the normal bookkeeping cycle. Presenter: Dora Owens The Basics of Selling on ebay During this session, learn the best practices to use when setting up an account, listing items for sale, taking payments, and shipping. Topics will include ebay appraisals and research, registering and starting a seller s account, choosing formats and categories, writing descriptions, submitting photos, feedback, using PayPal, shipping tips, and pricing philosophies. Presenter: Nick Hawks Using WordPress to Build a Small Business Website WordPress is a new breed of website creators known as CMS, or Content Management Systems. These web creators require no HTML or any other programming language. Most of the design elements of the website are controlled by an intuitive menu or icons. This seminar will get you started in building your website. Presenter: Margret Hudacko Veteran Entrepreneurship Programs by the SBA Veteran businesses succeed at a far higher rate than those started by non-veteran entrepreneurs. The SBA has been tasked with providing our nation s veterans (and their current spouses and widows) with detailed program information on the availability of special benefits they may be eligible for when starting or growing their small business. Presenter: Patrick Rodriguez, SBA Why Successful Businesses ARE Successful This seminar is designed for the individual thinking of opening a new business as well as existing entrepreneurs who seek the inside secrets on how to make their business better. Ensure the success of your business and your personal success by planning to attend this informative and enlightening seminar. Presenter: Bob Moore Writing a Business Plan, Part I (CBS) Successful businesses are well planned. Learn how to write a complete, detailed business plan. We will cover the first sections of a business plan with examples for each section. Sections include your business model, mission and vision, products and services, industry, customer and competitor analysis. Presenter: Carl Baumann Writing a Business Plan, Part II (CBS) Continuing with how to write a complete business plan, we will cover the remaining sections of a business plan with examples for each section. Sections include your marketing and sales, operations, personnel, management, and financial and executive summaries. Presenter: Carl Baumann Using Google and Google+ to Market Your Business (CBS) Chamber Lunch Box Series Optional Lunch Available for $8.00. This seminar will outline the best use of Google+ and help you apply the concept of social validation. You will also learn about important features of Google+ and how they can help market your business. Presenter: Martin Brossman Using Local Marketing Resources for a Business Chamber Lunch Box Series Optional Lunch Available for $8.00. This seminar will give tips and information on different advertising opportunities in the area to include newspaper, radio, promotional items, and bulk mail. Presenter: Panel 34

5 Small Business Center Seminar Name Hours Start - End Dates Day(s) Time Cost Location City Building Chatham County 50 Home Based Businesses for Start-Up Programs 2 5/14/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 ABC's of Starting a Business (CBS) 2 1/27/15 T 11:30a - 1:30p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Access to Capital, 5 C's of Credit 2 3/3/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Alternative Financing For Your Small Business (CBS) 2 4/30/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Choosing Your Business Structure (CBS) 2.5 1/15/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Creating Your Web Presence for Small Business 2.5 4/2/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Owners Financial Planning For Your Small Business (CBS) 2.5 2/17/15 T 6:30p - 9:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Free Online Resources for Small Businesses and 2 4/23/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Non-profits How Social Media Can Boost Your Bottom Line 2 3/3/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus How to Become 8a Certified 2 5/7/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus How to Raise Your Credit Score 3 2/24/15 T 6:00p - 9:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Introduction to Google Tools 2.5 1/22/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Taxes and Recordkeeping (CBS) 2.5 1/8/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free PMC Pittsboro Pittsboro Main Campus Veteran Entrepreneurship Programs by the SBA 2 4/16/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Writing a Business Plan, Part I (CBS) 2.5 2/3/15 T 6:30p - 9:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Writing a Business Plan Part II (CBS) 2.5 2/10/15 T 6:30p - 9:00p Free SCC Siler City Bldg 46 Rm 232 Harnett County 20 Best Businesses to Start in 2015 and Why (CBS) 3 1/29/15 Th 6:30p - 9:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Business Structure 101 (CBS) 2.5 5/12/15 T 6:00p - 8:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Customer Service for Small Businesses 2.5 2/10/15 T 6:00p - 8:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Financing, Funding and Cash Flowing a Small 2.5 2/12/15 Th 6:00p - 8:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Business (CBS) Home Based Business: How to Start One That 3 4/7/15 T 6:30p - 9:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Works (CBS) How to Increase Your Credit Score 3 1/13/15 T 2:00p - 5:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South How to Write a Business Plan (CBS) 2.5 2/19/15 Th 6:00p - 8:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Is GSA Right For You? 2 1/8/15 Th 3:00p - 5:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Marketing With Pinterest (CBS) 2 3/26/15 Th 11:30a - 1:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Proposal Pricing 2 3/10/15 T 3:00p - 5:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Proposal Writing 2 2/5/15 Th 3:00p - 5:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South QuickBooks Basics: Part I (CBS) 3 3/12/15 Th 3:00p - 6:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South QuickBooks Basics: Part I (CBS) 2.5 1/8/15 Th 6:00p - 8:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South QuickBooks Basics: Part II 3 3/24/15 T 3:00p - 6:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South QuickBooks Basics: Part II 3 1/27/15 T 3:00p - 6:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South QuickBooks Payroll 3 4/2/15 Th 3:00p - 6:00p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South The Basics of Selling on ebay 2.5 1/20/15 T 6:00p - 8:30p Free HHSC Lillington Harnett Health Sciences Center Using Google and Google+ to Market 1.5 2/24/15 T 11:30a - 1:30p Free TSEC Dunn Triangle South Your Business (CBS) Using Local Marketing Resources for a Business 2 1/22/15 Th 11:30a - 1:30p Free TSEC Dunn Cumberland Square, Pizza Inn Lee County 15 Common Mistakes That Undermine Any Business 2.5 3/17/15 T 6:00p - 8:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm 25 Ways to Boost Small Business Sales and Profits 2 2/10/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm 35

6 Small Business Center (Continued) Seminar Name Hours Start - End Dates Day(s) Time Cost Location City Building Lee County ABC's of Starting a Business (CBS) 2 3/26/15 Th 11:30a - 1:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Art of Marketing and Advertising a Small Business (CBS) 2 1/13/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Credit for the Entrepreneur 2 4/21/15 T 11:30a - 1:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Directing Traffic - How to Get Customers to Come In 2 1/27/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Doing Business with Federal Government 2 5/13/15 W 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Dynamite Marketing On a Firecracker Budget (CBS) 3 2/3/15 T 6:00p - 9:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Rm 103 Facebook For Beginners (Part I) 2 4/16/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Facebook To Market Your Business (Part II) 2 4/23/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Finding and Writing Grants 2.5 3/19/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Free Online Resources for Small Businesses and 2 4/14/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Non-profits Getting it all Done: Time Management for Small 2 1/20/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Rm 103 Businesses How to Become 8a Certified 2 4/2/15 Th 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm How to Rent Your Own Property 2 3/19/15 Th 11:00a - 1:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Introduction to Business Plans (CBS) 3 2/24/15 T 6:00p - 9:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm LinkedIn: Beyond the Profile 2 4/7/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Prepare for a Bank Business Loan 2.5 3/5/15 Th 6:00p - 8:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm QuickBooks Basics 2 5/5/15 T 6:30p - 8:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Rm 104 QuickBooks Payroll 2 5/12/15 T 6:30p - 8:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Rm 104 Record Keeping and Taxes for Small Businesses (CBS) 2 2/17/15 T 6:30p - 8:30p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Small Business Lending 2 3/31/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Starting a Small Business (CBS) 3 1/6/15 T 6:00p - 9:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Using WordPress to Build a Small Business Website 2 3/3/15 T 6:00p - 8:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm Why Successful Businesses ARE Successful 2.5 4/9/15 Th 6:30p - 9:00p Free DAWCC Sanford Board Rm 36