Gain clarity in your business. A look inside Small Business Builders

Gain clarity in your business. A look inside Small Business Builders

I went into Small Business [Builders] not knowing what my business should look like. It showed me the avenue for success and avenues I wouldn t have considered. It certainly helped me build a strong foundation. I probably wouldn t have lasted the recession without my advisor from the program. Amy McAuley, Founder and Owner of Oculus Fine Carpentry 2

Why Small Business Builders? Manage your business more effectively Improve your business s profitability Network with small business owners Gain clarity in your business Dedicate time to work on your business Work one-on-one with a business advisor Learn from subject-matter experts 3

Week 1: Working ON vs. Working IN the Business As a small business owner just starting out, you re doing everything. To grow and to prevent burnout, you must take systematic steps to work on your business (e.g. business development) versus working in your business (e.g. scanning documents). In this session, you will: Discover 3 different roles you play as a business owner Explore the 5 Things To Do When Starting Anything (G. Kawasaki) Develop a model for evaluating the success of your business Develop a plan to implement your success model Week 2: Plot Your Company s Business Model A business model is like a business plan, and it takes a focused look at how you make money. Essentially, your business model is the intersection of revenue generating activities and operations. Knowing your business model provides clarity on how you make money and helps you identify gaps and opportunities. In this session, you will: Learn about the Business Model Canvas Apply your business to the Business Model Canvas [Planning] [Planning] Week 3: Financial Planning for Entrepreneurs As a business owner keeping track of your business financials is a must. It s also important to make sure your personal finances are in order so your business can take care of you. In this session, we ll discuss how to: Assess your personal financial management approach and systems Pay yourself Create your personal financial plan aligned with your business goals Week 4: Basics of Marketing and Branding - and Why You Need Them Without customers, you don t have a business. Marketing and branding are the lifeblood of your business, but can be overwhelming to tackle. After this session, you will: Be able to explain and identify stages of your business s Customer Relationship Curve Understand the difference between marketing and sales Be able to identify components of your the sales funnel Be able to develop a marketing plan and/or campaign with the provided template Be able to identify your perfect client profile Know resources for market research [Finances] [Marketing] 4

Week 5: Sales Selling is an art. Each business might have its own approach to sales, but there are some fundamental similarities across all organizations. In this session, we will discuss: The difference between marketing and sales The functions, types, and qualities of a sales person The psychology of selling The importance of establishing sales systems or processes The four step sales process you can implement in your business Week 6: Pricing, Customer Service, and Collections Get customers, get paid, and keep your customers coming back. In this session you ll learn how to: Find the right pricing for your market and for your business s profitability Develop and foster a culture of customer service in your business Make sure your customers pay their invoices and what to do when they don t [Sales] [Operations] Week 7: Out of the Shoebox Learn how to get your financial records out of the shoebox and organized in to a system that will produce a Profit & Loss Statement. After this session, you will: Understand the reasons for keeping good business records Know the basic components of a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet Know how to track the money that flows in to and out of your business Understand the different methods for filing and recording income and expenses on a monthly and yearly basis Be able to produce a profit and loss statement Week 8: Setting Up and Operating Your Financial Systems Once your financial systems are set up, what now? In this session, you will: Receive a basic introduction to financial management Be able to answer the question How do I know how I m doing? [Finance] [Finance] 5

Week 9: Identify and Plan for Key Legal Details of Your Business Have you taken care of the legal foundations of your business? Although this session is not a substitute for a lawyer we will cover topics essential for small businesses: How to protect your intellectual property The basics of contracts The importance of creating an employee handbook 10 things you need to know about working with a lawyer Week 10: Managing Your Time for Your Business and Yourself We all have 24 hours a day with business and life responsibilities pulling us in all different directions. How are you maximizing your time? In this session, we ll discuss: Establishing your business priorities Setting SMART goals that will give the best return on investment Using strategies and tools to help you meet your goals [Operations] [Personal Development] "It is not a coincidence that we developed Scout Books, the most successful arm of our parent company, after completing the program. I have found the Center, the cohort education model, and especially the one-on-one advising to be integral to the success of our business. Laura Whipple, Founder & President, Scout Books 6

Cohort Lead Your Cohort Lead will guide you through the program and will be your primary business advisor. They will be able to answer your questions about the program and make sure you get the resources you need. Instructors* Dr. Sean Harry, CGBP PCC Small Business Development Center Regina Gilbert, MA PCC Small Business Development Center Andrew Adeboi, MBA, CGBP PCC Small Business Development Center Troy Sexton, Motschenbacher & Blattner, LLP Leslie Hildula, MBA PCC Small Business Development Center Molly Moore, PCC Small Business Development Center Robin Wang, MS PCC Small Business Development Center Terry Long, MBA PCC Small Business Development Center * Instructors may change based on availability, participant evaluations, and program locations. 7

Small Business Builders includes: 20 hours of classroom business education with 10 weekly 2-hour sessions taught by subject-matter experts. Cohort learning and networking to discuss challenges, exchange resources, and find solutions with peers. Up to 8 hours of one-on-one advising during the 10 month period following Small Business Builders. Access to 25+ veteran business advisors with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise including business strategy, search engine optimization, Quickbooks, and financing. Access to market research resources such as Southern Oregon University Market Research Institute, SBDCNet, Reference USA, MarketLink and Euromonitor. The Investment For the 10-week program plus one-on-one advising, tuition for Small Business Builders is $1,000. Portland Community College offers payment plans. 8

Are you ready to take advantage of Small Business Builders? Let s talk! Talk with your business advisor or a program facilitator to ensure Small Business Builders is a good fit for you and your business. Contact us at sbdc@pcc.edu or call us at 971-722-5080. Still not sure? Come to a free New Client Orientation. If you haven t already attended an orientation, we recommend you attend. It s a great way to learn the full scope of everything that we do at the SBDC. To reserve your seat, go to bizcenter.org/pcc and click on the orientation tab. 9

2014 Recipient of SBA s Region 10 SBDC in Excellence and Innovation The Portland Community College Small Business Development Center has helped thousands of businesses over the past 30 years. We combine one-on-one advising with programs taught by business experts, giving our clients the resources they need to grow their businesses. In 2014 we worked with over 700 small business owners, trained over 1,500 clients in a wide range of courses, and celebrated many successes. We'd love to celebrate your success. Oregon Small Business Development Center Portland Community College 971-722-5080 sbdc@pcc.edu www.bizcenter.org/pcc PCC CLIMB Center for Advancement 1626 SE Water Ave, Suite 310 Portland, OR PCC Willow Creek Campus 185th Baseline Beaverton, OR PCC SE Campus SE 82 nd & Division Portland, OR