February 23, 2010 Get Financing:Learn Sources, Impress Your Banker

Overview

Understand the various ways you might finance your business, how to approach various source and, how to prepare the documents you need to submit for each. A guest banker will present criteria on how to obtain financing.

Course Outline

1)      The qualifications you need to borrow

2)      Learn how to talk to financiers

3)      Where do you to get financing

4)      All about the SBA loan guarantee program

5)      Understand the banker’s take on your qualifications

6)      What’s the next step if the banks reject your application

Date: February 23, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street,  Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

February 19, 2010 Business Plans: A Roadmap for You, Necessary for Loans

Overview

A thoughtful and well executed Business Plan is the first step for every serious

entrepreneur.  The essential elements of business plan development include: setting goals and objectives; preparing marketing and financial plans and defining the action steps to achieve stated goals. A good business plan is your roadmap to success.

Course Outline

1. Why a business plan is necessary

2. Learn what you must include in your business plan

3. A good marketing plan is the starting point

4. What investors and lenders look for in a business plan

5. Define your plan for managing your business

6. Which risk management programs you should consider

7. What to include in your appendix section

8. Part of having a good business plan means it must be well written

and presented in a form that will inform and interest people

Date: February 19, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

February 16, 2010 New Product Development: From Idea to Launch

Overview:

We all want to convert our ideas into profit. Learn what it takes to introduce your new product into market. Find how to get financing; how to license your idea as a product to others; how to outsource the production; how to market and sell your product.

Course Outline:

Date: February 16, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison, Suite 1150, Chicago
Time: 8:35 – 4:00 pm.
Cost: $75 pre-paid online; $85 at the dooor

To register, click here:

Phone for questions: (312) 353-4540

Minority Business Development Agency looking for guest bloggers

This from the Minority Business Development Agency

MBDA’s Minority Business Blog is looking for Guest Bloggers.  We would like to invite you to write a guest post on the MBDA Minority Biz Blog. The topic should be relevant and something that provides information or tools to minority businesses to help them grow and be competitive.  It also serves as communication outreach with the business community, and we also like to highlight stories about successful minority-owned businesses.   Currently, we are looking for a few guest bloggers to create a series of articles.  To start we ask that you submit at least one article for publication on the MBDA Minority Business Blog

Together we can build the next generation of $100 million dollar minority businesses.  Please add your voice to the minority business community.
Some guidelines for submitting guest blogs:
* The article content must fit within the vision and mission of MBDA and add value to MBEs.

* The article should be original content that has not been previously published on any site.

* The article should be between 400 and 600 words in length.

* We can add images, but if you have an image to accompany yourarticle – it would be appreciated.  If necessary, include appropriate photo credit or copyright information.

* OLEIA reserves the right to edit or not use any articles we feel are inappropriate in anyway.
Please submit blog articles to Public_Affairs@mbda.gov

February 11, 2010 Accounting and Risk Management:Track and Protect Your Assets

Overview

Accounting statements, like an income statement and balance sheet, will help you understand and manage your business.  It also covers the basics of federal, state and local taxes, and the importance of good record keeping.  Plus, there is an introduction to evaluating business risks and insuring against them.

Course Outline

Accounting and Taxes

1)      Accounting is necessary for more than just paying taxes

2)      Types of financial statements and how to effectively use them,

3)      Learn to analyze the information you have in a financial statement

4)      Book keeping, the information  is key to understanding your business’ condition

5)      Business and your taxes

6)      Learn the different types of taxes businesses pay

7)      When you pay taxes and when to file

8)      Know the deductions you are entitled to and use them

9)      Learn how to select a good accountant

Risk Management

1)      Learn the basics of risk management

2)      What are the common risks businesses have to watch

3)      Methods to help reduce your business risk

4)      How to minimize uninsurable risks

5)      Legal issues

Date: February 11,  2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

February 10, 2010 Legal Guidance For Your Business:Tips for Starting and Running Your Small Business

Course Overview

This workshop addresses the legal challenges that a small business person confronts when starting and expanding a business.  Brian Fons will cover business entity selection, formation, and maintenance, while Daliah Saper will explain the difference between trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and patents.  Workshop attendees will also learn about the legal implications of social media, ie online defamation, intellectual property infringement, and social media policies

Course Outline

Choosing a Legal Entity for Your Business

• Sole Proprietorship
• Corporation – Separate legal entity
  • S-Corporation
  • C-Corporation
• Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• Wage Reduction example
  • Sole Proprietors pay 15.3% of all income to Feds for withholding
• Piercing the Corporate Veil
  • Rare situation
  • Tips on avoiding “piercing” the veil.
• Leases and contracts
• Naming your business
• Other insights

Trademarks and Copyrights

What are the steps to getting a trademark registration?

• What is a Copyright? What Kinds of Works are protected?
• When Can I get away with NOT asking for Permission?
• What is a “Work Made for Hire”

Social Media

• Employee Policies
• What can you do when you don’t like what is written about you.

Date: February 10, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $60 Pre-Paid online; $70 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

February 9, 2010 Financials:Master Cash Flows and Profits

Overview

Forward planning and analysis is sure to improve your business results.  Cash flow and break-even are two of the keys taught to help achieve your financial success.

Course Outline

1)      Learn the financial tools available to you and how to use them

2)      Be able to identify business start-up costs  and make them work for you

3)      Accurate cash flow projection is essential for start-up businesses

4)      Properly prepared financial statements help you identify what’s right AND wrong with your business almost immediately

5)      Understanding key financial ratios keeps you ahead of how your business is doing

Date: February 9, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

February 4, 2010 Marketing and Selling: Targeting to Get Customers

Overview

You don’t want to start your business without a well thought out marketing and selling plan. It is vital to your success from the first day forward.  It helps you set goals/objectives, ensure that everyone involved in your company is on the same page and help your business succeed.

Course Outline

1)      Plan for success through strategic marketing

2)      Identify who and where your target market is through market research

3)      Everyone in your company must understand how to manage customer relations

4)      Before starting your business determine how you can use advertising and public relations to make your company and products known to your prospective customers

5)      Establish your pricing so your customers perceive it as a value and you make a profit

6)      Accurate sales projections is essential to budgeting costs of doing business and being successful

7)      Monitor your business and measure the results of your efforts to determine what is successful and what is not

Date: February 4,  2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1250, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540

Small Business Industry Day at the U.S. Capitol Sponsored by the Architect of the Capitol

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is hosting an event for small business owners at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) designed to provide information about doing business with the AOC and the CVC.

The CVC is looking for products that are made in the U.S. and manufactured with U.S.-made materials such as educational toys, jewelry, and souvenir apparel whose product themes are focused on the Capitol for its two Gift Shops.  The AOC is looking for goods and services required to maintain its buildings, such as elevators, escalators, air handling units and electrical systems as well as products and services needed to maintain the landscaping around the Capitol complex and conserve and repair historical objects and artwork.

Why you should attend: You will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from the AOC and the CVC who are responsible for procuring materials for the agency and its divisions.

When: Thursday, February 18, 2010; 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)

Where: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (The Capitol Visitor Center, the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol, is located below the East Plaza of the Capitol between Constitution and Independence Avenues. For directions and other logistical information, go to www.visitthecapitol.gov.  There is a restaurant at the CVC for your convenience.)

Cost: Free – Advance registration is required as seating is limited.

To register online, go to www.aoc.gov. For questions, email SBIndustryDay@aoc.govor call 202-226-2734.

February 2, 2010 Going Into Business: Evaluate Yourself, Take First Steps

Overview

“To thane own self be true,” said Shakespeare and it’s you first test before going into business. Get the help everyone needs to really identify your own pluses and minuses.

Course Outline

1)      It’s tough starting a business, so learn what it takes

2)      Learn how to evaluate your own abilities

3)      Don’t fool yourself because your true financial condition is the key to your success

4)      To succeed in business you have to know how to talk business

5)      Build your business model

6)      There are places to look for financing and we’ll help you identify them

7)      Know the legal aspects of business before you start

Date: February 2, 2010

Location: SCORE Chicago, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1250, Chicago
Time: 8:45 am – 12:30pm
Cost: $40 Pre-Paid online; $50 At the door

To register, click here:

Phone for questions:  (312) 353-4540