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Class Schedule |
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Small Business Resources
Sign up | Cost: Free | Duration: 1 hour
Since 2007, this program has been required of ALL new clients prior to taking other classes or scheduling counseling sessions.This is the place to start! Our free one hour orientation workshop will help you understand all the resources, programs and services provided by the Community Business Partnership programs: The Women's Business Center, the South Fairfax Small Business Development Center, the Business Finance Center, the Financial Education Center for Women Entrepreneurs, and the Business Incubation Center.
Come learn how we work, and how we can best serve you as you start and grow your business! Learn about the free one on one counseling that is available from our staff and community of volunteer professionals! Learn how to navigate our web sites and register for classes! Learn about special events! Learn about our other local resource partners and the US Small Business Administration services. Join us soon and get all the great news! Registration Required!
Dates
Thursday, August 26 from 6:30 pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Thursday, September 9 from 8am to 9am Sign up
Tuesday, September 14 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Thursday, September 23 from 12pm to 1pm Sign up
Wednesday, September 29 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Thursday, October 7 from 12pm to 1:00pm Sign up
Thursday, October 14 from 8am to 7am Sign up
Wednesday, October 20 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Tuesday, October 26 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Thursday, November 4 from 12pm to 1pm Sign up
Thursday, November 11 from 8am to 9am Sign up
Wednesday, November 17 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Tuesday, November 30 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Sign up
Thursday, December 9 from 8am to 9am Sign up
Wednesday, December 15 from 12pm to 1pm Sign up
ABC's of Starting a Business
Sign up | Cost: $5| Duration: 3 hours
Get the tools to successfully start and grow your small business! Topics include: What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Where do you get licensed and registered? How do you select the right legal form for your business? Where can you get money for start up? What's a business plan and why do you need one? And much, much more!
Please Note: At the conclusion of the class, there will be a time to make a tax-deductible contribution to the scholarship program of the WBC.
Fee for this class is non refundable and non transferable
Dates:
Thursday, September 9 from 9:30am to 12:30 pm
Registering Your Business Step-by-Step
Sign up | Cost: $5 | Duration: 2 hours
Accessing the "links" to download forms and resources can be invaluable. This two hour seminar will lead you step by step through the process of legal entity registration, federal and state tax registration. Handouts, with web links will be provided.
Fee for this class is non refundable and non transferable
Dates:
Thursday, September 9 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm
1, 2, 3s of Starting a Business
Sign up | Cost: $5 | Duration: 2 hours
An introductory class of all of the numbers involved in starting a business. What personal finances should I have? What are the costs associated in running a business? How do my personal finances affect my business?
Fee for this class is non refundable and non transferable
Dates:
Wednesday, September 8 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
 Franchising 101: Is a franchise right for you too?
Sign up | Cost: $40 (early) / $65 | Duration: 3 hours
Part 1: Becoming a franchise owner
-Learn how to determine if franchise ownership is right for you.
-Learn how to quantify and maximize your financial returns in a franchise
business.
-Learn how to research and select franchise opportunities that will thrive in the
current economy.
-Learn how to recognize and avoid the pitfalls that can lead to failure in franchise ownership.
-Learn how to consider the various financing options available. -Learn how the SBDC can help
Part 2: Expanding your business through franchising.
Come to part one to learn what to look for in potential franchisees stay for Part 2 to learn if your business is ready to be franchised.
-Learn how to determine if your business model is ready for franchising
-Learn how much capital will you needed?
-Learn what type of time commitment is needed for success?
-Learn how to create an operation manual for franchisees
-Learn how the SBDC can help
Cost: Early Bird: $40, Regular (within 7 days of class): $65
Dates:
Friday, September 24 from 10:00AM to 1:00PM
Loans
"When You Only Need $500" - Helping Hands Fund Orientation
Sign up | Cost: FREE | Duration: 1 hour
The Helping Hands Fund is a new peer to peer lending initiative. Maximum loan amount is five hundred dollars ($500) Anyone interested in the program MUST attend this orientation
Dates:
Thursday, July 8 from 1pm to 2pm
Options for Funding Your Business
Sign up | Cost: $5 | Duration: 2 hours
Do you need financing for your small business? Learn about the different ways of getting traditional financing from banks, microloan programs , the SBA's Small Office Home Office Loan and non traditional ways to include angel financing, equipment loans and leasing. The second half of this workshop, presented by Karlene Robinson of KPR funding, explains the alternative financing options of factoring, account receivable funding, purchase order financing and asset-based financing. This class is a must for start ups and existing businesses.
Cost: $5
Fee for this class is non refundable and non transferable
Dates:
Thursday, September 2 from 2:00 pm to 5:00pm
Thursday, October 7, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Thursday, November 4 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Thursday, December 2, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Business Planning
Small Business Toolkit Series
Cost: $50 (early) / $65 per class | Duration: 4 days (8 hours per day)
A 4-day training series where you will gain all of the tools needed to successfully start a small business. You will meet qualified professionals who will teach these classes and who specialize in working with small business owners. Classes may be taken in any order.
Toolkit 1: Business Planning and Financing for Growth
Sign up
Learn from a business banker how to develop a comprehensive business plan, complete with financial data.
Dates:
Friday, July 23 from 9am to 4:30pm
Toolkit 2: Tax Planning & Bookkeeping
Sign up
Learn from accountants how to set up a small business accounting system and plan for annual tax reporting and filing.
Dates:
Friday, August 6 from 10am to 5pm
Toolkit 3: Legal & Risk Planning
Sign up
Learn how to properly manage insurance risk, establish the appropriate entity for your business, choose your business attorney and the secrets to contract negotiations all in one day! Legal and insurance professionals will guide you through the process and help you navigate with ease.
Dates:
Friday, September 17 from 9am to 4:30pm
Toolkit 4: Creating a Marketing Plan
Sign up
NxLevel for Business Startups™
Sign up | Cost: $350 (early) / $400 | Duration: 10 weeks (3 hours every Thursday)
Please note that the Fall Session beginning Sept 9 has been cancelled.
Instructor DeShawn Robinson-Chew
Pre-Requisites:
Small Business Resources
ABCs of Starting a Business
NxLevel for Business Start-ups addresses those questions every entrepreneur needs to answer before starting a business venture. Participants develop a start-up business plan during the course to test the feasibility of their business concept and to act as the blueprint for their start-up venture.
The fee covers the entire series and includes workbook, reading materials, keynote presenters, and graduation festivities. Scholarships available for low/mod income.
For more information about the NxLeveL Program, click here .
If you are interested in GI Benefits for the NxLeveL class, let us know in the comments section on the Registration form.
Business Planning for the Entrepreneur
Sign up | Cost: $35 (early) / $50 | Duration: 2 hours
Designed for the busy business owner who either hasn't written or revisited his/her business plan. Regain control of your business, refocus your marketing, or prepare for a cash infusion through this step-by-step training to writing a plan that is the living document of your business
Cost-Early Bird: $35, Regular: $50
Dates:
Not Currently Scheduled
Government Contracts
Marketing Plans for Government Contractors
Sign up | Cost: $80 (early) / $100 | Duration: 6 hours
This class will help you by providing a framework to identify and focus your marketing and sales efforts on the high profitability opportunities and strategies within the State and Federal Government.
Dates:
Tuesday, August 10 from 8:30am to 2pm
Legal Issues and Managing Risk
Patents, Trademarks & Copyright
Sign up | Cost: $40 (early) / $65 (After Sept. 6) | Duration: 3 hours
Do you have a product that you need to protect and safeguard as yours? A very informative Patent Attorney will help you understand the difference between patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets. Learn how to use intellectual property to compete in the market.
Dates:
Monday, September 13 from 6pm to 9pm
Marketing and Social Media
How to Build a FREE Website
Sign up | Cost: Early: $35 / After Aug. 23rd: $50 | Duration: 3 Hours
This workshop will walk you through building your own website for free. Includes instruction on adding a "checkout cart". Recommend you bring a credit card if you want to buy online hosting for your website.
Dates:
Tuesday, August 31 from 6pm to 9pm
Public Relations Tactics for Small Businesses: Free, Effective & Now Social
Sign up | Cost: $35 (early) / $50 | Duration: 3 hours
Bring your laptop (or use ours) and create your first social media news release in this PR workshop. The Web 2.0 information highway provides free and easy access to new forms of publicity for businesses of all sizes and shapes. Explore free tools to get your message and story in the media via the social media news release, which takes the traditional press release to another level. Take away your new knowledge, your new media release, plus valuable reference materials to keep learning and growing.
Hiring and Firing for Small Business
Cost: Early Bird: $35, Regular (within 7 days of class): $50
Dates:
Not Currently Scheduled
 Social Media and Online Tools for Business
Sign up | Cost: $40 (early) / $65 | Duration: 3 hours
A class that will break down online tools that can help improve efficiency, project management and improve communication within your business and with your clients. Attend this class if you are interested in learning free online tools that can give your business an edge over competitors. We will be covering social media, online project management tools, business communication tools, google documents, webpages and more. Taught by Rabiya Jilani of Lumenica.
Dates:
Not currently scheduled
Facebook for Business a Step by Step Guide
Sign up | Cost: $40 (early) / $65 | Duration: 3 hours
Facebook is one of the most popular social media tool being utilized by small business owners. Join us for a hands on, group setting class where we create a facebook profile for your business and learn some tips and tricks to enhance your page. Class size limited! Please bring your laptop. Taught by Rabiya Jilani of Lumenica.
Dates:
Not currently scheduled
Linkedin and Twitter for Business - A Step by Step Guide
Sign up | Cost: $40 (early) / $65 | Duration: 3 hours
Linkedin for your professional image and twitter to engage your stake holders, learn how to do both in a group environment. We will teach you how to get linkedin and understand how to tweet. Class size limited. Please bring your laptop. Taught by Rabiya Jilani of Lumenica.
Cost: Early Bird: $40, Regular (within 7 days of class): $65
Dates:
Not currently scheduled
Using SE0 toDrive Traffic to your Business Website
Sign up | Cost: Early: $40 / After May 18: $65 | Duration: 2 hours
This class will arm you with knowledge and help you develop an action plan for getting the most out of your website. “If you build it, they will come” doesn’t work for websites. Come learn important elements of search engine optimization that work to improve your web site’s ranking on the major search engines.
Dates:
Tuesday, May 25 from 6pm to 9pm
Using Electronic Advertising to Drive Traffic to your Business Website
Sign up | Cost: Early: $35 / After June 1: $50 | Duration: 3 hours
Smart business owners know that "if you build it, they will come" doesn't work when it comes to websites! With over 8,000,000,000 webpages on the internet you can't just hope that people will find your website. Come learn how to help your prospects and customers find their way to you. This class will arm you with knowledge and help you develop an actionable plan for getting the most our of your website.
Dates:
Tuesday, June 8 from 6pm to 9pm
Building Your Own Website? Insider Tips to Doing it Well
Sign up | Cost: Early: $35 / After Sept. 14: $50 | Duration: 3 hours
Learn the "tricks of the trade" for building your business website. Find out from a professional web designer the secrets of effective page layout, how to create compelling copy and more.
Dates:
Tuesday, September 21 from 6:30pm to 9:15pm
Sizzling Elevator Speeches
Sign up | Cost: $35 ( early) / $50 | Duration: 2 hours
Do you dread getting up in front of others to give an elevator speech? No need for sweaty palms. In this class, you'll learn an effective template for an Elevator Speech that can be adapted to any occasion. Also, we'll discuss how your elevator speech can be leveraged in conversations with prospects to reflect the unique value of your business.
Dates:
Not Currently Scheduled
Accounting & Financial Planning
QuickBooks I : Introduction to QuickBooks Pro for Business Accounting
Sign up | Cost: $75 (early) / $95 | Duration: 2 days (3 hours each day)
Join us and learn hands-on how to simplify your business accounting system with QuickBooks. In this class you will learn how to set up your company, enter vendors and customers, pay bills, record deposits, generate basic financial statements and more. Please bring your laptop.
NOTE: Entrance to this class requires the use of your personal laptop. Order your 60-day FREE triel QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2009 Trial and load onto your personal laptop the week prior to class. QB Simple Start is not a substitute for the trial version.
Dates:
Monday & Tuesday August 23 & 24 from 5:45pm to 9:00pm Class is Full
QuickBooks II: Beyond the Basics
Sign up | Cost: $75 (early) / $95 | Duration: 2 days (3 hours each day)
As requested by you, our clients!!! An advanced Quickbooks class to take you beyond the basics! In this class, learn more about Reconciling Bank Accounts, Inventory Processing, Setting up and processing Payroll, accounts receivable management and much more! Also bring your issues and concerns! Please bring your laptop.
ALL CLIENTS MUST ATTEND QUICKBOOKS 1 PRIOR TO BEING ADMITTED INTO THIS CLASS!
Dates:
Monday & Tuesday September 27 & 28 from 5:45pm to 9pm each night
Figuring Out Financial Statements
Sign up | Cost: $25 (early) / $35 | Duration: 2 hours
Learning how to understand your Balance Sheet is the key to Business Success. Upon completion of this class you know how to read and interpret your Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss, plus a comprehensive review on how to determine Cash Flow Projections. Samples of Balance Sheets and Cash Flow projections will be provided to all attendees
Dates:
Networking
First Friday Networking Breakfast
Sign upCost: $7 (early) / $10 (at the door) | Duration: 1.5 hours
Network with other entrepreneurs and hear professionals speak on topics of interest. The first Friday of each month. Cost includes continental breakfast.
All are welcome! Please pre-register!
Cost:Early Bird: $7, At the door: $10
Special Events
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar, a Partnership with Springfield Chamber of Commerce
The Brown Bag Lunch seminar series is free of charge for Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce Membersand just $10 for anyone else.
Bring your lunch to Community Business Partnership the first Tuesday of the month, 12pm to 1pm and learn best practices for the small and mid-size workplace.
Advance Registration NOT required.
Topics:
July 6 - Fraud Prevention - Who's got their hand in you pocket?
September 7 - Applying for Services - Disabled, Veteran-Owned, Small Business Status
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Class Schedule 
