SMALL BUSINESS CENTER
Starting A Business
Step Up Start Up, Spring 2010
The Right Stuff
Business owner vs employee. Apples to apples? Not a chance. Owning and operating a business means that you will wear all of the hats!
Yes, before you leave your day job, you need to know you have a chance at success.This lively session will help you weigh the plusses (and minuses): your skills, experience, personality and life goals, your current and future financial needs and your tolerance for risk.
Jan 12
Customers & Market Reach
So you have an idea for a product or service, and you think it will sell. Not so fast. We recommend a little research.
In this session you will learn best practices for analyzing your industry and your marketplace, for identifying target customers, scoping your competition, and formulating your unique competitive advantage. Market research is essential for creating marketing strategies that work.
Jan 19
The Power of Promotion & Selling
You've heard it all before, the 5 P's of marketing: product, price, people, place and promotion. Yes, these core marketing variables will have to be controlled, if you are going to satisfy your customer targets.
In this session you will explore these marketing essentials, as well as the art of the sale. So is selling an art? You bet!
Jan 26
Keeping $Score$
You don't have to be schooled in credits and debits to run a business, but you do have to know how money flows to your bottom line.
This session introduces you to standard scorecards for tracking business performance and health. It will clarify key financial concepts: what is meant by positive cash flow, break even point, profit and loss. It will also explore financing and startup costs.
Feb 2
Getting It Up & Running
An often overlooked fact in a business startup: once you say you can do it, you have to pull it off!
This session deals with the nuts and bolts of running a business: the people, policies and procedures that have to be in place to make it happen. We'll also look at what it takes to be official, legal and savvy: the business entity, compliance with local, state and federal regulations, help from outside experts and risk management.
Feb 9
Registration & Cost
Five Step seminars are provided cost free through a grant to CVCC from the state of North Carolina and will be held Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m., in room 1209 of the JobLink Center on CVCC's East Campus, 2760 Hwy 70 SE, Hickory, NC 28602.
Pre-registration is required, by 12:00 noon, on the day of the seminar: Call Miki at 828-327-7000, ext. 4117.
