From Employee to Entrepreneur - Walker
Starting a business of your own can be one of the most exciting, rewarding, and challenging experiences in your life, but there's a lot more to building a successful business than just being good at providing your service or producing your product. This seminar will prepare you for the critical business planning process and address the most common issues faced by startups. This series is designed to offer practical knowledge based on sound business theories. Thursday, October 9 - Business Startup Essentials This seminar will help you determine if entrepreneurship is for you. We will discuss key areas critical for success in business ownership. Learn about legal structure, business registration and business licenses. Learn the importance of having a business plan in achieving long term success. To get you started on the development of your business plan, this session will help you create your company profile. Thursday, October 16 - Writing a Successful Business Plan A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications, and make good business decisions. This session will show you how your plan should be structured and assist you will the process of writing one. Thursday, October 23 - Research & Sales Many businesses fail because of weak market research. In this seminar you will learn how to effectively conduct market research; what to look for, how to create a useful customer survey and identify your target market. You will leave with a sample component of the market research section of a business plan and exercises to develop your own. We will also discuss effective forms of marketing for small business. Thursday, October 30 - Financial Statements Business owners and their key employees need to make sense of commonly used financial statements and discover what they really mean. This seminar is designed to show you, in a clear and concise way, how to read, understand, and use financial statements when making decisions in your small business. Thursday, November 6 - Financing Your Business and Beyond This session will discuss financing options for your small business. Get helpful tips from a commercial lender about what banks expect from small businesses. Other useful business resources will be provided. Hear from a local successful business owner about their road to success.
Speaker(s): Louisiana SBDC et al
Co-Sponsor(s): Dixie Business Center, Livingston Economic Development Council
Fee: No Cost