Register for August Workshops

Looking for a way to boost your own knowledge while helping your business? The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering the following workshops in August:

Wednesday, August 07, 2019

Developing Your Online Marketing Strategy

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $20

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

In today’s market, your online presence is quite often your “first impression” to potential new customers. This workshop is a big-picture overview of strategies for improving your business’ visibility and reputation online. We will discuss recommendations for approaching your online visibility and determining which aspects are most important for your particular business. Start your “online marketing plan” as we review the options you have – including website, online reviews, optimizing Google My Business, general SEO tactics, and social media. You will leave this class with some practical takeaways for developing your online marketing strategy.

Thursday, August 08, 2019

Boot Camp: Steps to Owning Your Business

Time: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $20

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

Taking the first step to starting your business can be difficult! This workshop will be a realistic starting point for all budding entrepreneurs. The two-hour workshop will be PACKED and FAST PACED. At the end, you will have a good feel for the level of effort and commitment it will take to make your business successful. If you’re serious about starting a business, you don’t want to miss this workshop. This is a Lunch ‘n Learn…Feel free to bring your lunch!

Friday, August 09, 2019

[WEBINAR] Writing Contracts: The Do’s, Don’ts, Why’s, and Why Not’s

Time: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Location: Online, Facilitated by Pikes Peak SBDC

Fee: $20

NOTE: Pre-payment for the webinar is required. Please click on the button below to first register and pay through the SBDC. You will receive a confirmation email from GoToWebinar one day prior to the training date with a link to join the webinar. (If you are unable to attend, please note that you will receive an email afterwards where you can watch the recording.)

For On-Demand Registrants: After you register, please click “Continue,” and it will take you to a GoToWebinar page. Once you register on that page, please note that the webinar will start automatically, and you cannot fast-forward or rewind. (However, an email with the recorded video is automatically sent 1 hour after the webinar, where you can save, fast-forward, and rewind from there.)

In this webinar, we will discuss why it is important for you, as a business owner, to know how to enter into and write a contract. This webinar will discuss:

The six elements of an enforceable contract
The basic parts of a written contract
Some optional clauses in a written contract
What contract “conditions” are
Common defenses to breach of contract lawsuits
Remedies for breach of contract

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Tax Prep Essentials for Small Businesses

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $30

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

As a small business owner, you may be thinking about taxes with a significant level of uncertainty, especially with new tax laws in effect. “Where do I even start?!”, “What does the IRS need from me this year?”, “Will my business taxes be easier?” and “How can I be better prepared next year?” are common questions. Don’t fret! This workshop is a realistic starting point for small businesses wanting to strengthen their understanding over their business taxes.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Women Informed (WIN) Series: How R&D Tax Credits Could Benefit Your Business

Time: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC – Training Site

Facilitated by Pikes Peak SBDC

Fee: $10

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

The R&D tax credit program is one of the greatest sources of non-dilutive funding available to companies today. It reimburses up to 10 percent of your R&D expenses, either as a tax credit for profitable companies or even as a cash refund for unprofitable startups. So why are 80 percent of eligible Colorado companies still not taking advantage of this program? We will begin by explaining the fundamentals of the R&D tax credit program from a technical point of view. We’ll then move on to the legal and financial aspects of a claim to help you determine how much you can get back, and tell you when you can claim expenses on contracts where you get paid to do R&D. Finally, for those already claiming, we’ll go over the many lesser-known expenses you can claim to help you maximize your refund. This webinar is recommended for owners, presidents and CFOs of innovative companies of any size and pre-startups exploring ways to fund their starts.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

[WEBINAR] Business Insurance 101 for Small Businesses

Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Location: Online, Facilitated by Pikes Peak SBDC

Fee: No Cost

Thanks to a sponsorship by Ent Business Banking, this class is free!

This webinar is an introduction to understanding business insurance for small businesses. Learn about the different types of business insurance, what is required in the State of Colorado, how to decide what is best for your business, and best practices for obtaining and using business insurance.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Building a Business To Sell

Time: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $ 20.00

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

Whether you’re just starting a new business or actively looking to sell it’s never too early to begin positioning your business for sale. In this workshop you’ll learn the steps you can start taking now to maximize your business value and prepare for your exit strategy. We’ll cover topics such as financial records, market valuation, the acquisition team, the presale audit, customer concentration, intangible assets, etc. We’ll also cover current market trends and the economic outlook for small business over the next 5 years.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Business Accounting and Budget

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $20

Your small business’s day-to-day operations depend on having accurate financial data, and the success of your business depends on you understanding your business’s financial documents. This interactive roundtable will provide a top-line view and understanding of the key financial statements that need to be understood to be a successful business owner, including:

Profit & Loss (Income Statement)
Balance Sheet
Cash Flow Statement
Check Book
Inventory Valuations

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Connect2DOT: Construction Estimating & Bidding

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: No Cost

Have you been submitting quotes for construction projects but not getting the work? Do you need help figuring out the right cost for your bids? Do you want to start winning more subcontracts? If so, this workshop is a great opportunity to improve your estimating skills. It will help you refine your estimating process and create more accurate bids for construction jobs. The workshop will cover: Estimating set up

Estimating details
Errors to avoid
Estimating software
Bidding
Bid follow up

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Business Plan in a Day

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $30

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

During this workshop, we will begin the task of putting together a very basic strategic plan that will act as a road map to building your business plan. Would you begin to build a 43 story skyscraper without a blueprint? Then ask yourself this, what does your business look like three to five years from now? These methodical steps are the beginning of a process that will enable you to move forward with purpose, passion, and precision; profitability will present itself when you have followed your own direction. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise and is not preceded by a period of worry and depression! Join us to begin the process of strategically mapping your business through a simplified business plan that you can then continue to build upon. This workshop is for both startups and existing businesses!

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Social Media: Essential Principles for Small Businesses

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101

Fee: $30

NOTE: Pre-payment for the class is REQUIRED! (If you are unable to attend, you will not receive a refund unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!)

Learn how to increase success in your business specifically through the use of social media. This workshop will get you started amplifying your business through discussing concepts and tools for utilizing social media that are relevant to all platforms.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

4th ANNUAL STATE OF SMALL BUSINESS

Time: 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Location: Pinery at the Hill (775 W. Bijou St.)

Facilitated by Pikes Peak SBDC

Fee: $20

NOTE: SBDC Partner discount codes do not apply to this event.

Join us for the 4th Annual State of Small Business, co-hosted by the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center and the UCCS Economic Forum! Key note speaker, Allen Gutierrez, will provide a report from the SBA Office of Entrepreneurial Development focused on diversity and innovation in small business. Speakers Dr. Tatiana Bailey, Director of the UCCS Economic Forum, and Aikta Marcoulier, Executive Director of the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center, will provide the most recent economic data produced by minority businesses and provide a report to the community on the impact of SBDC programs. Valuable data from the local, state, and federal level will be presented for small business owners and community leaders.

In addition to many individual workshops and sessions, the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers multiple tracks. Tracks are a tailored series of workshops focused on a particular subject. Although many of these tracks began in January, workshops that are part of the track are available.

The Start-Up Track, offered every other month, is for business owners just getting started of those who are thinking about it: www.pikespeaksbdc.org/startup.

The Financial Track, offered quarterly, is aimed at empowering entrepreneurs to manage business finances: www.pikespeaksbdc.org/financial.

The Marketing Track, also offered quarterly, is focused on determining the relevance of businesses in today’s market: www.pikespeaksbdc.org/marketing.

The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center and the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) are located at the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation at 559 East Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, in downtown Colorado Springs. The Pikes Peak SBDC offers business consulting and training to assist existing and new small businesses in El Paso, Park and Teller counties. For more information about the SBDC and services it offers, visit www.pikespeaksbdc.org or call 719-667-3803.

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