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 July:
Thursday, July 05, 2018
Boot Camp: Steps to Owning Your Business
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=70380171
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!
Monday, July 09, 2018
Introduction to SBDC
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Mountain
Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101
Fee: No Cost
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380176
An introduction to SBDC consulting, programs, workshops, events, and resources. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about all the things SBDC has to offer Colorado small businesses!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Developing a Solid Marketing Plan
Time: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380185
Break your marketing plan down into its core elements, including identifying your market niche, developing a marketing strategy, and determining a marketing budget. Each component of the marketing plan will be discussed in detail, and attendees will receive several worksheets to help crystalize key portions of the plan.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Where’s The Money?! Funding Options for Starting or Growing Your Business
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM Mountain
Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101 Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380182
Whether you are just starting your business or need more funding for an existing business, finding the money for your venture is one of the most tricky hurdles to overcome. There are a variety of ways you can find funding, and a variety of organizations, people, and resources available to you. What options are right for you? Where should you even start? We designed this course to be an insightful overview of the various options available to you — including traditional bank loans, microlending, SBA loans, venture capital, angel investing, grant-funding, crowd-funding, bootstrapping, etc.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Developing a Solid Financial Plan
Time: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Mountain
Location: Ent Credit Union 2nd Floor, 7350 Campus Dr.
Fee: No Cost
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380186
Learn how to increase revenue and lower expenses in order to set your business on a path toward financial soundness. In this workshop we will learn how to calculate break-even, determine an appropriate pricing strategy, determine COGS (cost of goods sold), budget, find industry standards, and more! This is a working session. We strongly encourage you to bring your laptop with Excel or similar financial software if possible. Although it’s not necessary, doing so will allow you to leave with some actual financial calculations completed!
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Sole Proprietorship, LLC, or Corporation? Choosing an Appropriate Legal Entity
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380188
This workshop is designed to help you make an informed decision about which legal business entity is best for your business. We will discuss the differences between a sole proprietorship, LLC, and S-Corp. This workshop is taught by an attorney with additional experience in taxation, so you will learn the practical legal and tax implications of each type! The workshop also includes Q&A time.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Business Plan Weekend Boot Camp (for Southeast CO Springs Businesses)
Time: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain
Location: Sand Creek Library, 1824 S Academy Blvd
Fee: No Cost
NOTE: This course is free and exclusively for SE Colorado Springs residents and businesses in the SE Colorado Springs area.
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380190
During this course, we will begin the process of putting together a strategic business plan, specifically focused on Southeast Colorado Springs. Join us to begin the process of strategically planning your business through a simplified business plan that will enable you to move forward with purpose, passion, and precision. You will also glean from the expert counsel and experience of Lead Facilitator Cory Arcarese, a local small business consultant and SE COS business owner.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Understanding Financial Statements to Manage Your Business
Time: 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380202
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, July 18, 2018
Webinar: Connect2DOT- Navigating CDOT Systems for Contracting
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain
Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, 559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Ste. 101
Fee: No Cost
Description: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380098
This workshop will cover the various systems and online resources for doing business with CDOT. It includes the various ways to find and bid on engineering, construction, and goods and services contracts. If you want to maximize your time online and learn CDOT’s various contracting systems, join this webinar for a hands-on look at where to go and how to navigate.
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Effective Market Research for Small Businesses
Time: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380206
Business research is essential for companies that wish to stay in business. Brush up on your secondary research skills and discover the wealth of free information available through your public library, local universities, and other resources. We will discuss online sources and other easily-accessible databases full of statistical data that can help your business make knowledgeable decisions. These resources will help you understand and define the market for your product or service, find your competition, explore demographics, find industry benchmarks, and keep up on industry news.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Cybersecurity Simplified: What Your Small Business Needs to Know
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain
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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380203
You may think cyber-attacks only happen to the corporate giants. But as a small business owner, you are actually more at risk than all of them! The issue of cyber security has become a central focus of companies, big and small, across all industries. As more individuals and small businesses become increasingly dependent on our networked and interconnected infrastructure, cybercrime and cyber criminals have become much more sophisticated in their techniques for stealing identities and using them to extract funds and make fraudulent purchases. Join us in this session to understand how your small business may be at risk and what you can do to protect your customers and your assets.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Business Plan in a Day
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain
Location: Pikes Peak SBDC Conference Room, 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!)
Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70380201
During this workshop, we will begin the task of putting together a very basic strategic plan that will act as a roadmap 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!
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Visually-Based Business Planning: An Introduction to Business Model Canvas
Time: 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, Tri Lakes Chamber of Commerce 166 Second ST
Fee: No Cost
Register: http://www.chamberorganizer.com/Calendar/moreinfo.php?eventid=273401
Learn how this relatively new and more visually-based business planning methodology allows you to describe, design, challenge, invent and pivot your business model. Great for people writing business plans, strategic plans, or wanting to document/describe existing business models!
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 is located at the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation at 559 East Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, in downtown Colorado Springs. It 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.