SBDC workshop

Looking for a way to boost your own knowledge while helping your business?

Small Business Week for the Pikes Peak Region is May 5-9, 2019. Each day includes workshops and events designed to educate, celebrate, and champion small businesses in the Pikes Peak Region. For more information, including details on workshops and special events such as a food truck cook-off, visit https://www.pikespeaksbdc.org/smallbusinessweek.

The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering the following workshops in May:

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Where’s The Money?! Funding Options for Starting or Growing Your Business

Time: 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

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!)

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390054

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, May 02, 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: $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!)

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390052

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, May 13, 2019

Introduction to SBDC

Time: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

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

Fee: No Cost

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390056

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, May 15, 2019

Cybersecurity Simplified: What Your Small Business Needs to Know

Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC, Tri Lakes Chamber of Commerce, 166 Second ST

Fee: No Cost

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390004

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.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

WEBINAR: Connect2DOT: Colorado DBE Certification

Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Online, Facilitated by Pikes Peak SBDC

Fee: No Cost

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390035

This webinar is essential for any small business that is interested in applying for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification in the state of Colorado. You will learn about the eligibility criteria and requirements for DBE certification and the benefits of participating in the program. We’ll answer your questions and provide a follow up application review for participants. If your business is minority or woman-owned and you would like to gain a competitive advantage in bidding on CDOT and partner agency projects, this webinar is for you.

How You Will Benefit:

  • Find out if your small business meets the eligibility criteria to become certified
  • Learn about the application process and how to ensure acceptance
  • Gain an understanding of program benefits and supportive services
  • Discover how to find DBE opportunities as a prime and subcontractor
  • Get key contacts for marketing your certification status

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Effective Market Research for Small Businesses

Time: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Location: Pikes Peak SBDC Training Site, Ent Credit Union 7350 Campus Dr.

Fee: No Cost

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390005

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, May 22, 2019

Developing a Solid Marketing Plan

Time: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

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!)

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390063

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 crystallize key portions of the plan.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Apprenticeships 101 Info Session: Understanding Apprenticeships for Your Small Business

Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

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

Fee: No Cost

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390064

Is your small business interested in hiring apprentices? In this free information session, we will cover what you need to know about apprenticeships, including the types of work-based learning, the components of an apprenticeship, and the benefits to businesses in developing a registered app.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

WEBINAR: Using Instagram to Promote Your Small Business

Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Mountain

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 one hour after the webinar, where you can save, fast-forward, and rewind from there.)

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390109

In this webinar, we will discuss a growing social media platform — Instagram — and how it relates to your small business. Learn some tips and tricks on navigating Instagram and Instagram Stories, and learn how to use this mobile-only social media platform to promote, educate, and grow awareness for your local small business!

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

WEBINAR: Employee or Independent Contractor? How to Classify a Worker to Protect Your Business

Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

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 one hour after the webinar, where you can save, fast-forward, and rewind from there.)

Register: https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=70390108

In this webinar, we will discuss how to tell the difference between an Employee and an Independent Contractor, the three tests commonly used to make this determination, and best practices for classifying your workers in order to protect your business!

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 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.