BUSINESS RESOURCES BLOG

Are you confused by all of the CERTIFICATION acronyms (DBE, MBE, SBE, WOSB, HUB). This session is designed to help small business owners understand the importance of minority, women and small business certification. Participants will learn which certification is right for their business and how to leverage it.

Speaker(s): Gayle Ireland

Without customers, your business will fail.  That is why it’s critical to take the time to identify and understand your potential customers before startup and then as an ingoing business process.  Discover a variety of techniques to engage your customers such as interviews, observations, surveys and more.  Find out how to gather data from the customer to validate the feasibility of your idea, product or service and business model.  Additionally, this information will help you better communicate and market your business based on customer triggers and paid points.

Pre-Registration is Required

Fee: No Cost

Discover how to manage and maintain your business finances by automating your accounting and financial reporting functions. Use this computerized program to set your company’s chart of accounts, receive payments, pay bills, create lists, track cash sales, enter bills, create invoices, make deposits, reconcile bank accounts and write checks in order to more easily manage your financial decisions.

Upon successful completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Set up a Chart of Accounts
• Create Invoices
• Receive Payments
• Track Both Cash and Charge Sales
• Make Deposits
• Pay Bills
• Create Lists
• Reconcile Bank Accounts
• Produce Financial Reports

Is Starting a Business Right for You?

Session 1: Start-Up Basics – FREE SCORE Charlotte Workshop

This introductory workshop focuses on the basics of testing your business idea and identifying the key factors that influence start-up success. The Start-Up Basics Workshop provides you with an overview of the skills and tools you need when deciding to start a business.

In this session, you learn about the advantages and disadvantages of owning a business, the most profitable form for your business, and the fundamentals of formation, organization, marketing, cash flow and funding sources.

Presented by SCORE Charlotte Certified Mentors at no cost to you.  

TO REGISTER, GO TO https://charlotte.score.org/local-workshops-4

The recently enacted NC PACES Act has created an exciting opportunity for North Carolina small business owners to raise up to $2 million in capital and a unique investment option for North Carolina residents. If you are an entrepreneur, investor, or professional services provider related to economic development, learn more about the State’s new equity crowdfunding regulations and how to make them work for you.

Is Starting a Business Right for You? SCORE Workshop Series 2 -5 ($150)

Session 2: Business Concept

The first workshop focuses on your business concept and step-by-step guidance in researching your idea, your market, and your competition. At the end of the Business Concept Workshop, you are able to identify your target markets, describe your products and services, and collect key competitive information to support your feasibility plan.

Session 3: Marketing Plan

The second workshop provides you with an introduction to marketing communication methods and tools to maximize your customer reach. The discussion in the Marketing Plan Workshop covers pricing strategies, positioning, the difference between features and benefits, and different marketing strategies. At the end of this session, you will know how to outline your marketing strategy, test your marketing message, choose the right sales channel, and exercise your marketing strategy.

Session 4: Financial Projections

The third workshop uses exercises to help you better understand financial concepts. This session reviews sales and prices, financial risks and rewards, true start-up costs, ongoing operating expenses, setting benchmarks for tracking progress and the organization of all your financial information. Using a hands-on approach, you learn how to use our financial model to forecast sales revenue and build solid pro-forma financial forecasts.

Session 5: Funding Sources and Next Steps 

The final workshop offers information on how to finance your small business. In this session, discussions include sources of funds, accounting the six C’s of credit, banking relations, ratio analysis, and monthly preparation and review of financial statements. A bank loan officer will give an inside view of how a banker assesses the merit of business plans and loan application. At the end of the series, you have all the tools necessary to decide whether or not to launch your small business.

Attend all four sessions for $150.00 (A second person from the same company is an additional $50.00)

 Presented by SCORE Charlotte Certified Mentors.

Throw out your static business plan for this innovative tool for success and you will be able to design and implement a new business idea or analyze and renovate an old one. The Business Model Canvas is a hands on approach for business modeling that allows you to outline and test your hypothesis, present your ideas to customers, collect real-world evidence and pivot to adapt your idea or business to the changing landscape. Strategically and systematically find more effective ways to do business and see the benefits to your bottom line.

Speaker(s): Tom Conroy

Pre-Registration is required

Discover how to manage and maintain your business finances by automating your accounting and financial reporting functions. Use this computerized program to set your company’s chart of accounts, receive payments, pay bills, create lists, track cash sales, enter bills, create invoices, make deposits, reconcile bank accounts and write checks in order to more easily manage your financial decisions.

Upon successful completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Set up a Chart of Accounts
• Create Invoices
• Receive Payments
• Track Both Cash and Charge Sales
• Make Deposits
• Pay Bills
• Create Lists
• Reconcile Bank Accounts
• Produce Financial Reports

Is Starting a Business Right for You?  

Session 1: Start-Up Basics – FREE SCORE Charlotte Workshop

This introductory workshop focuses on the basics of testing your business idea and identifying the key factors that influence start-up success. The Start-Up Basics Workshop provides you with an overview of the skills and tools you need when deciding to start a business.

In this session, you learn about the advantages and disadvantages of owning a business, the most profitable form for your business, and the fundamentals of formation, organization, marketing, cash flow and funding sources.

Presented by SCORE Charlotte Certified Mentors at no cost to you.  

TO REGISTER, GO TO https://charlotte.score.org/local-workshops-4