Upcoming Rhode Island Small Business Training Events
| Feb 13, 2014
PROVIDENCE, RI –
Tuesday, February 18
Contracting 101 – Making Sense of All Those Government Contracting Acronyms (U.S. Small Business Administration – Newport Public Library, 300 Spring Street in Newport from 4:00 – 6:00pm and is free of charge. To register, email matthew.spoehr@sba.gov or call 401-528-4561):
NAICS, DUNS, SAM, CAGE, FAR…talk about alphabet soup! So what do they all mean and what do they mean to you as you get started in contracting? Join us as we help you decipher all these acronyms and help guide you on the path to getting started in government contracting.
Community Entrepreneurs Phase Two: Business Planning (Center for Women and Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 6:00 – 9:00pm. 12 week course running through May 6. Cost for all 12 weeks is $650. Partial scholarships may be available to those who qualify. To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):
The next step in CEP involves getting your business on the right track! In this second phase, you will:
• Determine the feasibility of your business concept
• Work with other business owners and CWE experts to prepare a viable, funding-ready business plan
• Find options for financing your business and understand and organize your financial documents
• Learn how to market yourself and your business to target customers
• Identify solutions to typical start-up problems and challenges
• Learn step-by-step how to start and operate your own business efficiently and effectively
• Actively participate in class time and in one-on-one consulting sessions
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Thursday, February 20
Small Business 101 (U.S. Small Business Administration, City of Providence, SCORE, and the Center for Women & Enterprise – Hatch Entrepreneurial Center, 244 Weybosset Street in Providence from 9:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge. To register, email providence.ri@sba.gov or call 401-528-4561):
Join SBA Rhode Island District Director, Mark S. Hayward and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras as they begin this information packed seminar by answering your questions about small business. Then stay as experts from federal and local government guide you through the vast array of resources available to answer the following:
Have you ever wanted to start your own business? Do you already have a business and need a little guidance? Are you considering a small business loan? Want to get involved with government contracting? Just looking for a place to get some answers or bounce an idea off of someone? Attend this seminar and discover a world of resources for you and your business. Join us and see how the SBA can help make your small business a BIG SUCCESS.
TACTICAL BRIEFING: How To Find The Right Marketing Tactics For Your Business (SCORE – Warwick Public Library, Small Meeting Room, 600 Sandy Lane in Warwick from 9:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge. To register, email matthew.spoehr@sba.gov or call 401-528-4561):
Deciding where to spend your time and money on marketing/advertising today can be overwhelming. You may be considering email, direct mail, social networking, real networking, advertising, cold calling, and a myriad of others. Join marketing coach Bob Salvas as he looks at the history of advertising and marketing and an analysis of how people are making buying decisions today. Develop your tactical marketing plan like a military operation and lead your business to success.
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Friday, February 21
QuickBooks Boot Camp: Intro To QuickBooks (Center for Women and Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 9:00am – 4:00pm. Cost for workshop is $195. Partial scholarships may be available to those who qualify. To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):
This intensive, one-day course will help you keep track of your business finances. Participants will learn to:
• Enter and pay bills
• Enter and manage loans
• Reconcile bank and credit card statements
• Enter data from merchant service payment processors
• Utilize basic reporting features from QuickBooks that are needed to make every day financial decisions
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Tuesday, February 25
Contracting 101 – Making Sense of All Those Government Contracting Acronyms (U.S. Small Business Administration – Johnston Mohr Library, 1 Memorial Avenue in Johnston from 9:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge. To register, email matthew.spoehr@sba.gov or call 401-528-4561):
NAICS, DUNS, SAM, CAGE, FAR…talk about alphabet soup! So what do they all mean and what do they mean to you as you get started in contracting? Join us as we help you decipher all these acronyms and help guide you on the path to getting started in government contracting.
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Wednesday, February 26
Doing Business With Canada (Chafee Center for International Business – 1150 Douglas Pike, Fisher Student Center, Room 2C in Smithfield from 8:00am – 12:00pm with lunch to follow and is free of charge. To register, email lwoulfe@bryant.edu or call 401-232-6525):
Rhode Island companies looking to expand their international portfolios should consider the tremendous business opportunities offered in Canada. A solid and integrated supply chain mainly in the automotive and aerospace sectors already makes up roughly 30 percent of the $710 billion in bilateral trade between the US and Canada recorded in 2012.
Canada is the number one export market for all 6 New England states. New developments in shipbuilding, air-defense, safety and security, mining, and renewable energy, will create virtually limitless business opportunities.
Canada continues to hold a historic record as the United States’ largest export market, accounting for 20 percent of total U.S. trade. Total stock of Canadian foreign direct investment in the United States also ranked among the top four in the world.
Power-UP! Your Business (Center for Women and Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 6:00 – 9:00pm every Wednesday for 13 weeks. Cost for all 13 weeks is $650. Partial scholarships may be available to those who qualify. To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):
Gearing up to launch or grow a successful business? This fast-paced comprehensive program is designed for emerging entrepreneurs with some business background, or for those who have begun a business without a formal plan. A different, professional guest lecturer will present for an hour at each class meeting prior to a 2-hour interactive work session with the instructor. In this workshop, you will:
• Learn how to write a business plan, find and access capital, develop revenue projections, and manage cash flow
• Learn how to successfully market and promote your products and services
• Leave the program with a completed business plan
• Build a professional network of business owners
• Gain valuable knowledge from the real-life experiences of other women entrepreneurs.
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Thursday, February 27
Government Market Research – Find Your Government Customers (U.S. Small Business Administration and RIPTAC – 315 Iron Horse Way in Providence from 8:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge. To register, visit www.riptac.org/training or call 401-278-9173):
Everything the government buys is a matter of public record but how do you know who buys what you sell? Learn how to identify your potential customers, target your market and become familiar with the players. Learn how to use market research to find your place in the government supply chain, utilize government E-commerce sites such as GSA, FedBizOps, DIBBS, NECO and others to build real time market intelligence pertinent to your business.
It’s Who You Know That Counts: 6 Keys To Power Networking For Your Small Business (SCORE – Bristol Rogers Free Library, 525 Hope Street in Bristol from 9:30am – 11:30am and is free of charge. To register, please email providence.ri@sba.gov or call 401-528-4561):
Networking has been recognized in recent years as a key to overall business success, but does it work really? Don’t some people just show up at events and hand out business cards and then get no business for their time spent? The answer to both questions is YES. It really does work and some people do show up and just hand out business cards (the wrong approach, by the way). Bob Salvas, a local director in BNI (Business Networking International) has been successfully networking for years. Come to this seminar and learn the real benefits of networking, how to go about it and where you should look to invest your networking time.
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