Workshops offered by One Stop Shop Business Center

Business owners and entrepreneurs who need assistance are encouraged to attend seminars offered by the Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center. Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, in Waterford. For pre-registration and a location map, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/businessworkshops or call 248-858-0783. Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion, Sept. 17, 9 a.m.-noon; Oct. 8, 6-9 p.m. Thinking of starting a business and want to research your business idea? Do you want to identify market trends and opportunities to grow your sales? Are you looking for new customers or to diversify your market base? Business Research shows you ways to find your ideal customers, your competitors, perform competitive analysis and more. Presented by The Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center, Oakland County Market Research Department and an Oakland County Public Library business reference librarian. Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is requested. Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification Orientation, Sept. 17, 9-11 a.m. Learn about the benefits and process of becoming a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). Benefits include certification to private sector WBE's and access to procurement opportunities with major national companies. Fee: $25 per person, pre-registration is requested. Introduction to QuickBooks®, Sept. 23, 9 a.m.-noon. This class provides an overview of QuickBooks®. It is designed for a person who is new to QuickBooks® or worked within the software in a limited capacity. It covers the basic areas within QuickBooks® so that you can generate financial statements. Additional support outside of the class is available upon request to help with specific company questions or areas of concern. Fee: $40 per person, pre-registration is requested. Know Your Numbers: Five Keys to Using Financial Statements, Sept. 23, 9 a.m.-noon. Business owners and key staff who need a better understanding of how to use their financial statements should attend. The ideal participant will have 2-3 years of financial history and be pursuing financing or having challenges with cash flow. Topics include how to: - Use your balance sheet and income statement in managing your business. - Use break even analysis to improve your decision making. - Find the source of your cash flow problems. - Increase your company's cash flow. - Get the banker on your side. Location: Fifth Third Bank, 1000 Town Center, Southfield. Fee: $25 per person, pre-registration is requested. SCORE® Small Business Loan Workshop, Sept. 30, 9 a.m.-noon Getting a small business loan can be a challenging process. Learn the "5 C's of Credit," how to develop a winning loan proposal and what you need to know to position your business to be "bankable" before you meet with a lender. Fee: $20 per person payable at the door to SCORE. CEED® Small Business Loan Orientation, Oct. 8, 9-11 a.m. Many small businesses face obstacles when trying to obtain a business loan. The recognition of the serious need for working capital for existing businesses, start-up or expansion, equipment purchases, and job creation is not the priority it once was. If you have a need for alternative financing consider the Microloan Program. Discover the requirements and process necessary to apply and obtain a microloan. Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is requested. QuickBooks® for Business Owners, Oct.16, 9 a.m.-noon, Join ATD Solutions as we explore the possibilities within QuickBooks. Our QuickBooks for Business Owners class is recommended for owners and financial decision makers who would like to explore the options available within QuickBooks. ATD Solutions will review best practices to limit your exposure to embezzlement or fraud within your company, the best version to use, and which industry specific reports to use to make great business decisions. Further resources will be presented to help you after this introductory class. Fee: $40 per person, pre-registration is required. Team SBA Financing Roundtable, Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-noon. Before you apply for a business loan, we recommend that you first attend the SBA Forum on Small Business Lending. This is a free loan orientation conducted by a business banker, a business consultant from the SBA's network of Small Business Development Centers, and an SBA representative. During the roundtable, we'll debunk the myths and demystify the process of small business financing. You'll learn how the lending process works and what is expected of you and you'll understand how the SBA can assist with our SBA Guaranteed Loan Program. This session is best suited to those who have good credit, a solid business idea, and some money to invest in their business. Because the SBA does not provide loan guarantees to real estate investment firms, including purchasing and rehabbing houses for sale, this type of financing is not discussed at the roundtables. Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is requested. Legal Business Basics, Oct. 28, 9 a.m.-noon. Legal and Financial Basics outlines the key legal considerations for entrepreneurs operating Michigan businesses. Learn how to select the best legal entity given your management structure, potential liability and tax consequences, safeguard your proprietary interests while serving customers, and working with suppliers and contractors, and establish short and long term succession plans. Fee: $20; payable at the door. Pre-registration is requested. Published: Fri, Sep 12, 2014