One Stop Shop offers April/May business workshops

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.

Capital Raise, April 28, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
If you are a startup or early-stage growth-based business looking for funding, come meet and listen to capital expert, Mike Brennan. He will detail the various capital sources in Michigan, and talk about how to properly position your company to be qualified for private funding, including private equity, the angel network and venture capital, and/or public funding, including grants, pre-seed, micro-loans and venture match.

This workshop is free but pre-registration is required.

Create Your Marketing Plan, April 30, 9 a.m. to noon.

When marketing a small business, your budget and human resources may be limited but your ideas and goals are still as big as they come. This three-hour class is tailor-made for small businesses. We’ll help you whip your marketing program into shape so you can reach your goals regardless of your budget or team size. We’ll introduce you to a realistic plan with actionable items customized to reach YOUR target audience. You will come away with a marketing budget, calendar and tools designed to help grow your business.

Fee: $40 per person

NOTE: The Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion workshop is a pre-requisite for this class.

Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion, May 5, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.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.

This workshop is free but pre-registration is required.

Five Steps to LinkedIn Mastery, May 6, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
While Facebook looks like any number of reality TV shows, LinkedIn is the business documentary you need to watch. You’ve done the “Google myself” thing, right? Most people are surprised (and excited) to find their LinkedIn profile is the first result. Since Google uses LinkedIn, shouldn’t you? When you use LinkedIn correctly, it’s much easier to be found by prospective clients and/or employers, locate and learn about the decision makers you need to meet, stay current in your industry, stay top of mind with your network, check out future employees and partners, and use all of the bells and whistles you didn’t know existed.

Fee: $40 per person.

QuickBooks for Business Owners, May 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Join ATD Solutions as we explore the possibilities within QuickBooks. QuickBooks for Business Owners is recommended for owners and financial decision makers who want 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.

Fee: $60 per person

CEED® Small Business Loan Orientation, May13, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Many small business owners face obstacles when trying to obtain a business loan. If your business is in Oakland County and you need alternative financing, consider the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development (CEED) Small Business Loan Program. Discover the requirements and process necessary to apply and obtain a CEED small business loan.

This workshop is free but pre-registration is required.

Starting a Business, May 14, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
This workshop is designed for individuals who are at the beginning stages of starting a business. It will help aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company, as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products/services. Startup costs, financing options, and business planning are introduced, along with necessary steps to getting started.

This workshop is free but pre-registration is required.

Break the Rules, Close More Sales, May 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A business development workshop for business owners, company presidents/CEO’s and professional service firms and sales people. Consider attending if you (or your team) are worried the slow economy is hurting business, concerned your marketing and prospecting activities are not putting you in front of enough qualified prospects, experiencing longer and longer sales cycles. In two hours, you’ll learn how to establish trust with your prospects, shorten the sales cycle and eliminate stalls and objections. Presented by Sandler Training President Erik Meier

Fee: $40 per person.

Team SBA Financing Roundtable, May 21, 9 a.m. to noon.
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. For additional information on WBE or CEED visit www.miceed.org.

This workshop is free but pre-registration is required.