SCORE Small Business Workshops: Course 1: Starting a Business on a Small Budget (In Person)

Course 1 – Starting a Business on a Small Budget

Suggested attendees: individuals who are thinking about starting a new business.

• Basics of setting up a business
• Legal entity structures – Sole proprietor, Partnerships, Sub Chapter S, LLC and others
• Paying taxes
• Keeping financial records
• Insurance
• Business Plan introduction
• Marketing basics
• Financing a business

Course 2- Franchising: In Business for Yourself but Not y Yourself

Suggested attendees: People who are thinking of starting a new business.

• Comparison to starting a business from scratch
• Overview of franchise industry
• Explanation of franchising arrangement
• Types of franchising arrangements
• Funding
• Tools to help select the right franchise
• Steps on evaluating a franchise

Course 3 – Why and How to Prepare a Business Plan

Suggested attendees: People who already have a small business and others who are starting a new business.

• Components of a business plan – what needs to be included
• Start up costs
• How to prepare a budget
• Cash flow projections
• How to use a business plan to get financing
• Walk through an example

Course 4 – Learn Marketing Strategies that Lead to Greater Sales

Suggested attendees: People who already have a business and others who are starting a new business.

• Developing a marketing plan
• Performing market research
• Pricing
• Advertising and promotion
• Internet marketing
• Tracking results

Course 5 – Build Your Business Using Social Media

Suggested Attendees: People who already have a business and others who are starting a business.

• Review of 5 most popular social media networks
• Benefits of using each social media network
• How other businesses are using social media
• How to tell which networks are right for your business
• What kind of content to create and post
• How to tell if content is working
• Why social media and email marketing must be used together

Course 6 - Email Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business

Suggested Attendees: People who already have a business and others who are starting a business.

• What Email Marketing really is (and isn’t)
• What Email Marketing can do for your business
• Five steps to harness the power of the inbox

1. Grow a healthy list
2. Create great content
3. Customize mobile friendly template
4. How to get emails opened
5.  Tracking your results

 Course 7 – Understanding the Financial Numbers of Your Business

  Suggested Attendees: People who already have a business and others who are thinking of starting a new business.

• What is Accounting & why it is key
• Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement, Cash Flow Statement
• Key Bookkeeping Accounts
• Setting Up Business Finances
• Financial Budgets & Forecasts
• Tips for Good Financial management

 Course 8 – Essentials of Funding Your Business

 Suggested Attendees: People who already have a business and others who are thinking of starting a Business

• Necessity for a well written Business Plan
• Funding options
• Trials and Tribulations of Startup Funding
• Optimal Funding and Your Startup
• Ultimate Goal of Profitability and Success

Course 9 – Introduction to QuickBooks

Suggested Attendees: People who already have a business and others who are thinking of starting a business.

• Learn how to set up business, chart of accounts, enter transactions, write checks, enter deposits, bill and track customers
• Set up employee deductions and company contributions
• Print financial data, profit, and loss
• Set up budgets