Events/Workshops

Register by going to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shenandoah-valley-bizblitz-2015-tickets-5432478690

Are you considering starting a new business? Not sure what you need to do and what steps to take? Then this is the class for you! Business Basics is an introduction to owning your own business. Topics covered include deciding on a legal entity, basic accounting and tax issues, steps you need to take for permits and licensing, steps to writing a business plan and basics of marketing and market research. The class is only 3.0 hours long so these topics will only be briefly covered. Upon completing the class you will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of the professional business counselors in our office. CLASS IS LOCATED AT THE ROANOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LOCATED DOWNTOWN AT 210 S. Jefferson Street Payment may be made by sending in a check made out to the Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center to 210 S. Jefferson Street, Roanoke VA 24011. Or following the payment screen at the end of the registration process. For questions please call Tom Tanner at 983-0717 ext 103. Cash payment can be made in person, or paid the night of the event. If paying in cash, please have correct change.

Speaker: Tom Tanner

Entrepreneurship is the American Dream. Unfortunately, of the 1 million businesses started each year, most of them eventually fail. The one common theme may be lack of planning. If you are considering the possibility of starting a business, this free seminar will provide information that may help your business be among the 20 percent that survive and thrive. Prepare to start a successful business by evaluating your entrepreneurial abilities, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal form of organization, and receive tips to prepare and present your business plan.

Speaker: Kim Ray, Business Analyst & Training Coordinator, Longwood

Entrepreneurship is the American Dream. Unfortunately, of the 1 million businesses started each year, most of them eventually fail. The one common theme may be lack of planning. If you are considering the possibility of starting a business, this free seminar will provide information that may help your business be among the 20 percent that survive and thrive. Prepare to start a successful business by evaluating your entrepreneurial abilities, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal form of organization, and receive tips to prepare and present your business plan.

Speaker: Pat Hood, Director, Crater SBDC

Are You Ready to Start a Small Business? Speaker: Pat Hood The participant will learn about being ready to start a small business: 1. Introduction to program, partners, & area officials 2. Local information guide 3. Necessary traits for entrepreneurship 4. Developing a mission statement & vision

Speaker: Pat Hood, Director of Crater SBDC

Business Basics – A Business Start-Up Seminar Are you considering opening a new business? Not sure what you need to do and what steps to take? Business Basics is an introduction to owning your own business. Topics covered include deciding on a legal entity, basic accounting, and tax issues, steps you need to take for permits and licensing, steps to writing a business plan and basics of marketing and market research. This class is only 3.0 hours long so these topics will only be briefly covered. Upon completing the class, you will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a professional business counselor in our office. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. For questions, please call the SBDC at 540-831-6056. Fee: No Charge. RU PARKING PERMIT IS REQUIRED (ISSUED TO ATTENDEES UPON ARRIVAL). PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

This Seminar will provide the basic of self evaluation, the idea, entrepreneurship, defining the need, determining the feasibility, and what actions are necessary. Topics within these areas will include analytical methods; research sources; the legal forms of businesses; record keeping; laws, regulations, and policies; and a discussion on the value and importance of business plans and financial analyses. ,This Seminar will provide the basic of self evaluation, the idea, entrepreneurship, defining the need, determining the feasibility, and what actions are necessary. Topics within these areas will include analytical methods; research sources; the legal forms of businesses; record keeping; laws, regulations, and policies; and a discussion on the value and importance of business plans and financial analyses.

Speaker: Susan Ball

Entrepreneurship is the American Dream. Unfortunately, of the 1 million businesses started each year, most of them eventually fail. The one common theme may be lack of planning. If you are considering the possibility of starting a business, this free seminar will provide information that may help your business be among the 20 percent that survive and thrive. Prepare to start a successful business by evaluating your entrepreneurial abilities, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal form of organization, and receive tips to prepare and present your business plan.

Speaker: Presented and taught by Lin Hite, Director, South Boston

This course is about the craft of creating a plan for your business. The business plan is the essential document used to raise money for a business and communicate your business vision and strategy to your management team, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders.This ten-part course walks you through the details and tactics of creating a comprehensive plan while helping you avoid the critical planning mistakes that plague most business plans. Topics covered by this course include: What is a business plan? Determining your audience Crafting your mission and vision Setting goals and objectives The company and industry Marketing analysis and strategy Management and operations The financial projections The executive summary Bringing the plan together

Este curso se basa en el arte de crear un plan para su negocio. El plan de negocio es un documento esencial utilizado para recaudar fondos. También comunica su misión y visión estratégica al equipo administrativo, proveedores, consumidores, y acreedores. Los 10 temas de este curso le enseña detalles y tácticas en la creación de un plan comprensivo mientras que le ayuda a evadir errores críticos de planificación que plagan la mayoría de planes de negocio. Como valor agregado, este curso incluye Activeplans, un software que le permite crear la parte narrativa y proyecciones financieras de su plan mediante la utilización de un enfoque simple que detalla paso a paso el proceso. Este software por si solo tiene un valor de $40.00. Los objectivos de este curso: Ayudarlo a entender que exactamente un plan de negocios Ayudarlo a decidir si usted necesita un plan formalmente escrito y como dirigirlo hacia diferentes audiencias Ayudarlo a comprender que inquietudes in plan de negocios debe responder Ayudarlo a ilustrar el contenido y la estructura de un plan de negocios correctamente desarrollado Ayudarlo a evitar cometer los errores comunes que la mayoria de planes de negocios posee Ayudarlo

In this course you will to understand the different types of legal structures available when starting a business. The objective of this course is to help you understand the advantages and disadvantages between the different legal structures. This course will help you to choose what legal structure is most appropriate for your business. You will be provided the forms you need for the formation of your selected structure. This course will also inform you about employee issues and provide you with forms that every employer needs. Topics covered by this course: What is a legal strucure? Different types of legal structures Sole Proprietorship The general partnership ' C ' corporation ' S ' corporation Limited liability company Selecting you legal structure Forms you will need Employee issues and requirements

Understanding Intellectual Property defines exactly what a copyright, trademark, and patent are and what kinds of protection they might afford your business. The process of establishing such protection is presented for each kind of property. Also discussed are international intellectual property protection issues, as well as, important legal documents such as non-disclosure agreements. A primer concludes this course which details the prior details to prepare before meeting with intellectual property attorney. Topics covered by this course include: Intro to intellectual property What is a trademark? What is a patent? What is a copyright? Understanding trade secrets Federal, state, and employees issues Internet intellectual property International intellectual property Creating & realizing the value of intellectual property Understanding confidentiality agreements

Buying A Business is a comprehensive course on how to buy the right business at the right price. Developed by entrepreneurs who buy businesses for a living, this course offers advice and wisdom in such areas as: the key questions to ask of any seller, the due diligence process, valuing a business and determining the offer, negotiation steps and tactics, and sample legal agreements. Topics covered by this course include: The pros and cons Finding businesses for sale The key questions to ask Valuing the business Negociating the offer Structuring the transaction Financing the purchase Perfoming the diligence Creating a business plan Post purchanse priorities

This course presents the fundamental devices used in crafting a strategy for a business venture. The course puts forth the innovative mechanisms of internal and external strategy which are based on the findings of a new body of research into the strategy-making processes of successful growing ventures. In addition to showing you how to craft a mission, visions, goals, and strategy for your business, this course also shows you how to best present and execute your strategy through strategic stories, the act of organizing genius, and tipping point leadership tactics. Topics covered by this course include: What is strategic planning? Knowing you purpose and mission Defining a vision Forming goals and objectives The two kinds of strategy Crafting internal strategy Crafting external strategy Presenting strategy as story The secrets of organizing genius Tipping point of execution

Business Plan, Legal Issues and Information Resources (Part 2 of 4) The participant will learn about legal issues and forms of business ownership: 1. Identify key components of the business plan 2. Discuss the various legal entities & business structures 3. Discuss the concept of competitive advantage 4. Research your market and target specific customer groups 5. Identify research tools, techniques and available resources

Speaker: Speakers: Pat Hood, Billy Ellyson

Finding Money To Start A Business offers a comprehensive ten-part course on the tactics of how money is really raised for small business formation. The course examines the sources of available capital and an overview concerning the difference between debt and equity. The course walks you through the maze of financial terms and tactics necessary to successfully identify and secure money for a new business venture. Topics covered by this course include: Where does start-up money come from? How much money do you need? The different types of money How to get money from a lender How to get money from an investor The available sources of capital A little help from the government Financing different kinds of things A few financing scenarios Overcoming your weaknesses

This course details the exact set of steps necessary in preparing a comprehensive loan package request. Each of the forms and requirements are explained and included. From initial readiness tests to help with advanced topics such as U.S. Small Business Administration loans, this course lays it on the line concerning what a lender is really looking for and how they evaluate loan requests. Simply understanding the way a lender thinks can more than double your effectiveness in raising money for your business. Topics covered by this course include: What is a loan packages? Are you ready for a loan? How much should you ask for? Offering collateral and securtiy Obtaining your Credit report The personal financial statement Creating a Business plan The Financial Projections SBA guarantees and applications Bringing the loan request together

Financial projections are a collection of statements that present a numerical model of your business. Any good business plan must pass two separate tests: the story test and the number test. The story test asks, "Does the story make sense?" The number test asks, "Does the story add up?" A well-prepared set of financial projections helps to address that indeed the story does add up, but it also does much more than that. The projections reveal the entrepreneur’s basic assumptions which are usually synthesized together in their mind only. It doesn't matter whether you're applying for your first bank loan or your fifth, or whether you're seeking venture capital or debt financing. Sooner or later, you'll have to prepare a set of financial projections. Lenders will look for a strong likelihood of repayment using your projections. Investors will calculate what they think is the value of your company based upon these numbers. Constructing a set of projections allows you to play with your business model in a safe environment. Playing on paper is a valuable form of prototyping that can raise many questions before you make a decision. Under most conditions, fast learners are going to outperform even the most brilliant planners. The key is not to think of your numbers as a "plan" set in stone, but as a learning environment where you can test out different scenarios and decisions. Topics covered by this course include: What are your financial projections? Your assumptions Budgeting your fixed expenses Determining your variable costs Calculating your breakeven point Creating a sales forecast The income statement The cash flow statement The balance sheet The do's and don'ts

Finding and Attracting an Investor examines the peculiar nature of investment capital. The course presents practical tactics on how to identify and secure different types of capital including seed capital, angel capital, and venture capital. The process used by different kinds of investors is presented and the tools for completing the fund-raising process are presented. Special focus is given to the federal and state laws that govern the capital and securities process. Topics covered by this course includes: What is an investor? The investment process Obtaining seed capital Obtaining angel capital Obtaining venture capital Creating a business plan Legal considerations and concerns Criteria for a new company Investor presentations and pitches Where to find investors

This course provides the advice and strategies of the some of the leading entrepreneurs concerning what it really takes to start a new venture. Starting A New Business moves you through the important tasks of building a strong foundation for a business to the more tactical aspects concerning marketing, managing, and money. This course will also show you how to protect your ideas, how to hire employees, how to find out what licenses and regulations may apply, as well as, provide more than 50 resources of free information that are available to you in making your new business a reality. Topics covered by this course includes: Defining mission, vision, and goals Understanding management trinity Determining feasibility and risk Marketing products and services Handling money and finances Hiring and managing employees Getting licenses and permits Protecting your ideas Growing by adaptation and experimentation

This course describes the available entrepreneurial strategies and how they are applied in the marketplace. For anyone starting or growing a business venture, the knowledge and skills underlying the entrepreneurial strategies are an essential part of any entrepreneur's toolkit. Besides presenting the available strategies and their application, this course presents the sources of innovation and an overview of how decisions are made and how those decisions change over the course of a venture's life-cycle. Topics covered by this course include: What is entreprenuerial strategy? Begin first with the most Hitting them where they ain't Occupying a specialized niche Changing the economic characteristics Sources of innovation What makes an entreprenuer How entreprenuers craft strategy Strategic entreprenuerial decisions Social entreprenuership and innovation

An overview of the essential processes of managing employees. Includes best practice on the hiring process, employee forms you must file, wage and hour regulations, taxation and privacy issues, health and safety standards, benefit and retirement plans, discrimination and termination processes, and more. Topics covered by this course include: The hiring process Employees forms to file Wage and hour regulations Age laws & requirements Taxation issues Privacy issues Health and safety standards Benefits and retirement plans Discrimination and termination required posters and other workplace standards

A small business needs regular customer feedback to keep tabs on how customers perceive the value they are receiving. Customer feedback also will raise any red flags that need to be addressed before they get out of control and damage your business. Come learn the basics in developing a useful survey workshop! Whether you need: Ø market research for a new product/service offering, (survey) Ø feedback on customer service, (comment card) Ø or are trying to identify customer/employee loyalty/satisfaction (evaluation form) A good survey instrument makes the task easier. Bring your ideas and get a head-start on developing the instrument you need now! Join Dr. Nancy Ryan, Marketing Professor at Averett University, to learn surveying basics!

Speaker: Diane Arnold, Director, Longwood SBDC-Danville & Dr. Nancy Ryan, Marketing Professor, Averett University

Take command of a bookstore and coffee bar and see how money moves in and out of a business learning the fundamentals of accounting at the same time. This course provides an in-depth look at each of the primary accounting transactions used in a business demonstrating how "the language of business" works. Without using any accounting jargon to begin with, the course demonstrates how to keep score in a business through a simple scorecard approach. When you are finished, you are shown that each of your scorecards represents one of the three primary financial statements used in managing a business. Topics covered by this course include: The language of business Keeping score in business Money coming in Money going out Money owed to you Money you owe Handling cash and large costs The balance sheet The income statement The statement of cash flow

Session 1 - Understanding Credit Scores– • The importance of credit for personal and business what lenders look at: what it means for your business • 5 things that go into credit: how is it calculated, how is it made up • 6 ways to good credit

Speaker: Pat Hood, Crater SBDC Director

This seminar will cover managing a payroll starting with the initial setup, calculating employee and employer deductions, determining net pay and reporting and record-keeping requirements to prepare paychecks.

Speaker: Presented & Taught by Kim Ray, Business Analyst & Training Coordinator, Longwood SBDC

Instruction will be based on the "Desktop" version of QuickBooks Get to Know QuickBooks —Software Setup & Capabilities This is an informative seminar for new and existing businesses. This seminar will help you determine how QuickBooks may simplify and organize your accounting and bookkeeping needs. Getting Set Up and Started Software Applications Simplifying and Organizing Financial Information QuickBooks “Hands On” Training —The Basics This seminar will cover setting up your company and performing everyday transactions. Working with Lists and Bank Accounts Entering Sales Information Receiving and Entering Payments Using Other Accounts —Advanced & Specialty Topics This seminar will cover reporting, tracking and analyzing data for the experienced user that is already familiar with the QuickBooks software. Payment of Bills and Sales Tax Analyzing Financial Data Tracking Time and Payroll Estimating and Progress Invoicing Customizing Forms and Letters

Speaker: Patrick deFur, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Session 2 - Business Finance 101, The Eyes of a Lender • Understanding the credit process • Creating and Understanding Cash Flow Statement • Understanding a Balance Sheet

Speaker: Pat Hood, Crater SBDC Director

Session 3 -Business Budget vs. Personal • Why small business budget is important • Budgeting Techniques • Understanding the terms asset, credits and profits

Speaker: Pat Hood, Crater SBDC Director

Session 4 - Steps To Accessing Capital • Business Loan Application Process • Understanding the Loan Process • How to Prepare and Present your Proposal to the Lender

Speaker: Pat Hood, Crater SBDC Director

The objective of this course is to help you understand how marketing activities are actually conducted in a small business. This course will convince you that buzz and word-of-mouth does not just happen, instead it must cultivated and strategically crafted with an underlying architecture. After going through this course you will become a master of self-organized customer networks by leveraging hubs and connectors. This course will help you to choose and maximize the right marketing weapons for your message. Overall this course will help you to achieve a high return on imagination as opposed to return on investment. Topics covered by this course include: What is buzz and how does it spread? Understanding networks Hubs and connectors Your positioning and message Choosing your marketing weapons Word of mouth tactics Return on imagination From message to action Public relations and publicity Creating a marketing plan

Market research is the systematic process entrepreneurs use to gain insight into market problems and opportunities. The term market includes not only customers, but all players who are responsible for bringing certain products and services to market including suppliers, competitors, producers, wholesale distributors, retailers, logistics, and so on. To conserve time and money, successful entrepreneurs minimize the resources they devote to researching their ideas. Unlike the corporate world, the entrepreneur only does as much research and analysis to justify the next action or investment. This course presents scores of best practice concerning how entrepreneurial research is actually implemented. Answers to questions about market segments, consumer and business markets, market size, and sales forecasts are all addressed through step-by-step processes. Topics covered by this course include: The market research process The market enviornment Researching your industry Researching business customers Estimating market size Creating a sales forecast Customer survey techniques Consumption chain analysis

This course presents a media-by-media discussion of the tips and tricks used by marketing professionals when advertising a product or service. Learn how to set an advertising budget, learn why it's better to run two smaller ads than one larger one, learn how to correctly position your product and how to best design an effective marketing message, and learn what you need to know about selecting media for an ad campaign. This course also presents an overview of public relations tactics and internet marketing practices. At its conclusion, this course details specific measures how to assess the success of your results. Topics covered by this course include: What is advertising? The audience, objectives, and platform Determining the advertising budget The positioning and message Using print media Using radio and television Direct marketing options Promoting internet websites Public relations and publicity Evaluating you advertising plan

This course describes the fundamentals of the most important aspect of any business: marketing. Learn the concepts taught in college-level courses in just a few hours including the "5Ps"--Product, Promotion, Price, Place, and Positioning. At the end of this course, you will be able to create a comprehensive marketing plan for business that encompasses a creative plan, a positioning plan, and a media marketing calendar--the essentials of any good marketing strategy. Topics covered by this course include: What is marketing? Conducting market research Analyzing the market enviornment Selecting your target markets Market positioning Designing products and services Pricing products & services Placing products & services Promoting products & services Creating a marketing plan

The objective of this course is to define what positioning is and how it works as a communications tool in marketing. This course will put forth and describe the available positioning strategies including the positioning of a leader, the positioning of a follower, and the tactics for repositioning the competition. This course will show you the easiest way of getting into the prospect's mind. This course will teach you how to prevent the most common positioning mistakes including the line extension trap. Topics covered by this course include: What is positioning? The assault on the mind The ladders in your head Getting into the mind Owning a word in the mind The positioning of a leader The positioning of a follower The repositioning of the competition The line extension trap A positioning case study

This course will explain what is value and why it is better to set prices on value rather than costs. This course will discuss the 3C's that influence costs: Costs, Customers, and Competition. You will learn generic pricing strategies and techniques for segmented and lifecycle pricing. In this course you will study the effects of pricing psychology and the elements of your marketing mix. This course will present specific industry pricing tactics from the best entreprenuers. From the fundamentals of pricing to advanced discussions on psychological theories focused on pricing formulation, this course is essential to anyone responsible for making the price decision. Topics covered by this course include: What is value? Costs Customers Competition Generic pricing strategies Segmented pricing The marketing mix Pricing psychology Life cycle pricing Specific pricing tactics

Marketing is essential in promoting your business but doing it effectively continues to be a challenge for the small business. In preparation for the new Tourism initiative underway in our area the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Longwood Small Business Development Center have teamed up to bring “tourism-based” businesses a two part workshop to assist in building a solid and dynamic digital marketing plan. This fast paced, hands-on workshop is designed to take the fear out of marketing. Sandra Tanner, TMP, Tourism Development Specialist, will walk you through the ways to reach your customer and the many resources available from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Diane Arnold, MBA, CBA and former Marketing Director will provide you templates and tools for planning, tracking and measuring the results of your marketing activities.

Speaker: Sandra Tanner & Diane Arnold

Marketing is essential in promoting your business but doing it effectively continues to be a challenge for the small business. In preparation for the new Tourism initiative underway in our area the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Longwood Small Business Development Center have teamed up to bring “tourism-based” businesses a two part workshop to assist in building a solid and dynamic digital marketing plan. This fast paced, hands-on workshop is designed to take the fear out of marketing. Sandra Tanner, TMP, Tourism Development Specialist, will walk you through the ways to reach your customer and the many resources available from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Diane Arnold, MBA, CBA and former Marketing Director will provide you templates and tools for planning, tracking and measuring the results of your marketing activities.

Speaker: Sandra Tanner & Diane Arnold

Marketing is essential in promoting your business but doing it effectively continues to be a challenge for the small business. In preparation for the new Tourism initiative underway in our area the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Longwood Small Business Development Center have teamed up to bring “tourism-based” businesses a two part workshop to assist in building a solid and dynamic digital marketing plan. This fast paced, hands-on workshop is designed to take the fear out of marketing. Sandra Tanner, TMP, Tourism Development Specialist, will walk you through the ways to reach your customer and the many resources available from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Diane Arnold, MBA, CBA and former Marketing Director will provide you templates and tools for planning, tracking and measuring the results of your marketing activities.

Speaker: Sandra Tanner & Diane Arnold

This workshop is designed for small business owners who are not currently using social media to market their businesses and those who are not using social media effectively. It will help business owners navigate the many social media options available to them, determine which are the most useful for their businesses, set their social media marketing goals, and measure whether their goals are being met.

Speaker: Susan Ball

Successful selling is fun, invigorating, and involves a good deal of psychology. This workshop translates the latest research into a series of habits that, when applied, will help you close more sales. Some habits presented in this workshop will focus upon verbal and nonverbal communication, but they all have a unifying theme – to help drive selling success. WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Owners Managers Sales staff that rely upon face-to-face selling situations

Speaker: Vincent P. Magnini, Ph.D.

Large box stores and national chains can be strong competition for local retailers. Independent retailers need to understand how to have a strategy to keep their existing customers buying and how to win new customers. This workshop is for independent retailers who want to better compete in today's marketplace. Join Marc Willson, retail consultant for the VA SBDC, to learn more about how to compete with the large box stores. This seminar will cover: • How to treat your customers • Choose and position your products • Build on community involvement • Create and communicate your niche • Make your business a shopping destination • Out maneuver on social platforms • Create a memorable experience for the customer

Speaker: Marc Willson, Retail Consultant for VSBDC

This course describes the fundamentals of the most important aspect of any business: marketing. At the end of this course, you will be able to create a comprehensive marketing plan for business that encompasses a creative plan, a positioning plan, and a media marketing calendar--the essentials of any good marketing strategy. Topics covered by this course include: What is marketing? Conducting market research. Analyzing the market enviornment. Selecting your target markets. Placing products & services. Website Do's and Don'ts. Social Media Marketing. Creating a marketing plan and calendar. Determining ROI.

Speaker: Bart Smith

Basics of Federal Government Contracting This class will explain the ins and out of doing business with the government. Presented by the Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Upon completing the class, you will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a professional business counselor in our office. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. For questions, please call the SBDC at 540-831-6056. Fee: No Charge. RU PARKING PERMIT IS REQUIRED (ISSUED TO ATTENDEES UPON ARRIVAL). PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.