Waterford, Michigan -- April 08, 2009 -- Business owners and entrepreneurs who need assistance are invited to attend seminars in May, 2009 offered by the Oakland County Business Center. Business Basics workshops are now offered in the evenings on alternating months.
Women's Business Certification Orientation (WBE) -- Increase profits through opportunities available through the Michigan Women's Business Council certification. Learn about the benefits and process to take advantage through the national network. The class is held on Wednesday, Thursday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location specifics and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. The fee is $25, which includes all materials. No refunds.
Pre-Business Research -- Are you thinking of starting your own business and want to research your business idea? Are you a business owner who wants to understand which research sources to use for your business plan and where to find the information you need? The class is held on Thursday, May 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location specifics and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. Presented by The Entrepreneur's Source, Oakland County's Business Center, Market Research Department, and Research Librarian. This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
Microsoft Entrepreneur Series: Customer Retention -- Learn how to build a strong customer base and "keep your customer, your customer". Did you know -- It costs four to ten times as much to capture a new customer as it does to provide good service to an existing one? Small business owners are always thinking about growth, keeping customers and the best way to build repeat business. Come and learn how to accomplish these goals. Sponsored by Microsoft, Comcast, the Oakland County Business Center, Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Southfield and West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce. The workshop is held on Monday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location specifics and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. This workshop is free of charge, but pre-registration is strongly advised.
Before you apply for a business loan, attend a
Team SBA Financing Roundtable. The roundtables are 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 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 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. The class is held on Wednesday, May 13, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location specifics and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. This workshop is free of charge, but pre-registration is required.
Start a Business is a seminar for anyone thinking about going into business. Participants examine their entrepreneurial skills, learn how to implement their ideas and receive a list of pitfalls to avoid when starting a business. The class runs from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 14, at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. The fee is $30. No refunds.
Write a Business Plan is a workshop for small business owners who are developing a plan to serve as their road map to success. The class is held on Thursday, May 21, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, Waterford. For location specifics and pre-registration, call (248) 858-0783. The fee is $40, which includes all materials. No refunds.
Future Workshops (AM) Morning Class 9 a.m. to 12/12:30 p.m.
(PM) Evening Class 6 p.m. to 9/9:30 p.m.
June 200909: Pre-Business Research Workshop (PM)
17: How to Increase Your Sales & Grow Your Business
18: How to Start a Business Workshop (PM)
24: QuickBooks Essentials
25: How to Write a Business Plan Workshop (PM)
July 200909: Pre-Business Research Workshop (AM)
15: Marketing Your Business
16: How to Start a Business Workshop (AM)
21: Legal & Financial Basics
22: Listening to Your Business
23: How to Write a Business Plan Workshop (AM)
30: Small Business Loan Workshop
The Web site address for Oakland County Planning & Economic Development Services Workshops is
www.oakgov.com/peds/calendar.