Simple Steps To Starting Your Business Workshop Session #1 "Are You An Entrepreneur?" 

The "Are You An Entrepreneur?" workshop is the first is a series of 5 sessions called "Simple Steps to Starting Your Business".

The economy continues to stagnate. Most experts predict a continued slow recovery without the rapid ramp-up seen in past recessions. Experts are also saying that the best way to restore the economy to vibrant growth is to "fuel" the engine of small business growth.

Let us look at some very encouraging small business statistics for 2008:

• Employ just over half of the country's private sector workforce
• Hire 40% of high tech workers, such as scientists, engineers and computer workers
• Include 52% home-based businesses and 2% franchises
• Represent 97.3% of all exporters of goods
• Represent 99.7% of all employer firms
• Generate a majority of the innovations that come from US companies

Consider these small business survival rates for 2008:

• There were 627, 200 new businesses; 595,600 business closures, and 43,546 bankruptcies
• 7 of 10 new employer firms survive at least 2 years; about half survive 5 years
• Findings do not differ greatly across industry sectors

Source: http://www.score.org/small_biz_stats.html

Simply put, business ownership is difficult and is challenging. Starting a business is not a decision that should be made without careful consideration or without a fundamental understanding of what it might take to reach the end goal!

Have you got a great business idea you would like to develop? Are you one of the "entrepreneurial minded" persons that could help stimulate local business growth? Do you feel you are ready to move forward? Find out what it takes in this workshop!

• About common start-up myths
• Types of business opportunities (buying a business, franchise, home based businesses, and non-profit businesses)
• How to assess your own entrepreneurial "readiness"
• About 3 main types of business organizations, regulations, and insurance
• Common sources of funding your business
• About the lender's view of funding your business vs. the borrower's view
• About the critical importance of managing your new businesses' cash flow
• What a marketing plan for your business includes
• About business planning and the importance of a business plan

If you have contemplated owning and operated your own business, and have been able to write a brief and clear business description, this SCORE workshop is for you. The above topics along with on-going mentoring from SCORE will likely help you further define and take your business to the point of launch.

If the thought of owning your own business has often crossed your mind, but you're really not sure what is involved in the process of operating a business, then this workshop is also for you.  You may find that business ownership is NOT for you.  Or you may suddenly realize that now is the time to focus on the business formation process and pursue it "full steam" ahead.  Either way you'll have benefited from the knowledge and experience shared in the workshop.

At the end of this workshop, you will the opportunity to continue with the full 5 workshop series.  See the 'Simple Steps' workshop page for details.  Watch a video on workshop Here.



Complete the form at the bottom of the Simple Steps to Starting Your Business Overview page.



This workshop will be facilitated by Vernon Wanner and SCORE volunteers.  These volunteers are experienced small business counselors and mentors with SCORE, and have held responsible corporate positions or have operated their own businesses.

| Simple Steps Overview & Registration | Session #1 | Session #2 | Session #3 | Session #4 | Session #5 | Session #6 | Video |