New Online Course Introduced for Native American Small Business Owners

WASHINGTON – Native American entrepreneurs have a new tool to help determine if they’re ready for business ownership and to help them get started.  Native American Small Business Primer: Strategies for Success is a free, self-paced online business course developed for Native American business owners.  The course provides an overview of basic business principles and  makes them aware of the programs and services available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Native American Small Business Primer: Strategies for Success will enhance the agency’s effort to provide important resources for emerging Native American entrepreneurs,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills.  “Our ultimate goal is to help create jobs and stimulate economic and business development in our Native American communities. This course is an essential business development tool for the entrepreneur’s toolbox.”

The new online course: emphasizes business planning and market research as essential steps to take before going into business; informs Native American entrepreneurs about the legal aspects of starting a business, including the type of ownership (legal structure) and licensing; and provides key information on seed money for starting up, raising capital, and borrowing money.  In addition, there is a section on how to estimate business start-up costs that can help assess the financial needs of going into business.

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SCORE Live Webinar: The Easy Business Plan

The Easy Business Plan, Featuring Richard Hall, SCORE Mentor and Author
A FREE, LIVE Webinar Presented by SCORE  Thursday, 12/15 at 1pm ET/ 10am PT
Learn how how easy it can be to create your own business model and business plan to help you start and grow your small business. Register Now for this Free, LIVE SCORE Webinar!  Join us for our latest FREE, LIVE SCORE webinar, The Easy Business Plan, on Thursday, December 15 at 1:00 PM ET/ 10:00am PT.

Richard Hall, SCORE Mentor and author of four books on business planning, will provide business planning models and concepts compiled from his books on strategic planning.  He will offer practical tips and ideas that you can apply to solve your problems right now. By attending this webinar, you will get some new ideas about tools and techniques that can help you with this helpful, business tool.

Join us to learn how to develop your business plan.  On this webinar we’ll review:

  • How to create and manage your business plan & strategies – whether you’re just starting your business or are ready to grow.
  • Methods for outlining the changes you desire and planning how to initiate them for your own advantage.
  • How to plan for both positive and negative changes that will occur over which you may have little-to-no control.

 Register Now for The Easy Business Plan 

 All webinar participants will receive a link to the recording and a copy of the presentation!

Early in his career, Richard was an executive with a large, international telecommunications company.  He has worked in a number of roles including customer service, information systems development & implementation, and business & strategic planning – including the development of new strategic planning methodologies. Subsequently, he was a senior business consultant for two international information technology companies. Later he started his own consulting business with a focus on small business startups. He has been a SCORE mentor for 15 years and has written four small business planning books, the latest of which is the basis for the Entrepreneur software available free on his website, FreeBizPlanSoftware.com.  This site is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs effectively plan using practical “nuts and bolts, how-to-do-it” business planning tools.

 

SBA/Agility Webinar for May Features Hurricane Forecast, Preparedness Tips

WASHINGTON – The devastating effects of a hurricane extends beyond the coastal areas where the storms land.  In recent years, we’ve seen how the impact of storm surge—which is the indirect damage from water and flying debris—inflicts collateral damage on small businesses in a surprisingly widespread area.

The 2011 Mid-Atlantic Hurricane season begins June 1. Is your business prepared for a possible shutdown on the heels of the infrastructure collapse that usually follows a major storm?   Get tips on protecting your customers, employees and your investment during a free webinar on May 17 at 2 p.m. EDT.  Hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration, the webinar will feature Weather Services International Senior Meteorologist Ben Papandrea, who will present the 2011 Hurricane Season forecast. Paul Sullivan, a vice president for Agility Recovery Solutions, will share best practices towards preparing your company for disasters.

SBA has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions to offer business continuity strategies for entrepreneurs via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website. Visit www.preparemybusiness.org to access previous webinars and for more preparedness tips.

Since 1953, the SBA has provided more than $48 billion in disaster recovery funds to 1.9 million homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes in the form of low-interest loans. To learn more about the disaster assistance program, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

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SBA and Agility Recovery Solutions to Host Small Business Disaster Recovery Year-In-Review Webinar

WASHINGTON – Small business owners can participate in a discussion on the major disaster events that caused business interruptions in 2010 during a free webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 15, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery Solutions.

In addition to looking back at the most unusual event—the BP oil spill—the hour-long discussion will include a summary of lessons learned, tips on how to prepare for unforeseen catastrophes and new trends influencing business continuity planning.

Disaster Recovery Year-in-Review: A Retrospective on Events that Shaped Business Continuity in 2010 will start at 2 p.m. EST.

SBA has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions to offer business continuity strategies for small business owners via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website. Visit www.preparemybusiness.org to access previous webinars and for more preparedness tips.

Since 1953, the SBA has provided more than $48 billion in disaster recovery assistance to 1.9 million homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes in the form of long-term, low-interest loans.  For more information about the disaster loan program, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

WHO: SBA, Agility Recovery Solutions

WHAT: The Disaster Recovery Year-in-Review: A Retrospective on Events that Shaped Business Continuity in 2010 webinar will include presentations by  representatives from SBA’s office of disaster assistance and Agility Recovery Solutions, followed by a question and answer session.

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