Starting a small business also covered
The Small Business Resource Center in Savannah will host a three-hour workshop, “Starting a Business,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19. The workshop will focus on what needs to be done before starting a business, the traits of successful entrepreneurs, market research, legal structures for businesses, start-up costs and cash-flow projections, financing alternatives, failure factors and business planning.
The event will be held at the center, 111 E. Liberty St. The cost is $69 per person, which includes class materials. Special pricing is available for two or more people attending together.
The workshop is co-sponsored by the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center and SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business.
A pre-paid registration is required no later than Tuesday, Aug. 17. To register and pay by credit card, go to www.georgiasbdc.org/ce/savannah. For more information, call the University of Georgia SBDC at 912-651-3200.
Jessica Byck, micro business finance associate for the Small Business Assistance Corporation, will discuss methods for securing financing for small businesses. The workshop will be in the Savannah room on the second floor of Savannah Tech’s Goodman Hall, 5717 White Bluff Road.
“Whether you’re just starting out and looking at the options or if you’re established and wanting to expand your financing, this workshop has something to offer,” said Brendan Ferrara, head of the the college’s marketing and hospitality programs. “Many of our students want to be entrepreneurs, so bringing this information to them while they’re enrolled helps to clarify their thinking about career paths.”
Topics to be covered include the risks and rewards of small business ownership, components of a business plan, loan application evaluation and potential pitfalls to avoid.
SBAC is a specialized, nonprofit business development organization licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and supported by the city of Savannah and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to promote economic growth.
Byck is responsible for the production of small business loans in Liberty, Bryan, Bulloch and Effingham counties. She also represents the SBAC at community outreach events and participates in seminars to help small businesses, banking institutions and chambers of commerce.
Micro businesses, home-based businesses and service businesses are the fastest-growing segments of the economy. According to the Association for Enterprise Learning in Chicago, these businesses added more that 2.5 million jobs to the economy during the past two years.