Small Business - rccc.edu · PDF filefor entrepreneurship. ... Small business owners can encounter a number of unexpected legal ... hands-on 3-hour workshop to create your own business

LARRY FRANKLINOwner

Xquisite Barber Studio, LLC

SPRING 2017SMALL BUSINESS CENTER

SMALL BUSINESS COURSES & SEMINARS

SMALL BUSINESS COURSES & SEMINARS | SPRING 2017

Seminars | FREE and open to the public

Larry Franklin opened Xquisite Barber Studio, LLC in the Winecoff Commons Shopping Center in the fall of 2015. Today he has two fulltime barbers and two part-time hair stylists. His growth isn’t surprising since he brought with him three important keys to business success when he moved to Cabarrus County from Baltimore a few years ago: experience as a master barber, education, and a passion for entrepreneurship. What he didn’t have was knowledge on starting a business in North Carolina and some needed start-up funds. To gather the missing pieces, Franklin attended the Small Business Center’s (SBC) Resource Fair held in 2013 and there discovered the SBC’s free counseling services. He made a counseling appointment and became a regular client.

“The counselor helped me with every step. We first fine-tuned my business plan and then discussed the logistics and legal work to open a business. Since I was seeking funding, she helped me put together a loan package and referred me to several bankers” he says. The result was that Franklin was able to receive the funds he needed to

Small Business SPOTLIGHT

Website Design: How to Get Your Customer’s AttentionYou have only three seconds to capture your customer’s attention, so how your business website looks is even more important than the words. Learn how to use those first few seconds the right way. Web designer Rachel Woods gives you quick and easy actionable steps to transform your website into one that draws. Discover the dos and don’ts of flow, pages, apps, visuals, clutter and more. 1/12 TH 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 92815/16 T 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

Keys to a Strong Brand on Social MediaSocial media is taking branding to a whole new level. Join LaMonte Bird as he teaches you how to create a strong brand and then the best ways to use social media to establish and promote your brand.1/18 W 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

Low Cost Online Marketing for Business OwnersEnergize your marketing efforts by attracting more potential customers through the power of the internet. If you’re confused about where to begin with internet marketing, or want to make sure your business is found online, plan to attend this seminar with Lisa Perry. This session is designed for new business owners and those with little experience with online marketing.1/25 W 7:00– 8:30 p.m. Midland Town Hall6/1 TH 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

How to Start a BusinessUnderstand the basics of starting a business in this seminar that takes you from idea to opportunity. Learn key strategies for start-up, financing and marketing as well as important information about legal issues, licensing, zoning, operations and more. Realize the importance of a self-assessment and how to evaluate the feasibility of your business idea. Discover the resources available to help you start and successfully operate your business. 1/30 M 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 92816/6 T 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. RCCC @ NC Research Campus Rm. 236

How to Market Your Facebook Business PageA Facebook business page can be a powerful marketing tool for a small business, but if few people know your page exists, it’s not going to do much good. Avalin Inman returns with tons of tips on how to draw more people to your page, how to keep them coming back and techniques to make it easy for them to spread the word to their friends and other contacts.2/2 TH 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. RCCC @ NC Research Campus Rm. 115

Legal Issues for Small Business OwnersSmall business owners can encounter a number of unexpected legal headaches, whether just starting a business or as an experienced business owner. Find out how to avoid some common legal pitfalls. Have your legal questions answered by an attorney in this special session sponsored by the Women’s Business Center of Charlotte.2/9 TH 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

open the business. Today his customers range from children to seniors and despite being a busy business owner, he continues to seek ways to grow by attending Small Business Center seminars.

Business Funding Lunch & LearnNeed money to start or grow your business? Discover the funding options available through the Carolina Small Business Development Fund (formerly the Support Center). You’ll walk through the application process required by many lending institutions and learn how to complete the financial spreadsheets. The Carolina Small Business Development Fund is one of only a few lenders that funds start-ups. Lunch is provided.2/16 TH Noon-1:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Business Start-Up on a Tight BudgetNot all businesses require a lot of cash to get started. The type of business and the way you start it can make a big difference. Popular presenter Mike Collins returns to share how to start a business when you don’t have a lot of cash.2/21 T 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4213

Create a Vision for Your BusinessGet excited about your business in 2017. Attend this dynamic, hands-on 3-hour workshop to create your own business vision board. Discover ways to ignite a business passion, set doable goals and persue the business of your dreams. Join life coach Niesha Diggs in this motivational session. 2/23 TH 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Develop Your Marketing PlanWhen it comes to marketing, small business owners run the risk of wasting time and money on tactics that don’t work or yield little results. That’s why a well thought out plan for how you will advertise, use social media, do PR, network and spend on events is so important. Marketing expert Sherré DeMao takes you through the steps for creating a solid marketing plan. 2/27 M 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 42135/10 W 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr.Rm. 9286

Share Your Sandbox: Developing Alliances with Other OrganizationsCommunity collaborations—that’s one of the key elements investors look for when considering funding a venture. Learn how to view similar businesses or organizations as potential partners rather than competitors. Grant funding expert Mandy Pearce returns to share fundamental concepts for understanding, developing and maintaining strategic partnerships that will help ensure your long-term success.3/2 TH 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Seminars | FREE and open to the public

How to Find and Work With WholesalersFinding the right products for your retail business takes some skill and plenty of research. Explore the important steps for finding the wholesaler or distributor that will be best for your business. Discover the available resources, learn what questions to ask, how to negotiate discounts, returns and more. This is an important seminar for anyone planning an online or brick and mortar retail business.3/21 T 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9286

From Idea to Store Shelves(See box item with Hipstik Legwear creator Laura McGuire)3/23 TH 6:00 – 8:00 pm Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Finding Your Target Customers You’ve identified your ideal customers. Now it’s time to find them. Learn how to zero in on your target market using the huge amounts of data stored on websites. Discover how to use key words, active forums, groups, analytic sites, as well as traditional research tools. Get more from your marketing efforts.3/30 TH 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

Fundraising for Your NonprofitFundraising is a needed skill for many nonprofits as support from traditional sources shrinks. If you’re looking for additional sources of funds to support your mission, this special 3-hour seminar is for you. Mandy Pearce teaches you the primary elements of fundraising, compares the types of fundraising to an organization’s needs, and provides best practices. 4/4 T 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. RCCC @ NC Research Campus Rm. 115

Start a Consulting BusinessYou have a particular expertise. Why not turn your knowledge into a rewarding business? As large corporations continue to outsource certain tasks or seek best practices, consulting has emerged as a multi-billion dollar industry. Discover what you have to offer and how to turn your knowledge and skills into a marketable enterprise. Find out how to get started, needed qualifications, how to organize your business, ways to get clients and helpful resources. Consulting is one of the most popular small businesses today. If you’ve thought about it, this seminar is for you.4/11 T 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Please reserve a seat at www.rccc.edu/sbc to receive event reminders and any location updates.

Planning to Start a Business?Need Help with your Current

Business?Confidential one-on-one counseling is available at no cost.

Schedule an appointment at www.rccc.edu/sbc

Understand Your Financial StatementsEven if you’re not a “numbers person,” knowing the basics about financial statements can help you make sound business decisions. Learn how to read the common financial statements and which numbers to pay close attention to. Also discover how to build your financial story. This is an important seminar for new and existing business owners.4/18 T 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4213

Protecting Your Business Ideas:What You Should Know About Intellectual PropertyYour brain power is worth a lot. Whether you’ve come up with an invention or have a clever name, product, or even a cool logo, your creativity (intellectual property) might be worth protecting. Maybe you have hopes of selling your ideas and want to keep them from being stolen! Attorney Marjorie Benbow helps you understand the ins and outs of intellectual property, the difference between patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, and the steps you can take to protect what you have. 4/19 W 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

How to Write a Business PlanA business plan can be the most important tool a small business owner has. Learn how to turn your ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. This seminar teaches you the important components of a business plan and helps you lay the foundation for a winning plan. Find out how marketing, operations, and finance are interrelated. Discover how a business plan is used by potential lenders, the dos and don’ts of writing a plan and steps for making the process easy. This seminar is designed for new and established business owners. 5/2 T 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Basics of BookkeepingGain a workable knowledge of how to properly record financial transactions for your business. Discover the three most important financial reports and how to use them to make the best-informed business decisions. If you’re a new business owner or need a refresher on the basics of accounting, this seminar is designed for you.5/8 M 6:30-8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

How to Set Up and Use a Facebook Business PageEffectively using Facebook can be like word-of-mouth marketing on steroids. However, the popular social media platform continues to evolve, especially for business owners. If you don’t have a Facebook business page, this seminar walks you through the steps. You’ll also learn how to get the most from Facebook and find out about recent changes. This seminar is designed for the social media novice and will be held in a computer lab.5/24 W 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9206

Your Small Business TaxesGain a solid understanding of taxes required for small business owners and develop the best tax strategy for your business. Become familiar with the latest tax forms and procedures for both state and federal taxes. Discover how everyday business decisions can have tax implications that can affect your bottom line. This seminar is important for both new and experienced business owners.6/8 TH 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. North Campus Rm. 4204

Seminars | FREE and open to the public

Please reserve a seat at www.rccc.edu/sbc to receive event reminders and any location updates.

Meet Charlotte area resident Laura McGuire, creator of Hipstik Legwear, LLC. Hipstik has been described as a revolutionary type of hosiery that addresses the most common complaints women have about fashion tights.

Hear Laura’s story of how she came up with the idea and the steps to get Hipstik on store shelves and sold online. Discover the production process, resources that helped and challenges of going from an idea to the marketplace. If you’re a small business owner or planning to start a business, you won’t want to miss this seminar!

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Thursday, March 23,6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Please register at www.rccc.edu/sbc

Please reserve a seat at www.rccc.edu/sbc to receive event reminders and any location updates.

Courses | Cost effective training for small business owners

Agripreneur Workshop Series Fee waived

Turn your interest in growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and other crops into a sustainable agricultural-based business. This four-part series will use the REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship Through Action Learning) Ag-Entrepreneurship curriculum to teach you how to make money from your harvest. Gain insights on the marketing of your product. Hear about current issues facing small agribusinesses. Understand rules and regulations and learn about funding options and other resources. The series will include real-world scenarios and hands-on activities.

Tuesdays in February CLASS 1 - Exploring Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Business Planning (Self-Assessment · Community Analysis · Feasibility)

CLASS 2 – Market Research and the Marketing Plan

CLASS 3 – Business Operations (Legal Structure · Operating Procedures · Taxes, Licenses & Insurance ·Key People · Roles and Responsibilities)

CLASS 4 – Business Financials (Breakeven Analysis · Cash Flow · Enterprise Budget)

2/7 – 2/28 T 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Cabarrus Business & Tech. Ctr. Rm. 9281

Finish QuickBooks® Fast in these 2-day sessions!QuickBooks Pro® 2015 Level 1 $70.00

Simplify your accounting functions with this easy to use, valuable business tool. QuickBooks has become the software of choice for many small business owners. In this two-day class you’ll learn how to set up your company with a chart of accounts, receive payments, pay bills, track cash sales, create invoices, make deposits, write checks and more. ( Please Note: Purchase the required textbook “QuickBooks Pro 2015 Level 1” from the South Campus Bookstore prior to class) 5/16 & 5/18 T/TH 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. South Campus Rm. 2206

QuickBooks Pro® 2015 Level 2 $70.00

Expand your QuickBooks knowledge in this second-level course. In this two-day session you’ll learn how to use features such as forms, reports, graphs, job costing, inventory, and other functions. Come with your QuickBooks questions. This class is for those who have taken Level 1 or have a basic knowledge of QuickBooks.( Please Note: Purchase the required textbook “QuickBooks Pro 2015 Level 2” from the South Campus Bookstore prior to class) 6/6 & 6/8 T/TH 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. South Campus Rm. 2206

QuickBooks registration: www.rccc.edu Click WebAdvisor/Students/Register and Pay for Continuing Education Classes

Or call 704-216-7222 for more information

Business owners, balance your life with cost-effective

personal enrichment classes

CLASSES INCLUDE:American SignLanguage

How to Use Your Digital Camera

PhotoshopElements

Yoga (Beginning and Power)

CakeDecorating

CoreStability

Motorcycle

→ The Rowan-Cabarrus Personal Enrichment Program offers short-term courses in self-improvement, cultural enrichment, and academic achievement for adults at a variety of times and locations to meet your schedule. Take a class with your family or friends and enjoy learning new skills together.

→ Visit the program website to see all of our current offerings and check back often to see which classes will pique your interest. Also, feel free to provide us with your suggestions for which classes we should offer in the future, using the class suggestion form online. We welcome your input and invite you to participate in any courses which interest you!

→www.rccc.edu/enrichment

Please register soon, as class size is limited! Call 704-216-RCCC (7222) or register online through WebAdvisor (go to WebAdvisor, click “Students,” then “Register and Pay for Continuing Education Classes”).

Free seminars are sponsored by the Small Business Center Network of the North Carolina Community College System and supported by these local partners:

North Campus: 1333 Jake Alexander Blvd., S., Salisbury, N.C. RCCC@NCRC: 399 Biotechnology Lane, Kannapolis, N.C.

Cabarrus Bus. & Tech. Ctr.: 660 Concord Pkwy N., Concord, N.C. South Campus: 1531 Trinity Church Rd., Concord, N.C.

www.rccc.edu/sbc • 704-216-RCCC (7222)

Post Office Box 1595Salisbury, North Carolina 28145

Seminar Locations:

Visit www.rccc.edu/sbc