2007-2008 Season
Our low cost workshops and free seminars provide useful, practical small business information on a variety of topics important to your business.

Download our workshop schedule for details

Note: Workshops marked as DONE
will probably be offered next season. Watch this site for details.

Special new workshop in the Business and Bagels Series Thursday, July 24th 7:30 to 8:30am

NON TRADITIONAL SALES STRATEGIES - FREE
Our Special guest speaker:
Gene D'Agostino, Vice President of TEM Associates

Rowayton Library, 33 Highland Ave. Rowayton
  • Learn how to take control of sales calls….how to deal with “No” and “I want to think it over” and other fresh approaches to closing the sale.

SELLING CAN BE LEARNED! - $25 DONE

St. Luke's Church, Darien Tuesday, May 13th 6pm to 9pm
  • How every person is “selling” something almost all the time.
  • 99% of successful salespeople were trained and not “born” that way
  • Using questions and “active listening” to discover the prospect's needs
  • Easy ways to “ask for the order”
  • Turn yourself into a “consultant” to the client
  • How outstanding customer service will keep customers coming back
SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - Free DONE
Westport Library
Thursday, May 22nd 6:00-8:30pm

  • Grants and facilitating for high tech business innovators.
    Merrie London, CT Small Business Innovation Research
  • Small Business Administration business resources and loan process
    Hugh Curley, CT Small Business Administration
  • Connecticut bid website and set aside procedures
    Meg Yetishevsky, CT Department of Administrative Services
  • How SCORE offices can help coordinate small business relationships
    Fairfield County and Greater Bridgeport SCORE Chapters
BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT - Free DONE
The Greenwich Library Tuesday, June 3rd 6:30pm-8:30pm
  • Determining your success potential
  • Define and market the services you could offer
  • Learn the art of pricing consulting services
  • Develop winning proposals
  • Learn how to manage and keep your clients
SCORE NETWORKING EXPO CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 465 Riverside Avenuem Westport

Tuesday, June 10th 5pm-7pm

  • Showcase your business at our own Expo
  • Practice how to best display your business
  • Practice your sales techniques
  • Network with other SCORE clients and learn what they do

STRATEGIES FOR BUYING / SELLING A BUSINESS - $25

UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Wednesday, July 16th 9am-noon

If you're a buyer:

  • Find a profitable business
  • Find money to buy a going business Set the purchase price
  • Determine a purchase price Market the business to find buyers
  • Complete due diligence Structure the deal

If you're a seller:

  • Prepare your business for sale
  • Set the purchase price
  • Market the business to find buyers
  • Structure the deal

CREATING AND UPDATING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN - $25 DONE

UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, September 8th 9am-noon
Your Business Plan = Your Idea, You, Your Finances

You will learn:

  • How to make it short and simple.
  • How to research your market, assess your strengths.
  • Why understanding cash flow is vital.
  • Make your mistakes on paper where they don't cost you money.
MARKETING PLANS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS - $25 DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, September 15th 9am-noon DONE

Learn how to successfully use the 5 P's:

  • Product—Match your products/services with what customers want.
  • Positioning—Define what business you are in and its point of difference.
  • Pricing—Optimize customer value given quality, positioning, competition, profit objectives
  • Place—Identify your sales channel. Is it personal service, a store, eCommerce?
  • Promotion—Achieve initial customer awareness and eventually customer loyalty.
FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS - $25 DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Tuesday, October 16th 6pm-9pm

Before looking for money:

  • Prepare yourself and your business
  • Write your Business Plan
  • Know how banks look at your credit history

Where to look for money:

  • Home Equity Loans
  • F & F (Family & Friends), Loans and Gifts
  • Banks, Government Agencies
BUSINESS TOOLS ONLINE - Free DONE
Rowayton Library, 33 Highland Avenue, Rowayton, CT Thursday, October 18 7:30 to 8:30am
  • A Guide to some Useful Online Data Bases for Small Businesses
    Breakfast and Bagels
MARKETING FOR INCREASED PROFITS - Free DONE
East Norwalk Business Association at East Norwalk Library, 51 Van Zant St. East Norwalk Thursday, November 8th 6:30-8:30pm Registration 6:00pm
  • 11 Key Lessons of Marketing
  • 7 Steps to Avoid in Setting up Your Web Site
  • Pricing
NETWORKING - $25 DONE
St. Luke's Church, Darien Saturday, November 10th 9am-noon
  • The single best way to find customers.
  • Who, how, where, when and why.
  • Do's and Don'ts
  • Taking away excuses.
SUCCESSION AND EXIT PLANNING - $25 DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, December 8th 9am-noon

As a small business owner, you need to plan ahead.
A professional business broker, tax attorney, specialty banker and experienced business people will help you understand your options.

• Succession-family members or employee/insider
• Sell your business-a professional business broker will discuss how to
prepare your business for sale
• How to pay yourself 1st. Family 2nd and IRS 3rd
• Maximize and preserve your assets with tips from a specialty banker
• There is life after retirement. Planning ahead will take you where
you want to go.

CREATING AND UPDATING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN - $25DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, January 12, 2008 9am-noon
Your Business Plan = Your Idea, You, Your Finances

You will learn:
How to make it short and simple.
How to research your market, assess your strengths.
Why understanding cash flow is vital.
Make your mistakes on paper where they don't cost you money.

BUYING A WINNING FRANCHISE - Free DONE
Westport Library, 20 Jessup Rd, Westport
Wednesday, January 30th 6:00 - 8:30pm

Keld Alstrup - Franchise Expert
A Panel of Established Franchisees will talk about their business

BEST SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT PRACTICES:
A GUIDE TO AVOIDING SOME CREDIT PITFALLS - Free DONE
Rowayton Library, 33 Highland Avenue, Rowayton
Thursday, January 31st 7:30 - 8:30am

Speaker: Frank Wey, Credit Management Expert and SCORE Counselor

E-COMMERCE—RETAIL WEBSITES AND SEARCH ENGINES - $25 DONE
Washington Mutual Bank, 55 Westport Avenue, Norwalk
(opposite Stew Leonards)
Monday, February 11th 6pm-9pm

Featured speakers include Cliff Ennico and successful eCommerce Entrepreneurs

Topics to be covered:
• Getting started on eBay
• Legal and other considerations of doing Internet business
• Building your business with the Internet
• Getting a web presence-Rent it, Build it Yourself, or Hire a Pro
• Setting website goals and optimize results
• How to monitor, manage and keep your website current
• Know your website cost and determine if it's worth it

FEDERAL INCOME TAXES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES - Free DONE
Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield
Wednesday February 20th 7:00pm -9pm

Our Expert Speaker: Joseph S. McCarthy, CPA
He will cover:

• Federal Tax Issues facing the small business owner
• Pitfalls and government tax penalties to avoid
• What books and records to keep
• How to minimize encounters with the IRS

STARTING AND BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CHILD CARE BUSINESS - Free DONE
Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield
Tuesday, February 26th
NOTE: CHANGE IN START TIME
Registration at 6:30pm Program from 7:00-8:30pm

Learn about:
Where your resources are to start or grow your day care business
• State of Connecticut licensing procedures
• How Infoline information can help you find answers
• The Saugatuck Outreach Nutrition Program and other programs for day care providers

• Where to get money to help fund your business
• Small business planning for your business

MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS - $25 DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, March 15th 9am-noon

Business does not run by itself. You need to learn how to manage, or hire others to manage:

  • Time
  • Money
  • Employees or sub-contractors
  • Customer Relations
  • Technology can be very helpful. You need to learn where to use it to best advantage.
USING QUICKBOOKS TO HELP MANAGE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS - Free DONE
Wilton Library
Tuesday, April 1 6:30-8:30pm
STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS - $25 DONE
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Saturday, April 19th 9am to noon

Before you quit your day job answer these questions:

  • Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
  • Which is right for you? Sole Proprietor, LLC, S Corp, C Corp
  • Do you need legal help?
  • Why you need a business plan
  • What is cash flow and why is it important?
  • How would a banker look at your business?
SELLING CAN BE LEARNED! - $25
St. Luke's Church, Darien Tuesday, May 13th 6pm to 9pm

Details to Come

SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - Free
Westport Library
May 22nd 6:00-8:30pm
BECOMING AN INDEPENDANT CONSULTANT - Free
The Greenwich Library Tuesday, June 3rd 6:30pm-8:30pm
  • Determining your success potential
  • Define and market the services you could offer
  • Learn the art of pricing consulting services
  • Develop winning proposals
  • Learn how to manage and keep your clients
SCORE NETWORKING EXPO
Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, Westport Tuesday, June 10th 5pm-7pm
  • Showcase your business at our own Expo
  • Practice how to best display your business
  • Practice your sales techniques
  • Network with other SCORE clients and learn what they do
STRATEGIES FOR BUYING / SELLING A BUSINESS - $25
UCONN Stamford MBA Campus Wednesday, July 16th 9am-noon

If you're a buyer:

  • Find a profitable business
  • Find money to buy a going business Set the purchase price
  • Determine a purchase price Market the business to find buyers
  • Complete due diligence Structure the deal

If you're a seller:

  • Prepare your business for sale
  • Set the purchase price
  • Market the business to find buyers
  • Structure the deal

Download our workshop schedule

Fairfield County SCORE | 24 belden Ave, Norwalk CT 06850
Phone: 203 847 7348 | Fax: 203 948 9308 | score41@aol.com