 |
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
|
| 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
|
