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Small Business Development Center

Seminar Descriptions

Essentials of Starting Your Own Business

Starting your own business? We highly recommend you attend this seminar. This practical workshop will help you avoid common pitfalls, evaluate your strengths & weaknesses, and the skills needed to succeed. Also, explore the initial paperwork, the assessment process, legal structures and the business plan.

Speaker: Grace Garcia, ASU • SBDC Training Specialist

The Business Plan: Your Roadmap to Success

Receive quick and easy tips for writing your business plan and recommendations from an expert on how to use your plan to obtain financing, focus ideas, identify specific business objectives, and chart and manage growth. You will Learn how to draft your own a cash flow projections and briefly review financial reports. You will receive a free sample of a completed Business Plan to take home.

Speaker: Paul Howard, ASU • SBDC, Small Business Development Specialist & Certified Business Advisor II

Financing Options for Your Business

Finding adequate financing to get a business started is a road block for many entrepreneurs. This seminar focuses on finding sources of financing for your startup or existing business. You will gain knowledge of the variety of resources for obtaining the financing you need for your business.

Speaker: Dave Erickson, ASU • SBDC Director and Certified Business Advisor IV

SBA Loans and Commercial Lending

This seminar will take the mystery out of SBA guaranteed loans, made through lenders such as banks. The seminar will explain how SBA loans work, what documents and information are required, and review the requirements to qualify for a SBA guaranteed loan. It will also explain commercial lending, how the process works, what lenders look for, and how you can improve your chances of qualifying for a commercial loan whether it is conventional or SBA guaranteed. Seminar taught by experienced SBDC Business Advisors and area bankers.

Speaker: Dave Erickson, ASU • SBDC Director and co-taught by a local banker

Understanding Financial Statements

Financial statements provide a snapshot of your business and are essential elements in obtaining financing and managing growth. During this seminar you will learn how to measure the financial condition of your business and how to use financial statement information to make better business decisions.

Speaker: Michael Anderson, CPA, Partner of Armstrong, Backus & Co., LLP

Understanding Sales Taxes

Topics covered will include completing tax returns, what is or isn't taxable, your responsibilities as a taxpayer, Comptroller services and publications. There will be a question and answer session. This seminar will help the taxpayer gain the knowledge to collect and accurately report the state sales tax and to maintain required records.

Speaker: Debbie Hamilton, Odessa Enforcement

Building a Website Like a Pro!

It's fun and it can even be FREE. The speaker, Cindy Jordan, has designed several websites and will share her free to low cost strategies and resources. In this seminar you will learn to market your services/products on-line by creating your own personal website. Having an internet presence can save you time and money while boosting your sales. This is a hands-on seminar so bring your saving device to save your work. You will learn the process on how to: Determine and purchase a URL and how to create your own personal website for under $100! Advance registration is required. Limited seating available. Cost is $25 per person.

Marketing 101: Defining Your Market

Your products or services are only as good as the number of people who buy them. Learn the basics of marketing: Identifying your target market, methods of reaching that target market, and how to identify marketing resources and tools.

Speaker: Pedro Ramirez, ASU • SBDC Business Development Specialist

How to Win Over Customers!

Learn how to identify who your customers are, internal and external. Learn about your customers' needs and how to fulfill them, communicate effectively, and provide excellent service to those customers. Learn new methods of addressing dissatisfaction and resolving complaints.

Speaker: Paul Howard, ASU • SBDC Small Business Development Center and CBA

IRS Tax Requirements

Getting accurate information on tax regulations can save any business large or small lots of stress, headaches and sometimes even money. This workshop will cover the different types of organizations and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Learn how to keep a good record system and determine how long to keep specific records. You will get familiar with federal tax forms; the deadlines for filing and what you can or cannot use as a business deduction.

Speaker: Dave Erickson, ASU • SBDC Director

The Role of the Supervisor

Today's supervisors are experiencing an ever-iincreasing rate of change along with fierce competition and a tight labor market. Developing good supervisory skills is crucial to managing effectively. Come and learn the various roles of an effective supervisor and how to balance them during this evening's session. Cost $25 per person. Please call Continuinig Studies to register at 942-2339. Make checks payable to Continuing Studies.

Speaker: Dave Erickson, ASU SBDC, Director and CBA IV

How to Patent Your Big Idea

Learn the basics of filing a patent for your invention. You will learn the difference between a provisional patent and a non-provisional patent. The seminar will be divided into two parts. The first part of the seminar will be presented by a patent attorney from Austin. The second part, same night, will be held in a computer lab where you will learn how to search the United State Patent and Trademark office website.

Speaker: Attorney from Jackson Walker Law Firm in Austin and Peggy Hodges, ASU SBDC Business Development Specialist

Veterans Patriot Express Loan Seminar

Are you ready to start or expand your business? The SBA's Patriot Express Initiative has new and enhanced programs and services for veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses. The new Patriot Express loan is offered by SBA's network of participating lenders nationwide and features our fastest turn around time for loan approvals. The loan can be used for most business purposes, including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory or business-occupied real-estate purchases. Patriot Express loan features the lowest interest rates for business loans, generally 2.25 percent to 4.75 percent over prime depending upon the size and maturity of the loan. Come and learn all the many benefits this program has to offer. SBA representatives will be on hand to answer any questions regarding this new service specially for veterans. More details to come!

Speaker:SBA Representatives, Goodfellow Representatives and SBDC staff members

Search Engine Optimization: Join us for this Informative Seminar!

During this informative seminar you will learn how to: drive increased traffic to your Website, discover how consumers are searching for your products/services, learn how to attract more qualified customers, identify factors that affect your search engine rankings,and maximize your bottom line by utilizing search technology. Cost: $50 per person

Speaker: NetWork Solutions Representative

The ABCs of Franchising

Covers all the basics elements of franchising including the advantages and disadvvantages of franchising and some myths surrounding this business venture. Learn how much franchises cost, financing consideratins and types of franchising available.

Speaker: Mark Todd

How to Build a Profitable E-Bay Business

Making money on the Internet has never been easier! Lean how to use EBAY...the #1 Internet auction site in the world to sell your products on-line and create an instant global store front. This workshop will instruct you on how to list products on EBAY. Discussion includes how images enhance selling power, the basics of shipping and the ease of using Pay Pal.

Speaker: Russell Altman, Assistant Director and Certified E-Bay Instructor, Texas Tech, Small Business Development Center in Abiliene

Good Credit Your Most Valuable Asset!

In this seminar you will learn the importance of good credit as it pertains to your personal and business goals. You will learn the process of establishing good credit, filing a dispute, and reporting credit fraud. Group activitiies will include reviewing sample credit reports and evaluating loan request scenarios for credit approval.

Speaker: Peggy Hodges, ASU SBDC Business Development Specialist and Grace Garcia, Training Coordinator

 

Choosing Your Legal Structure

This is one of the most important decisions you will make when starting a business. In this seminar you will get information about the advantages and disadvantages of sole proprietorships, partnerships, Corporations, S corporations, and LLC's. Know how to protect your personal assets and learn the tax and legal attributes of each structure.

Speaker: Samuel S. Allen, Partner, Jackson Walker, LLP.

QuickBooks Premiere Edition 2006

These workshops will introduce you to the basic features of QuickBooks and give you an opportunity for hands-on practice. Sessions include: Introduction to QuickBooks, the Basics of QuickBooks and Advance QuickBooks. Descriptions and dates of each session are provided below.

Advance registration is required. Cost is $20 in advance per session
Speaker: Paul Howard, ASU SBDC, Small Business Development Specialist & Certified Business Advisor II

Introduction to QuickBooks - $20

This seminar begins with the decisions you need to make before using QuickBooks. We’ll show you how to set-up your company profile and where to find needed information. In this Introduction you will go through the following three modules:

Getting Started: Setting Up:
Getting around in QuickBooks Creating a QuickBooks company
All the accounting you need to know Entering company information
Exiting QuickBooks Customizing QuickBooks for your business
Moving between company files Setting your business accounting
  Completing company file setup
Working with Bank Accounts: Getting help while using QuickBooks
Writing a QuickBooks check  
Using bank account registers  
Entering a handwritten check  
Transferring money between accounts  
Reconciling checking accounts  

QuickBooks Basics - $20

In this seminar you will learn to work with, and edit, the chart of accounts, focus on customer/vendor list, and a quick review of checking account registers & entries, and reconciling accounts. The lesson modules are as follows:

Working with Lists Using Other Accounts in QuickBooks
Chart of Accounts Credit cards
Adding customers, employees, & vendors Fixed Assets
Managing and customizing list  
   
Entering Sales Information Receiving Payments and making deposits
Sales forms Customer Payments
Invoices and statements Making deposits
Using bank account registers  
Entering a handwritten check  
Transferring money between accounts  
Reconciling checking accounts  

Advance QuickBooks - $20

Learn all about taxes and payroll in this seminar. You will gain knowledge on how to apply sales tax and determine payroll tax liabilities. You will also learn how to create forms and reports easily. Here’s what will be covered:
  • Entering and paying bills
  • Track and paying sales tax
  • Doing payroll with QuickBooks
  • Analyzing Financial Data

The Basics of Bookkeeping

Learn the importance of adequate recordkeeping for business survival. In this seminar you will explore the two main uses of financial data, the nine requirements of a record-keeping system and a detailed explanation of the basic steps in the accounting cycle.

Speaker: Patricia Affleck, Small Business Owner and Bookkeeper and President, for the Business Professional Women Association

Hiring, Managing and Maintaining Healthy Employees

This seminar will address issues such as proper ergonomic set-up and testing in the workplace, the importance of hiring healthy employees, and ways of reducing injury cost through pre-employment screenings (workSTEPS). Learn to reduce employee turnover and expedite employee return to work and more.

  • Ergonomic Assessment
    • Identifying common work station problem areas
    • implementing practical solutions for these areas
    • Prevention of problems through proper posture, proper work station set-up
    Speaker: Ruth Dodds, Certified Occupational Therapist
      • Ruth received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She has over 25 years of experience as an occupational therapist and continues to specialize in hand therapy and the fabrication of splints for hand injured patients.
  • Worksteps
    • Identifies individuals who do not meet job specific strengths
    • Provides employers with a pass/fail recommendation
    • Appropriately matches current and new employees to the physical demands of their jobs
    • Substantiates legitimate injury and disqualifies fraudulent claims
      • Speaker: Joseph a Kleinkort, M.A., Ph.D., P.T., C.L.., CEAS, DAAPM. Dr. Kleinfort frequently speaks at seminars and conferences throughout the world on industrial pain management and early return to work. He is an expert in injury management, inducstrial ergonomic internvention and case closure. REcently, he was nominated to serve on the Ergonomic Board for OSHA. Dr. Kleinkort has received numerous awards throughout his prestige career.

Sponsored by: The West Texas Rehab Center

The 10th Annual International Business Symposium: The Global Economy: Markets, Power Politics of World Trade: April 22, 9:30 p.m. - 11:00 a.m.

This year's symposium will take you on a fascinating, around-the-world journey to reveal the economic and political lessons from the life story of a simple t-shirt. Over five years, business professor Pietra Rivoli traveled from a Texas cotton field to a Chinese factory to a used clothing market in Africa, to investigate compelling questions about the politics, economics, ethics, and history of modern business and globalization. Using the story of the t-shirt to illustrate the major issues of the globalization debate, Dr. Rivoli will be uniquely entertaining and offer surprising, enlightening and a balanced look at one of the major topics of our time.

Speaker: Dr.Petra Rivoli - Dr. Rivoli's book "Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy" was published in 2005 and it has been a great success. In it she traces the value chain for West Texas Cotton across three continents. The book was listed as one of the best business books for 2005 by the Financial Times and others.

 

Business Opportunities in China and Mexico Seminar: April 22, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m

In the business environment, China has been a threat because of low cost and high labor availability. but also, china's huge market is an oportunity for possible business alliances. Mexico, in the middle, plays a role especially for the proximity of US market. Discussions about opportunities and threats related to China and Mexico are the main issues in this seminar.

Dr. Antonio Rios Ramirez, Speaker

Antonio Rios is Dean of Graduate, Research and Development of Monterrey Tech Chiluahua campus. Dr. Rio is member of the Decision Science Institute and president of the Mexico Chapter. Antonio Rios obtained the degree of PH.D. in Management with major in Operations Management and International Business at the ITESM and the University of Houston. he has consulted different businesses in Mexico and the United State in areas of operations management. He has participated as speaker in different seminars all around the world. Dr. Rios has published several articles in areas of leadership, international operations management.

 

Managing Your Cash Flow

Economic gardening is an innovative entrepreneur-centered economic development concept that offers a balance to the traditional economic practice of business recruitment. The three basic elements of gardening are:
  • Providing critical information needed by business to survive and thrive.
  • Developing and cultivating an infrastructure (quality of life, company culture, and access to intellectual resources).
  • Developing connections between businesses and the people and organizations that can help take them to the next level.

Speaker: Dave Erickson, ASU SBDC Director and Certified Business Advisor IV