Business Development Center
Small Business & Technology Development Center Seminars
The Schoolcraft College SBTDC offers a number of classes and workshops catering to the needs of entrepreneurs. Many one-day seminars are held at Schoolcraft College for a minimal fee.
Reservations are required for all seminars. To reserve your seat for a seminar, use the contact information listed under the seminar description. Questions may be directed to the SBTDC at inforeq@schoolcraft.edu or (734) 462-4438.
Note: During inclement weather, seminars will be cancelled if Schoolcraft College closes. Tune to your local news station for information on college closings.
Seminar list:
- 5 Keys to Successful Financial Planning for Small Business
- Entrepreneur Series
- Working for Yourself: The Ins & Outs of Becoming a Contractor, a Consultant, or other Services Provider
- Financing Roundtables presented by TEAM SBA
- Women's Business Enterprise Certification Seminar
5 Keys to Successful Financial Planning for Small Business
A workshop to help even the non-financial business owner achieve “Fiscal Fitness”, this state-wide training program is designed to help business owners strengthen financial literacy and improve the ability to access capital needed to grow. Topics discussed include identifying problems using your balance sheet and income statement, providing ways to increase your company's cash flow, using breakeven analysis to improve decision-making, planning working capital to support your growth; and how to keep your banker on your side. Fifth Third Bank clients, please contact the MI-SBTDC office for scholarship information (734) 462-4438.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these directions to register.
- Tuesday, May 4 or Wednesday, August 4, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
- $25 per person
Entrepreneur Series
Starting a Business
As an introductory session delivered in a workshop format, the course helps aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company, as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products. The basics of business ownership are introduced, along with resources available to help launch new ventures in Michigan.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Wednesday, June 9, July 14, or August 11, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:30am - 12:30pm
- $30 per person
- Wednesday, May 26, June 23, July 28, or August 25, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $30 per person
Writing a Business Plan
Designed for individuals who want to increase their chances for successful self-employment, the course, covers business planning in detail. Specifics of marketing and finance, legal and regulatory issues, operations, and information based planning and management are key components of the workshop. The first steps for creating a business plan draft will be included along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Wednesday, May 19, or July 21, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:30am - 12:30pm
- $40 per person
- Wednesday, June 16, or August 18, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $40 per person
Marketing Your Business
The course presents practical applications of marketing concepts designed to help small businesses grow. It covers basic marketing tools including market analysis and research, target marketing, assessing competitors, and key marketing implementation tools. A strategic, well planned approach to marketing is demonstrated with several examples of effective hands-on marketing techniques.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Thursday, May 20, June 17, July 22, or August 19, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $40 per person
Business Legal Issues
The course is an introduction to the different types of legal entities that are appropriate for structuring and starting a new business. Tax and liability issues are covered, along with basic elements of a contract, collections, licenses, registrations, employment and property issues, leasing and insurance. The course is designed to guide prospective business owners in setting up the organizational structure that will help protect them from unnecessary legal challenges.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Tuesday, May 25, or July 27, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:30am - 12:30pm
- $40 per person
- Tuesday, June 22, or August 24, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $40 per person
Finance
As an introductory seminar, the course covers the basics of financial management, including how to start an accounting system and how to apply the information from key financial statements to help you manage your business. Accounting language including debits and credits, preparation of the balance sheet and profit & loss statement are explained. Cash flow analysis and breakeven are also covered with specific small business examples.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Thursday, May 27, or July 29, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:30am - 12:30pm
- $40 per person
- Thursday, June 24, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $40 per person
Working for Yourself: The Ins and Outs of Becoming a Consultant, a Contractor, or other Service Provider
Are you an experienced professional with valuable-defined skill sets, looking for a new career avenue? Think about taking your expertise and becoming an independent consultant, a contractor, or a service provider. Explore the steps to form your business (LLC or other), market yourself and your services, create an action-oriented business plan, and define your client engagement. Take away from your experience, a 1-2 page action-business plan to help you start, build and sustain a successful service-oriented business.
Registration for the following dates begins April 9, 2010. Use these instructions to register.
- Tuesday, June 15, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:30am - 12:30pm
- $40 per person
- Tuesday, May 18, or July 20, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- $40 per person
Financing Roundtables presented by TEAM SBA
Before you apply for a business loan, first attend a free financing roundtable. We will debunk the myths and demystify the process of small business financing. The “team” is a banker, an SBA representative, an SBA business counselor, and business owners like you. You will get first hand information on what credit criteria your banker has. The team will answer all of your financing questions and give you advice on what steps to take to achieve your goal of starting or expanding a business. We will explain how the SBA loan guarantee can work for you. The roundtables are best suited for those who have good credit, a solid business idea, and some money to invest in the business.
For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.misbtdc.net/center.aspx?center=39097&subloc=0
- Wednesday, May 26, or Friday, August 27, 2010
- 9:00am - 12:00pm
- Free of charge
Women's Business Enterprise Certification Seminar
The Michigan Women’s Business Council invites women business owners to learn what it means to be certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise. If you have a product or service that you would like to market to American corporations, here is your chance to explore certification. In the seminar, attendees will learn:
- What is involved in the certification process
- How to complete the application package
- How to become part of a national database of certified women business enterprises
- If you will benefit from being certified
- Other resources available for small business
The Michigan Women’s Business Council is the Michigan certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a national, certifying body recognized by major American corporations. The Michigan Women’s Business Council is a program of the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development (CEED), an SBA Women’s Business Center.
For more information or to register, please call CEED at (734) 677-1400.
- Thursday, August 12, 2010
- Held at Schoolcraft College
- 9:00am - 11:00am
- $25 per person