San Francisco: SBA Classes Oct. 19-30
TRAINING AT SBA
The Small Business Administration offers a variety of classes for business owners in our Entrepreneur Center, located at 455 Market St., 6th Floor in downtown San Francisco. Registration for all our classes is required.
To register for classes, go to http://sbatraining.eventbrite.com/ For more information, please contact Gary Marshall at (415) 744 6771 or
The SBA training program is made possible by the generous support of our volunteer teachers and presenters. We appreciate their time and expertise; however, these presentations do not represent an endorsement of their views, opinions, products, or services by SBA. All SBA programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance. Contact: Gary Marshall at 415 744-6771.
From Kitchen to Market: Selling Your Specialty Foods 10/19 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM You have a specialty recipe you think the market would crave – BBQ sauce, homemade cookies or jams? How do you transition from your kitchen to the outside world? It pays to understand the huge specialty food industry as you maneuver through it. This class will focus on the planning and production process, contacts to help you get started, capitalization options, marketing strategies, the distribution network and more. You will receive a take home package with worksheets, resource guide and trend analyses. $30 registration fee. Sponsored by the SF SBDC. Twitter 101 for Business Owners 10/19 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service. Learn how using this popular system can enhance your marketing efforts.
Business Exits – the Good, Bad, and Ugly 10/19 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn from real-life stories of business owners that have been through successful and unsuccessful exits. Actual video interviews illustrate key opportunities and challenges you will face when selling or transferring your business, including related financial, estate and tax issues.
Restaurant Series: Checklist for Starting a Restaurant 10/19 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM We’ll discuss the specifics of opening and running a successful restaurant. Topics will include business plans, food and beverage vendors, market research, location, pricing strategies and operating plans. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Marketing: Building Awareness and Driving Sales 10/20 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Understand the fundamentals of marketing strategy and how good market planning can have a meaningful impact on your business. Learn how to develop a valuable and cost-effective marketing plan, execute the plan, and measure its effectiveness. We cover vital topics such as Pricing; Branding; Promotion; Internet Marketing; Positioning and Strategy; Lead Tracking. $35 registration fee in advance; or $40 day of event. For information, contact SCORE at (415) 744-6827.
Hire Smart with Less Risk 10/20 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM We’ll provide an overview of employment law and the relationship between employment law and applicable regulations such as ADEA, ADA, COBRA, ERISA, and many more. Trainees will learn hiring best practices including best use practices of employment firms for EEO/AA compliance.
Get More Clients in the Next 30 Days Than You Did In the Past 90 10/20 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn the basics of how to market your service business; how it differs from marketing products, why it is important to have a niche, how to create a compelling message about your services and various ways to achieve the critical function of networking and following up.
How to Manage Your Business and Your Stress 10/20 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Being a small business owner definitely has its stresses, particularly during these tough economic times, but it doesn’t have to be stress-FULL. Learn invaluable tools to successfully manage your stress and your business. Overcome procrastination frustration and become a more effective, focused and fulfilled business owner.
State Labor Law and Payroll Tax 10/21 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Jointly conducted by the Employment Development Department and the California state Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, this class will cover California recordkeeping and reporting requirements including employer obligations and payment requirements; common wage and hour laws; employer and employee rights and responsibilities. More information at (866) 873-6083, register at www.edd.ca.gov/taxsem
Effortless Selling 10/21 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Tired of spending tons of money on marketing and not getting results? In today’s economy, you can’t afford wasting time or money. Sales is the most direct way to increase your bottom line. Join us and learn: the 5 most effective sales techniques; the 3 things NEVER to do; the 1 piece of advice that will change your business forever.
QuickBooks Introduction 10/22 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM Learn the basics of this useful and flexible accounting & bookkeeping application. This overview will discuss setting-up, updating and maintaining customer, vendor, account, and other lists, running financial reports, and efficient procedures for entering your accounting data. Exercises include entering invoices, customer payments, deposits, bills, cash disbursements, and other transactions. Additional topics include setting-up budget, account statement reconciliation, bank reconciliation, and more. This is a hands-on workshop. Participants should have complete Basic Bookkeeping Part I or be familiar with the concepts covered in that workshop. $60 Registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Wholesaling Tips of the Trade 10/22 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn the smart way to run a wholesale operation. Areas covered include industry information and networking, cost vs. price, channel conflicts, branding and wholesaling online. $25 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
How to Start and Manage a Small Business 10/26 8:30 AM – 5 PM This is a comprehensive and unique one-day seminar for both prospective and current business owners who want to gain a better understanding of what they need to know and do to succeed in their business. Learn best practices and insider tips as a moderator and six experts guide you through the basics of Business Plans; Insuring Against Risk; Accounting; Legal Structures; Sales & Marketing; Financing. $50 registration fee in advance; or $60 on day of event. For information, contact SCORE at (415) 744-6827.
OFCCP/ARRA Subcontractors Compliance Requirements 10/27 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is conducting more full-desk audits and onsite reviews for businesses receiving ARRA funds. We’ll discuss how you can deal with OFCCP requirements concerning fair employment laws and company policy; writing and using job descriptions; composing unbiased job advertisements; conducting nondiscriminatory interviews; choosing appropriate pre-employment tests; checking and documenting references.
Critical Thinking 10/27 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Critical thinking is a process that challenges an individual to use reflective, reasonable, rational thinking to gather, interpret and evaluate information in order to make sound decisions. The process involves thinking beyond a single solution for a problem and focusing on deciding what the best alternatives may be. This course teaches specific techniques that can be applied to tasks and challenges related to the workplace and participants will be guided through a decision-making process as an in-class exercise.
Music Publishing in Plain English 10/27 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Geared toward musicians, songwriters, and other music industry aspirants, we’ll cover basic terms and concepts, key points such as copyright registration, music publishing income streams, publishing contracts, licensing agreements, mechanical royalties, ASCAP / BMI / SESAC, songwriting collaborations, and more.
Federal and State Basics of Payroll Tax 10/28 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM This class guides participants through the basics of that preparation. Subjects include determining independent contractor versus employee, withholding taxes, deposits and completing the proper forms. Presented by the IRS and the California EDD Tax office. Sales and Marketing Essentials – Fashion Business Inc. and Renaissance
Entrepreneurship Center 10/28 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM For apparel entrepreneurs, come hear how Sheila Moon, owner of Sheila Moon Athletic Apparel, has built her company from the ground up to include hundreds of accounts and become a household name in the active wear industry. Includes information on working with reps, getting press, closing accounts and building your brand. Cost: $30. Sign up at www.fashionbizinc.org
SBA Certification Workshop 10/29 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM This workshop is for small firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals interested in being certified for SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program.
Intermediate QuickBooks 10/29 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM Topics consist of preparing 1099s, payroll, setting preferences, restoring files, and list maintenance including your chart of accounts, customer, vendor, and class lists. Participants should have completed Basic Bookkeeping Part I and Introduction to QuickBooks or be familiar with the concepts in these workshops. $60 Registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC. For more information call: 415-841-4050.
How to Manage Your Time so it’s You Who Runs the Business, and not Your Business that Runs You! 10/29 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM We’ll discuss time management techniques that will help you to manage your business so that you’re working smart and not hard! It is possible to have a business and a life, and learning how to be a great manager of time will help you do just that! Here’s some highlights of what you will walk away with: learn to manage interruptions and shave hours off your work week; identify and eliminate “energy drains” and “time suckers” ; learn about single pointed focus; learn to set clear boundaries; learn what to do with your “to do list” so you actually get your tasks accomplished!
Stop the Bleed: Managing Employees in a Down Economy 10/29 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM The current state of the economy is affecting many Bay Area businesses negatively. In this workshop, learn how to cut the fat, stop the bleed, create a healthier bottom line and survive – even THRIVE! – in a challenging environment. Learn about alternatives to layoffs, how to implement compliant layoffs, if necessary, and preserving productivity and morale through the transition. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
OUR PARTNERS PRESENT: a weekly feature of events offered by organizations and groups outside SBA. These events are not sponsored by SBA and are not held at our Entrepreneur Center. Free Bike Racks for Merchants! Are you a San Francisco merchant who wants a FREE bike rack outside of your business? The SF MTA is planning to install 700 bike parking racks free of charge over the next year, and they’re prioritizing merchants who request them. Request your rack here: https://www.sfbike.org/?fix
Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business The Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business program is a FREE half-day session featuring buyers for state and federal government projects, as well as buyers from large corporations. It will also feature local panelists able to offer insight into the latest developments in surety bonding and local workforce investment initiatives. San Francisco Workshop scheduled for November 19. For more information and to register go to: http://californiasbdc.org/stimulus.
MEDIA MATTERS: Help spread the word about your experiences with our training. Please post your notes about us on Yelp at SBA Yelp reviews
SPECIAL PARTNER EVENT BizTechDay 2009 Entrepreneur Conference This exciting, innovative 2-day entrepreneur conference will be held next Thursday & Friday October 22-23 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Burlingame. The speaker lineup and agenda is fantastic! Click here to see the complete conference agenda on money, social media and marketing.
Featured speakers (along 40+ more experts) include: • Thursday: Tim Ferriss, NY Times Bestselling Author of “The 4-Hour Workweek”, Porter Gale, VP of Marketing at Virgin America, CEO of Elance, CEO of oDesk, Google, Yelp • Friday: Craig Newmark – Founder of Craigslist.org, Michael Gerber, NY Times Bestselling Author of “The E-Myth”, Will Bunker – Co-Founder of Match.com By attending the conference, you will receive over $2000 worth of bonuses (including pitching in front of real TV cameras from CBS 5-priceless!) and learn about the latest marketing ideas and innovations. Plus you will get to network with 1200+ entrepreneurs, executives and investors. Click here to register (or copy and paste this link http://www.biztechday.com/are-you-working-for-your-business.html)