San Francisco: SBA Classes Sept. 14-25
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
Food Safety Certification – Golden Gate Restaurant Association 9/14 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM State law requires that specified food facilities employ at least one person who has successfully passed a California State approved and accredited food safety certification exam. Certification is mandatory and re-certification is required every three years. Registration and information is available at www.ggra.org
Trade Show Basics 9/14 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn how to locate, prepare for and participate in domestic and international trade shows. $25 Registration Fee. Presented by the SF Small Business Development Center.
Doing Business with Cisco Systems 9/15 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM This seminar will focus on how to be successful in offering your products and services to Cisco Systems. We’ll discuss Cisco’s Supplier Diversity program and look at technologies for small growing businesses.
Doing Business with Blue Shield of California 9/15 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Blue Shield of California is committed to supplier diversity by providing access and opportunity for all service providers to participate in our procurement process. A representative of the company will discuss their diverse supplier base; bid opportunities; prime suppliers and subcontracting opportunities; and goods and services sought.
Doing Business with Chevron 9/15 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Learn the procurement process and opportunities for doing business specifically with Chevron in this informative presentation by a representative of the company.
Doing Business with Genentech 9/15 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM A presenter form Genentech will discuss opportunities for contracting to sell your goods and services to this leading biotechnology company.
Doing Business with Virgin America 9/15 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM A representative from the Virgin American airlines will discuss their procurement system including what goods and services they purchase and their interest in green procurement and minority suppliers.
Selling Your Small Company: Preparation and Pitfalls 9/15 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Selling a business is a complicated process with unlimited variables and pitfalls. Learn a methodology and process designed to maximize your chances of closing a deal and minimize deal-killing surprises. Learn how to Prepare and package your business for sale; Qualify potential buyers; Negotiate deal price and terms; Arrange acquisition financing. There is a lot to learn, and this seminar is an attempt to speed up the learning curve. $20 registration fee in advance; or $25 day of event. For information, contact (415) 744-6827, presented by SCORE.
Writing Effective Business Plans 9/15 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Whether you are planning to start a new business or developing the potential of your existing company, a business plan is a critical foundation. In this hands-on workshop, we will demystify the process using case studies and exercises. You will also develop a template for your own business that covers Products/Services; Organization; Marketing; Customers; Finances. $35 registration fee in advance; or $40 day of event. For information, contact (415) 744-6827, presented by SCORE.
Employee or Independent Contractor? 9/16 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDD representatives will explain how to determine if someone providing services to your company should be treated as an employee or independent contractor for tax purposes.
Public Speaking Skills 9/16 6:00 PM -8:30 PM Participants will learn and practice powerful speaking techniques using voice, gestures, presentation structure and stories to make a positive impact on an audience of any size. I coach participants to avoid the typical, often boring, “recitation-style” presentations. You will learn a style where you gain the audience’s attention through confident composure and constant interaction.
Basic Bookkeeping, Part Three 9/17 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Learn how to find out where all your cash has gone and how to forecast how much cash you will have in the bank. Topics include developing a budget, statement of cash flow analysis, and developing a cash forecast. Participants should have complete Basic Bookkeeping Part I or be familiar with the concepts covered in that seminar. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Starting a Consulting Business 9/17 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Our panel of experienced consultants will discuss the insider story of opening and running your business as a consultant. Topics will include finding clients, pricing your services, establishing a business identity, legal requirements, and maintaining customer loyalty. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Contracts 101: Understanding Contract Terms and Putting Them To Work For You 9/21 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Although lots of contracts seem to be filled with mind-bending legalese, there’s no reason why this has to be true. Learn how to decode contract language, separate the critical from the trivial and focus on keeping the contract cart from getting in front of your horse of a deal. Restaurant Series: Smart Management – People, Risk and the Law 9/21 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM We’ll examine employment law, insurance protection and other legal matters.Based on real restaurant experiences, this class can help you avoid disaster and get the most out of your people and your location.$30 Registration Fee. Sponsored by the SF SBDC.
Small Business Taxes 9/22 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Save money on your taxes by learning the IRS rules and regulations that apply to small business owners, and ask your tax questions in this informative, interactive, live seminar covering tax deductions, incorporations, LLCs, and commonly used tax strategies. $20 registration fee in advance; or $25 day of event. For information, contact (415) 744-6827, presented by SCORE.
Restaurant Series: The Green Restaurant: Incentives & Resources 9/22 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM We will look at going green with foodservice.Learn how to design your new restaurant or evolve your existing restaurant to incorporate sustainability advantages and rewards.We will also look at the social, economic and moral incentives in buying fair trade products and utilizing green design. Registration $30. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Maintaining Tax Records for Small Business 9/22 6:00–8:00 pm Learn how to effectively create the tax records necessary for proper IRS reporting. Receive a valuable overview of how to use Technology to Better Manage Business; Online Banking; QuickBooks; Incorporation or LCC as a Tax-Planning Tool. $20 registration fee in advance; or $25 day of event. For information, contact (415) 744-6827, presented by SCORE.
Boosting Your Business with Publicity 9/23 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM If you are a small business owner or independent contractor, you can benefit tremendously from improved publicity efforts. In fact, everyone can, but not everyone knows how. In this workshop you will learn the fundamentals of publicity and how to design a publicity campaign that can help position you as an authority, increase visibility for your business, and create a demand for your services and/or products. Those with entertainment industry aspirations encouraged to attend.
SBA Certification Workshop 9/24 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.
QuickBooks Introduction 9/24 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM 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. This is a hands-on workshop. Participants should have completed Basic Bookkeeping Part I or be familiar with the concepts covered in that workshop. $60 Registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Branding and Marketing for Service Firms: Create a Strong Brand and Messages that Attract Your Ideal Clients 9/24 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM For owners, partners and business development executives of established service firms (e.g., law, real estate, mortgage, construction, design, consulting, etc.). In this interactive workshop you will learn to define your service business brand in powerful and differentiated ways. You will learn new tools to: Better understand your clients so that you can effectively segment your market; Develop clarity about your real competitive advantages; Create simple, strong messages that communicate your unique value to the clients that want it most.
Marketing Plans That Work 9/24 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM In this class you will learn practical techniques to properly identify your target market(s) and how to develop a strategic marketing plan to reach those target markets. Understanding these critical elements of business will prepare you for maximizing your productivity and profitability. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Credit Repair 9/24 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn what the credit bureaus look for when it comes to Credit Scores. What are the key factors of credit scores and why do scores change so quickly? We’ll discuss how this real estate economy affects your credit and how to recover from bad credit when you file for bankruptcy..
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.
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.
One of our volunteer teachers asks: “I’m currently developing some new organizing-related products and programs, and I’m focusing them on the needs of entrepreneurs, small business owners, consultants, and coaches. I want to make sure I’m headed in the right direction, so I’m doing some market research and am interviewing people in those groups to get their opinions.”
If you’re interested in participating in the focus group, please reply to and I’ll set it up.
LGBT Business Plan Loan Factory The program is free, but space is limited! 5-week series begins on Tuesday, September 22, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM RSVP to or 415-865-5611
The LGBT Business Plan Loan Factory is a 5-week workshop series on Tuesday mornings and is for business owners and motivated entrepreneurs who need financing to start or grow their businesses. The Loan Factory will help entrepreneurs understand what is involved in the loan application process, and will feature leading experts who will review all of the elements of the loan package. Two Loan Factory graduates recently secured $25,000 microloans for their businesses.
To register or for more information, please contact Tracey Williams at 415.865.5611 or
The San Francisco LGBT Community Center is located at 1800 Market Street (@ Octavia). Visit www.sfcenter.org for directions.
The Artist’s Business Plan for Getting into Galleries Free Workshop at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center Wednesday, September 30, 2009 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Join us for this dynamic and informative workshop designed to empower both emerging and mid-career artist entrepreneurs to create and grow their businesses. You’ll learn to master the five action steps an artist must take to successfully gain gallery representation and thereby create the most favorable and advantageous combination of circumstances in which to be nurtured, protected, and rewarded.
Hiring an Ex-Offender The United States Probation Office and United States Pretrial Services will host a networking workshop to discuss the benefits of hiring an ex-offender.
In this workshop, you will learn how you can gain a financial advantage in these uncertain times. We will present solutions to some of your staffing concerns, how you can eliminate unnecessary business expenses, and provide valuable information on hiring the ex-offender population. Additionally, you will have an opportunity to make new contacts and expand your business network.
Location: Philip E. Burton Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 2nd Floor, California/Nevada rooms
September 30, 2009, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Continental Breakfast will be served. Please bring valid photo ID for entry to the Courthouse building.
For more information please contact Michelle Nero (510) 637-3628, Bobby Love (415) 436-7588. Please reply by September 28, 2009
Fax to (415) 436-7572 attention: Michelle Nero or Bobby Love or e-mail us at or
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.
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Claim or create your business listing on Google, for free More people are now looking to online search engines for local information, than to any other source. Google offers a free service, the Local Business Center, which allows you to take control of your business listing on Google or to add listings that aren’t already appearing. Google also recently launched a dashboard in the Local Business Center, which shows you how people found your business on Google, including what they searched for before finding your listings and how many looked for driving directions to your business.
To get started, visit the Google Local Business Center. If you have any questions along the way, you can use this handy user guide.