‘Tis the season for starting or expanding your Oakland County business! Small business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs can attend no-cost business workshops offered by experts at Oakland County’s One Stop Shop Business Center this December. Register today to receive high-value advice from the One Stop Shop about small business loans, start-ups, and more.
Market Research Basics
Tuesday, December 3, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
This workshop is designed for individuals to find ways to find your ideal customers, identify your competitors, perform competitive analysis, identify new site locations, target direct mail campaigns, reveal untapped markets and expand to new and appropriate markets.
Writing Your Business Plan
Wednesday, December 4, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
So, you’ve decided that it’s finally time to write that business plan everyone says you need. Excited? Dreading it? Un-motivated? Not sure where to start? Confused? We can help! Follow along with our step by step approach. Prepare a business plan that gives your business direction, defines your objectives, maps out strategies to achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road. This workshop is designed for entrepreneurs who are interested in writing their first business plan or want to improve a plan to get their business to the next level.
CEED Lending Small Business Loan Orientation
Wednesday, December 11, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
If you have a need for alternative financing and your business is located in Oakland County, consider learning more about the CEED Lending Small Business Loan Program. Discover the requirements and process necessary to apply for and obtain a Small Business Loan. CEED Lending is an initiative of Great Lakes Women’s Business Council. If you have any questions, please call 248-858-0783 or email smallbusiness@oakgov.com.
Starting a Business
Thursday, December 12, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
This workshop is designed for individuals who are at the beginning stages of starting a business. It will help aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company, as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products/services. Start-up costs, financing options, and business planning are introduced, along with necessary steps to getting started.
From Good Idea to Great Concept
Thursday, December 12, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
Congratulations! You’ve come up with an idea for a brand-new business. Now what? From Good Idea to Great Concept is designed to show you how to take your idea and build a great business concept that you can implement. Learn how to move from idea to concept and how successful entrepreneurs adjust their concept to give them the best chance at creating a successful business. Presented by One Stop Shop Business Counselors If you have any questions please call us at 248-858-0783 or email smallbusiness@oakgov.com.
Understanding Cash Flow
Wednesday, December 18, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
This workshop is designed for individuals who need a better understanding of the cash demands required to successfully start and manage a business. The use of Startup Cash Analysis and Cash Flow Projections will be discussed.
Walk-In Start-Up Thursdays
Waterford: Every Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – Noon & 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Novi: First Thursday of Every Month, 9:30 a.m. – Noon & 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, and no appointment is necessary.
Individuals who want to launch a business but don’t know where to begin can receive confidential, one-on-one advice from an experienced business consultant. Counselors will answer start-up questions, suggest next steps, and give guidance on business planning tools. Walk-in sessions are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and are limited to 15 minutes.
Registration and Workshop Details
Pre-register by visiting Advantage Oakland’s Business Workshops page or by calling 248-858-0783.
Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held at the L. Brooks Patterson Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph, in Waterford.
Stay connected with the Business Center on Advantage Oakland’s Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, pages and learn more about the Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center on their website or visit their Eventbrite page.
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