Now is the time to better your business skills! Launch a brand-new business or advance your current one with the help of Oakland County’s One Stop Shop Business Center. Take part in their low-or-no-cost business workshops throughout the month of February and learn the skills necessary to become a successful business-person. Topics include writing your business plan, networking, financing options, cash flow, and more.
Writing Your Business Plan
Tuesday, February 4, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
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.
From Good Idea to Great Concept
Tuesday, February 4, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
From Good Idea to Great Concept will 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.
From Good Idea to Great Concept
Wednesday, February 5, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
From Good Idea to Great Concept will 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.
CEED Lending Small Business Loan Orientation
Wednesday, February 12, 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.
Five Steps to Networking Mastery
Wednesday, February 12, 2019, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: There is a $40 registration fee, and pre-registration is required.
We have all heard that it is not what you know but whom you know. BARNACLES! It’s all about how you are known. This brief, impactful training will teach you how to become an individual to whom people want to refer more business. You will learn… – why networking works – how to be ready to network anywhere you are whenever you are there – which online sites are worth your time – how to identify your ideal referral partners – the components of a solid ask – how to grow your business Consider attending if you are frustrated with the results of your current networking; uncomfortable networking but know you need to do it more; or have a new position and want to increase your pipeline. The better we all get at networking, the better all of our networking will be. The speaker is Terry Bean, Founder of Networked Inc. and Motor City Connect.
Understanding Cash Flow
Wednesday, February 19, 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.
Market Research Basics
Wednesday, February 26th, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
Discover ways to find your ideal customers, your competitors, perform competitive analysis, and more. Learn how to find your customers and competitors, perform competitive analysis, identify new site locations, target direct mail campaigns, reveal untapped markets, and expand to appropriate new markets.
Team SBA Financing Roundtable
Thursday, February 27th, 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
What’s the secret to getting a business loan? Attend this free Financing Roundtable and find out how banks look at your application, what you can do to improve your chances for a loan, and how SBA loan guarantee programs can help you get the financing you need. This session is best suited to those who have good credit, a solid business idea, and some money to invest in their business. Note: Because the SBA does not provide loan guarantees to real estate investment firms, including purchasing and rehabbing houses for resale, this type of financing is not discussed at the roundtables.
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.
Follow along with Oakland County on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube using #OaklandCounty, or visit our website for news and events year-round.