Surry Community College’s Small Business Center will be holding several free seminars in November designed to benefit entrepreneurs and small business owners. Walk-ins are welcomed, but online registration is encouraged for all seminars.
Financing Your Small Business will be offered on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 121 at The Center for Public Safety, 1220 State St., Mount Airy. Financing continues to be a challenge for many small business owners. Questions range from, “Who will give me money for my business idea, and what do they need from me?” to “How will this business make money, and will it be enough to pay back a loan or attract an investor?” Get to the heart of business financing in this seminar that answers your questions. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of funding sources and how to choose the right one for your needs. Discover the keys to financing success. The presenter is Ruben Gonzales.
Growing Your Business will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 3 to 4 p.m. in Room 107, The Elkin Center, 1461 North Bridge St., Elkin. The seminar will be presented on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Surry Community College Small Business Center, Sells Building, J-114, 630 S. Main St., Dobson.
Do you want to expand your business but don’t know how to finance that growth? Could your cash flow be better managed? Is new equipment, additional staff or a different location part of your future? We would like to help you grow your business. Our Growing Your Business seminar will teach you ways to make sure your business is ready for growth. You’ll learn about separation of business from personal finances, credit and borrowing options, and insurance needs. The speaker will be Cindy B. Hodges, BB&T, Vice President, Cluster Market Leader IV.
The Entrepreneurial Equation will be offered on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 107, The Elkin Center, 1461 North Bridge St., Elkin. The seminar will also be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Surry Community College Small Business Center, Sells Building, J-116, 630 S. Main St., Dobson.
Audra Cox, an Edward Jones Investments Financial Advisor, will discuss ideas and strategies to effectively use banking, retirement and insurance tools to build, protect and enhance the financial security of businesses, owners and employees. Participants will look at common issues facing business owners such as financial pressures, employee retention, tax issues, banking services, business succession and estate planning. Learn how to build your business by attracting and retaining key employees with benefits and retirement planning packages such as SEP IRA. Owner-only 401K, Defined Benefit, Simple IRA, Traditional 401K, and custom retirement plans will also be discussed. Various insurance products such as disability and life insurance for business owners and employees; deferred compensation to keep key employees; and life insurance funded retirement plans will be reviewed. Additionally, students will look at ways to create operational, business and personal financial excellence by engaging and leveraging a team of professionals – a CPA, an attorney, and a financial advisor.
Basics of Bookkeeping will be presented on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 116 of The Yadkin Center, 1001 College Drive, Yadkinville, N.C. Gain a workable knowledge of how to properly record financial transactions for your small business. Discover the three most important financial reports and how to use them to make the best-informed business decisions. If you’re a new business owner or need a refresher on the basics of accounting, this seminar is designed for you. The presenter is Ruben Gonzales.
Facebook Shop & Facebook Marketplace will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 116 of The Yadkin Center, 1001 College Drive, Yadkinville. Facebook is the largest social network in the world, with more than 1.1 billion people logging in daily to spend an average of 58.5 minutes on the platform. If you sell products online, and you don’t have a Facebook shop, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Speaker Nick Hawks will show you just how easy it is to “Sell to the World” for free. Facebook Marketplace is an easy, convenient way to market your small business and sell in your local area. Customers can look through your listings or search for items near them to find great things to buy. Learn how to reach thousands of people in your local community and increase your sales.
The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce, and Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring these seminars. To register or to view a complete listing of the upcoming Small Business Center offerings in Surry and Yadkin counties, visit www.surry.edu/sbc. Anyone in need of information about confidential, one-on-one counseling and resource referrals may contact Mark Harden at hardenm@surry.edu or call (336) 386-3685. You can follow the Small Business Center on Facebook @surrysbc.
