San Francisco: SBA Classes Sept. 8-18

September 4th, 2009

San Francisco: SBA Classes Sept. 8-18

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

Secrets to Buying a Business or Franchise 9/8 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn how to reduce your risk and improve your chances of success in buying a franchise or existing business. Topics include Options for Financing; Choosing an Existing Business vs. a Franchise; Where to Find a Business or Franchise; Working with Brokers. $20 registration fee in advance; or $25 day of event. For information, contact (415) 744-6827, presented by SCORE.

Five Easy Ways to Attract Targeted Website Visitors for Free 9/9 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Over 98% of websites get fewer than 5 visitors each day. Attracting high-quality website visitors doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With a little direction, you can accumulate strategic one-way inbound links and watch the targeted traffic pour in!

 

Basic Bookkeeping, Part Two 9/10 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Designed for entrepreneurs intimidated by financial records, this course will cover balance sheets, incomes statements, cash flow and working capital. Participants should have completed Basic Bookkeeping, Part One, or be familiar with the concepts covered in that seminar. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.

Basic Website Skills for Small Business 9/10 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM This overview of websites will cover template-based versus custom design websites; website hosting; registering your website; guide to building a professional website; promoting your website and more.

Leasing Commercial Space in the Bay Area 9/10 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn the best practices for locating and leasing commercial space for your small business. topics covered will include Common Leasing Terms and Definition; What are the best ways to locate Commercial Property in the Bay Area; Negotiating Tips; Common Timeframes.

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.

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

RSVP by e-mailing

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.

MEDIA MATTERS:

Help spread the word about your experiences with our training. Please post your notes about us on Yelp at SBA Yelp reviews

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.

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