San Francisco: SBA Classes Sept. 28-Oct. 9
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
How to Start and Manage a Small Business 9/28 8:30 AM – 5 PM This is a comprehensive and unique one-day seminar for both prospective and current business owners who want to gain a better understanding of what they need to know and do to succeed in their business. Learn best practices and insider tips as a moderator and six experts guide you through the basics of Business Plans; Insuring Against Risk; Accounting; Legal Structures; Sales & Marketing; Financing. $50 registration fee in advance; or $60 on day of event. For information, contact SCORE at (415) 744-6827, register at www.acteva.com/go/sfscore
Restaurant Series: Customer Service – Good is Minimum 9/28 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM To make your restaurant a success you need employees who deliver great customer service. Learn how to hire, motivate and train your employees to meet the service demands of the industry. Also learn how to define and share responsibilities between owners, managers and employees to achieve your service objectives and run a successful restaurant. Presented by the SF SBDC. $30 registration fee.
Federal Government Contracts and Compliance Requirements 9/29 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is conducting more full-desk audits and onsite reviews for businesses receiving ARRA funds. We’ll discuss how you can deal with OFCCP requirements concerning fair employment laws and company policy; writing and using job descriptions; composing unbiased job advertisements; conducting nondiscriminatory interviews; choosing appropriate pre-employment tests; checking and documenting references.
Know Your Clients and Prospects: Find the insights that lead to sales 9/29 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM How well do you understand the needs, motivations and decision-making drivers of the people who are responsible for your revenue? In this workshop you will learn an approach to interviewing (and just having conversations with) your clients and prospects to uncover what they really need and how they make decisions. We’ll look at how to segment your market based on demographics as well as psychographics, how to set objectives for the interviews, the right questions to ask, the structure and format of the interviews, and what to do with the information and insight once you get it.
Federal and State Basics of Payroll Tax 9/30 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM This class guides participants through the basics of that preparation. Subjects include determining independent contractor versus employee, withholding taxes, deposits and completing the proper forms. Presented by the IRS and the California EDD Tax office.
Basic Bookkeeping, Part One 10/1 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Learn basic accounting and bookkeeping terms and processes. Topics include cash vs. accrual accounting, proper accounting data flow processes, the importance of budgeting, the purpose of different financial reports, the differences in computer accounting systems, cash management, and more. $30 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
How to Build a Fearless Brand: How Your Brand Can Help You Sell 10/1 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM This highly interactive workshop gives you new tools that will teach you to sell (and market) more effectively. Learn new ways to differentiate your business from the competition; your business’s strengths and unique value (that you might be overlooking); identify your ideal clients and learn what they really need; segment your market to make prospecting and selling more efficient; create a powerful selling message that speaks to the head and the heart.
Selling Savvy, Sell Smarter Not Harder! 10/1 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Are you frustrated on where to begin in selling your product or service? Do you want to feel like the pros? Come to this workshop and learn tips and techniques from a seasoned veteran in sales and marketing. Find out how the professional salesperson uses positioning, network, referrals and cold calling for success. $25 Registration Fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
Where to Go When the Banks Say NO! 10/5 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Learn about alternative financing programs such as receivables financing (factoring) and purchase order funding, and how these can provide you with a practical and viable solution to generate immediate cash for your business.
Writing Effective Business Plans 10/6 9:00 AM – 4:00 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. $50 registration fee in advance; or $60 on day of event. For information, contact SCORE at (415) 744-6827.
Running and Operating a Green Business 10/6 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Want to learn easy ways to improve your brand image, identify new markets, lower operating costs, and help the planet? This class teaches you how to be a green business and gives you simple steps to implement right away. Learn how to get certified for free by the Bay Area Green Business Program and find the resources you need for your business. $20 registration fee. Presented by the SF SBDC.
The Reality TV Show as a Marketing Tool 10/6 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Everyone seems to have a reality TV show these days. How did they get them? Why do they have them? And most importantly, how can YOU get one? This workshop will provide the answers to those questions and provide attendees with details and instructions on how to produce and pitch a reality TV show of their own that can be used as a valuable branding, promotional, and marketing tool.
Free and Low Cost Resources for Your Business 10/7 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Representatives from SBA, SCORE, the SF SBDC, the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, and the San Francisco Public Library Small Business Center will discuss the resources available.
Starting a Business in San Francisco 10/7 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Hear directly from San Francisco officials. How do you obtain permits? How do you register your business name? Learn what the City can do for you in this one-stop seminar.
Financing Your Business 10/7 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Discover the right way to seek financing for your business. We will discuss loan proposal requirements, financing options and SBA programs.
Business Law Basics 10/7 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM An experienced business lawyer will discuss Choice of Legal Entity (corporations, LLC, partnership, etc.); Intellectual Property; Employee issues; and Real Estate issues. This class does not constitute legal advice.
Yelp for Business Owners 10/7 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Yelp is a website dedicated to connecting people with great local businesses. This course will go over the basics of setting up a free business owner account on Yelp. All skill levels welcome. The class will cover tracking page views, uploading photos, posting special offers and announcements, responding to reviews, and general best practices.
Basic Bookkeeping, Part Two 10/8 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.
Build a Strong Consulting Brand: Create Strong Messages that Potential Clients Need to Hear to Hire You 10/8 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM For consultants looking to grow their business, especially those new to consulting and those transitioning from full time employment to consulting. In this interactive workshop you will learn to: Better understand and define your ideal clients — who they are and what they need; Effectively segment your market; Develop clarity about your brand’s competitive advantages (which you may be overlooking); Create simple, strong messages that communicate your unique value to the clients that want it most.
Media Communications for Your Business 10/8 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Investing in media communications is a wise strategic move for businesses of every size. We’ll cover understanding basic distinctions between publicity, public relations, marketing communications, advertising and sales promotion and why “integrated marketing communications” is often the most cost-efficient and effective approach for managing brand messages.
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.
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.