The DeKalb Chamber Small Business Committee assists the Chamber with recruiting, educating, and mentoring small businesses. Create and identify opportunities for growth and facilitate partnerships to improve small business programs. Help identify opportunities in the public and private sector.
This committee meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. If your business is ready for growth, SBDC GrowSmart gives you the tools and strategies to reach your goals. GrowSmart was developed by the UGA SBDC to meet the needs of growing businesses. Combining the latest ideas with timeless principles, GrowSmart will propel your business forward! UGA SBDC training has helped thousands of business owners build a foundation for growth. GrowSmart is the product of our experience and commitment to Georgia?s small businesses.
This program gets results! In full or half day weekly sessions, learn to analyze and manage your business like a seasoned CEO.
35 hours of class time covering all areas of business operation Evaluate your business, competition, and target markets
Hands-on, interactive program promotes sharing of best practices Expert speakers add insights to the topic of the day
Step-by-step development of your company?s strategies for growth
Combined with long term one-on-one consulting with SBDC professionals, learn to apply course principles and build a business for today?s challenging times. SBDC GrowSmart is a dynamic program for owners and senior managers of growing businesses.
Course Outline
Module 1: Planning for Growth
Making strategic decisions requires careful consideration of internal and external factors. You will examine your operating environment, document company vision and goals, and develop growth strategies based on a thorough assessment of your company?s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Module 2: Marketing: Research, Planning and Implementation
Thoroughly analyze your core competencies and competitive advantages?matching them to needs in the marketplace. Learn to protect your business from competition and develop strategies for effective, profitable pricing. Connect with customers using the latest marketing and communication tools.
Module 3: Leadership & Management
Focus on your changing role as the leader of your company. Identify people resources and leadership strategies that will be necessary to achieve your growth plan. Explore proven methods for hiring, compensating, and motivating your team.
Module 4: Financial Analysis, Tools & Resources
Learn how to analyze your company?s financial condition and develop strategies to improve profits and cash flow. Create a financial plan that quantifies the results of your marketing and management strategies. Determine how much money it will take to grow the business as well as how to fund it.
Module 5: Operations & Implementing Your Plan
Documented, consistent processes are a key to building a scalable, well managed company that has lasting, transferrable value. Assess your current operations and learn methods to document and streamline processes. The program concludes with a short presentation of your one page plan?and a challenge to put the program?s lessons to work in your business!
Learner Outcomes
Whether you?ve been in business for twenty years or two years, SBDC GrowSmart? can align your vision for your business with the steps to get you there. Create a framework to improve the performance of your business and shape the success of your business for years to come. Work ON your business, not just IN your business!
A step-by-step evaluation of your business and markets.
A hands-on, interactive forum that promotes sharing of best practices. Tools to build your business, both now and for the future.
SBDC GrowSmart? graduates gain:
A strategic business plan with a long-term vision and strategies. A mastery of key business concepts.
A network of entrepreneurial peers and professional resources.
Learn to analyze, plan and manage your business like a seasoned CEO. Starting a business from scratch isn?t the only path to entrepreneurship. Buying a business can be far less risky, less expensive and easier to finance than starting one. In fact, buying a business may be the best strategy for success. This program will provide entrepreneurs with guidance to search, assess, value, finance, and execute a business acquisition. This session will also feature an attorney and franchise broker who will discuss their roles in business acquisition.
Course Outline
Search
Valuation
Preliminary Due Diligence
Financing the Deal
Getting the Deal Done
Buying a Franchise
Learner Outcomes
Attendees will gain an understanding of:
why buying a business can be best strategy for success.
terms used in buying a business
the process for buying a business.
what franchise opportunities offer In this session, we'll explore how creating an inclusive and diverse marketing strategy can help you reach new audiences, boost your brand's reputation, and increase your bottom line. Gain a clear understanding of accounting principles as it applies to the use of the Quickbooks Online accounting system. The course is interactive and begins with a basic background of accounting followed by the initial setup of a sample Quickbooks company account. You will learn how to process company transactions (deposits, invoicing, payments, etc.) followed by a reconciliation of your account with a bank statement. By the end, participants will generate financial reports to include Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet statements.
Course Outline
Background knowledge of accounting
Demonstration of setup of Quickbooks company account
Difference between processing deposits, invoices, payments, etc.
Generation of financial reports to include Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet statements
Managing transactions posted by your bank
Learner Outcomes
Obtain a better understanding of accounting principles
Effectively set up a Quickbooks account
Accurately execute transactions
Utilize Quickbooks to its fullest potential
Testimonials
Testimonials From Former Quickbooks Online Attendees:
''Nice to know I can ask my questions during the program and have them answered''
''In-depth information'' Small businesses looking to increase sales and profit, reduce dependence on the domestic market and stabilize seasonal fluctuations should consider importing and exporting. With nearly 96 percent of consumers living outside the U.S. and two-thirds of the world?s purchasing power in foreign countries, opportunities await U.S. small business.
Go where the customers are. There is significant opportunity for small businesses to profit through importing and exporting operations.
Do you have what it takes to become a successful international business? Are you ready to make international sales? Importing / Exporting offers great opportunities but requires preparation and planning.
This four hour course is taught in two parts, by international experts from the Georgia Small Business Development Center, a resource partner of the SBA. Each part is two hours in length with a two hour break between parts.
Part one will aid you in assessing your readiness, understanding what you need to know and consider before pursuing an international strategy.
Part two will introduce you to those topics needed to develop and implement your strategy: international pricing and costing issues, proforma export quotations, payment terms, and risk assessment.
Course Outline
? Defining Your Business
? Strengths/Weaknesses Analysis
? Tools
? Building Your Team
? Knowing Industry Terminology
? Selecting a Product
? Finding Markets
? Finding Buyers
? Finding Suppliers
? How to Talk To Suppliers
? Do I need a license to Import/Export?
? How do I protect myself as a Middleman?
? Calculating Landed Cost
? Understanding INCOTERMS
? Developing a Pro Forma Invoice
? International Terms of Payment
Learner Outcomes
The workshops will help you gain the knowledge to develop and implement an international plan. You will become acquainted with the key components of an effective import / export plan. The instructors will raise questions you should answer to complete your plan and provide the resources to help you answer those questions.
Topics include:
Organizational and product readiness
Market research
Guidance for developing your strategy and marketing plan
Promoting your products in target market
Complying with US and foreign regulations In today's ever changing marketplace it is a challenge to find the right messaging, branding, and marketing strategy to connect with your target customer.
With the variety of digital marketing options available, it can be confusing to determine which will work best for your business much less build an effective marketing strategy and plan.
In this Live Online Workshop you will learn how to clarify the message to your target customers and identify the right platform to reach them. As part of the workshop you will create a draft of a 12-month marketing plan that you can start executing the same day.
To be discussed:
Clarifying the company?s key message to customers and prospects
Knowing exactly what your customer thinks about your brand
Discovering what makes you better than the competition to own your market segment
Presenting the experience that converts prospects into customers
Creating a simple and effective marketing plan.
Developing effective lead generation campaigns
Social media & content strategies that make you a thought leader
Plus many FREE, simple, downloadable resources you can use immediately in your business.
About Our Instructor
Mark Treager is the Chief Evangelist Officer at Cornerstone Media Group, Inc of Atlanta, GA. csmediagroup.com
For over 35 years, right from the start of his professional sales and marketing career, he has been labeled a maverick because he refuses to accept the status quo.
His simple, logical, diverse, and down to earth approach to marketing will challenge your thinking WAY beyond the box to create generational customers for your brand. Small business owners have a unique tenacity, outlook, and approach to life. They are gifted with skills and/or services that are valuable and needed by the masses. However, building a strong and sustainable business may require a team of experts, such as a CMO - Chief Marketing Officer. Traditionally, hiring full-time personnel with this level of skills and experience isn?t in the budget. That?s where a ?Fractional CMO? can come in.
In this Marketing Monday session, Ivy Scott of IVLeague Marketing will explain the purpose of a CMO and how this role can help you grow your small business. Chantel Powell, CEO of Play Pits discusses her experience of how she utilized a Fractional CMO to help her grow her small business with over 60,000 followers on Instagram. Join us to learn more about what a Fractional CMO is and how your small business or start up may benefit.
Course Outline
Agenda:
An explanation of what a Fractional CMO is and what they do
Benefits of hiring a Fractional CMO vs a Full-Time CMO
Case study of small business utilizing a Fractional CMO: Play Pits
How to fit the right Fractional CMO for your business
Learner Outcomes
Attendees will gain an understanding of:
What a fractional CMO is
The benefits of a Fractional CMO for your business
How a small business can utilize a Fractional CMO
What's involved in hiring a Fractional CMO
Are you getting the most out of your membership?
Did you realize that your Chamber membership comes with a whole host of FREE marketing tools for your business--all in one easy-to-access location? The Chamber's powerful member-focused software provides members with an event tool, a press release tool, a job posting board, and a hot deals/sales/specials tool--all free with your basic membership.
LEARN HOW TO:
Take advantage of the benefits you receive as a Chamber member
Create and update your business's Enhanced Listing in the website business directory
Appear in our Membership Matters newsletter
Create a hot deal (discount) to appear on your listing
Submit a job posting / volunteer opportunity
We'll be hosting a virtual Chamber 101 class the fourth Tuesday of every other month from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM via Zoom to teach you how to use these new features!
New and existing members are invited to attend.
Small Business Committee Meeting
GrowSmart DeKalb
Webinar - How to Buy a Business
Business at Breakfast - The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Marketing
Webinar - Quickbooks Online: Registration Through Reconciliation
Webinar - Develop an Import / Export Business
Webinar - How to Build an Effective Marketing Strategy and Plan
Webinar - Marketing Monday: What is a Fractional CMO?
Chamber 101 - Virtual
