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. Are you thinking about becoming your own boss? Our Starting a Business Course covers all areas that are involved in starting your own business. This class will cover important tools and resources a business owner needs to establish a solid foundation during its early formative years. Often, new business owners ''don't know what they don't know''. This class will equip you to be able to ask all the right questions as you are planning and forming your brand new business.
Course Outline
Getting Started
Is your Business Idea Feasible?
Financing Your Business
Building Your Team
Operating Your Business Legally
Putting it all Together
Learner Outcomes
Detailed understanding of how to determine the feasibility of your business idea or framework using market research and competitive analysis
Basic knowledge of how to estimate start-up expenses for your business and overview of options for start-up financing, and requirements to pursue financing options
Ability to differentiate between different legal structure options for business formation
Overview of important individuals to include on your team when making plans and executing business formation Saving time is the name of the game! This course will provide 20 tips and tricks to improve your ability to use Excel. Learn how to enter data for optimal use and skills such as generating charts & graphs, automatic formatting, and protecting spreadsheet data. Finally, learn several important formulas and how to use them to build spreadsheets to assist with business analysis for profitability and growth.
Course Outline
Tips & Tricks to quickly enter data such as dragging and locking cells
Conditional formatting of sheets to reduce time manually formatting color and high lighting
Keyboard short cuts to reduce time navigating Excel
How to generate charts and graphs and move them into worksheets and workbooks
Learn key formulas and how to use them to analyze data
Best practices for entering data into Excel and more!
Learner Outcomes
Participants will be able to display the following skills upon completion
Increase your comfort level and confidence using Excel
Generate charts and graphs
Learn key formulas and how to use them to analyze data
How to format cells to automatically change based on the data in the cell
Tips and tricks to enter data and reduce time navigating Excel SBDC StartSmart was developed by the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. This year?s program is tailored to being held virtually to facilitate virtual discussion, class engagement, & mastery of content. Participation in StartSmart will also allow access to online business planning software. The program is facilitated by specially trained SBDC consultants and a long-term relationship with the SBDC and follow-up consulting is available and encouraged.
Whether you are a new business (in business 2 years or less), or are still in the planning phase, building a business takes the right tools?and a lot of hard work. SBDC StartSmart will equip you to be successful!
SBDC StartSmart helps attendees to:
Evaluate & refine your business concept
Improve your knowledge of business concepts
Research markets and competition
Develop a financial forecast to improve chances of success
Develop a thorough, practical business plan
Course Outline
Eight modules cover critical issues for new businesses:
MODULE 1: Business Success ? How do we get there?
MODULE 2: Opportunity & Solutions
MODULE 3: Marketing for Success
MODULE 4: Digital Marketing & Online Strategies
MODULE 5: Navigating Human Resources
MODULE 6: Operations & Managing by the Numbers
MODULE 7: Management with a Plan
MODULE 8: Plan, Run, Review, Revise
SBDC StartSmart programs include 16 hours of instruction delivered over a period of four weeks. Sessions will be held twice a week for 2 hours each. Check your preferred location for details on when their 2021 program will be held.
Learner Outcomes
Owning your own business is the American dream. Building it to withstand the test of time requires a unique set of tools. SBDC StartSmart? provides the resources, support, and motivation to put your dream within reach.
SBDC StartSmart provides the tools to:
Evaluate your concept and develop plans to move forward.
Improve knowledge of business fundamentals.
Build an infrastructure for business operations and processes.
SBDC StartSmart graduates acquire:
An actionable business plan and access to business planning software
Access to financial and business resources.
A network of entrepreneurial peers and professionals.
Notes
A Public Service and Outreach Unit of the University of Georgia. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All programs of the UGA SBDC are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
Testimonials
''I cannot thank you enough for the stellar StartSmart program. This experience has transformed the way I do business, both now and in the future.?
''I look forward to following up with my SBDC Consultant to build on this program and continue to strengthen my business plan and practices.''
Small Business Committee Meeting
Webinar - Starting a Business
Webinar - 20 Excel Tricks You Should Know
Webinar - StartSmart DeKalb (8-class series)