SBDP Calendar

Government Contracting (6/2/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: The federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. However, small businesses face challenges when trying to win federal contracts. The SBA can help small businesses work through these challenges. By attending this workshop, you will learn how to become a government contractor and how the SBA works to ensure that small businesses obtain a fair share of government contracts and subcontracts. Also presenting Elton Price, City of Austin representative, who will discuss: - What it means to become a "Certified Minority - Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) or Women - Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)" with the City of Austin. - The benefits of becoming a certified business. - The types of certification and educate business owners regarding the certification process. Class offered as a part of BiGAUSTIN's Women's Business Center, the center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Time:  12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location:  5407 N. IH 35, Suite 200
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Business Basics (6/4/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: This class covers the legal forms of business, name registration & taxes, business licenses, permits and regulations. You will walk away with a resource packet, business plan checklist, top 10 reasons why businesses fail, and tips to get you started!

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Grow Your Business on the Web (6/5/2010)
Sponsored by SCORE Limited to 50 people, please preregister: Purpose: How to use your website as a marketing tool by combining marketing concepts with web technologies, platforms and methods such as search engine optimization, search engine marketing, blogging for business, social networks and other web sites. Agenda: Overview of marketing objectives, getting started with online marketing, web design terminology, site promotion and examples of business social platforms in use. Provides basics for you to begin planning your web strategy.

Time:  9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location:  5524 Bee Caves Rd, Bldg M, Austin TX 78746
Fee:  $35 person cash or check at the dooror credit card in advance
For Information:   512-928-2425
To Register:   512-928-2425
Credit Basics - Getting the Score You Need! (6/8/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: How important is your credit score? This workshop will help you understand and establish or improve your personal credit and score. You'll also get helpful tips for maintaining a healthy credit score and understand how the credit industry works and the difference between personal and business credit. Register online at: www.bigaustin.org

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   512-928-8010
To Register:   512-928-8010
Marketing Essentials (6/10/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: Marketing is the foundation of a good business; whether you are starting a new business or growing an existing one. Join BIGAUSTIN to learn practical marketing knowledge and proven methods you can use every day. This class will help you learn: · Fundamental marketing principles · Insights into the basic components of the marketing mix · Techniques to start a basic marketing plan

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Taxes For Small Business (6/11/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: Business Owners and Entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend this workshop, which will provide an overview of tax responsibilities for business owners. The attendees set the pace of the seminars so bring all of your questions concerning tax rules, updates, forms, and procedures. Please register at www.bigaustin.org

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Essentials of Writing a Business Plan (6/15/2010)
Sponsored by SCORE: Providing general and individual guidance to help prepare and evaluate a business plan. This workshop discusses the content of a business plan and why the sections are separated but linked. We also discuss ways and places to find the information needed to fill in the holes of the plan.

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  SCORE offices, 5524 Bee Cave, Bldg M, Austin, TX 78746
Fee:  $35 creditcard in advance,$35 cash/check at the door. $15 for addtl team
For Information:   512-928-2425
To Register:   512-928-2425
Beyond Certification: How The City Purchases Goods & Services (6/16/2010)
Sponsored by Small and Minority Business Resources: Learn more about how the City purchases Goods & Services for Construction, Professional Services and Non-professional Services contracts.

Time:  5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location:  505 Barton Springs Road, 3rd floor, Room 325
Fee:  free
For Information:   512.974.7677
To Register:   512.974.7677
Essentials of Starting a Business (6/16/2010)
Sponsored by SCORE: To help would-be entrepreneurs effectively evaluate the pros and cons of starting a small business and create a plan for small business success. The workshop discusses a wide range of subjects; financial considerations, planning, forms of business organization, financing alternatives, marketing, insurance, record keeping, and taxes. The workshop is ideal for people with ideas but still trying to figure out all the other things they need to consider about starting a business. Presented by 5 different professionals from the Austin Business Community, and augmented by SCORE counselors.

Time:  9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location:  SCORE offices, 5524 Bee Cave, Bldg M, Austin, TX 78746
Fee:  $50 creditcard in advance, $50 cash/check at the door. $20 for addl team
For Information:   512-928-2425
To Register:   512-928-2425
Strategic Messaging (6/17/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: Did you know that what you advertise, sell, and make money on can be three different things? In Strategic Messaging, you will learn how to tailor your brand message for meaningful dialogue. We will start by understanding the relationship of your product to consumers and the marketplace. After a brief discussion and exercise on differentiation, each participant will craft their very own brand positioning statement. At the conclusion of the session you will have the tools and know-how to build and leverage your brand effectively across all forms of communications. Class offered as a part of BiGAUSTIN's Women's Business Center, the center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 N IH 35, Suite 200 Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Social Media (Part 1 of 2) (6/18/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: Learn how to develop a social media plan inclusive of strategy and setting metrics and budgets. Class also speaks to finding your customers, embracing listening posts, and managing the data you have collected.

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
Creative Space Development Models-Paducah, Syracuse, Lake Worth (6/22/2010)
Sponsored by CoA Cultural Arts Division: There are different approaches to creating an arts initiative and artist spaces. Each community has a different dynamic and the success of the initiative is dependent on the utilization and cooperation of specific assets and resources, partnerships, people, and the way a community chooses to work. Mark Barone, the visionary and one of the original facilitators of the Paducah Artist Relocation Program, creator/facilitator of the Syracuse Near Westside Initiative, and creator/facilitator of the Lake Worth, Florida Cultural Renaissance Program, will share how each community used a different approach and a different solution because the dynamics of each community differed.

Time:  7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Location:  Mexican-American Cultural Center, All-Purpose Room (600 River St.)
Fee:  Free
For Information:   512-974-7860
To Register:   512-974-7875
Nuts & Bolts of Artist Space Development (6/23/2010)
Sponsored by CoA Cultural Arts Division: This workshop is the companion to the Next Level Speaker Series presentation “Creative Space Development Models – Paducah, Syracuse, Lake Worth.” In addition to giving participants the opportunity to ask more detailed questions about these 3 models, Mark Barone will guide participants through a step-by-step process of what questions to ask as you think through your own creative space development projects. Such questions as: What are the your needs and what would you like to see developed? Who will be spearheading the initiative, what procedures for property acquisition and disposition are needed, and what is the structure for daily operation of the program and coordination with program partners? Who should you look for in the way of partners? What are the possible locations – residential, commercial, or mixed use? How will the project be funded? Who will be marketing the project?

Time:  1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location:  Austin City Hall, Boards & Commissions Room 1101 (301 W. 2nd Street)
Fee:  Free
For Information:   512-974-7860
To Register:   512-974-7875
Social Media (Part 2 of 2) (6/25/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: Learn how to engage with your online audience including the "Do's and Don'ts". This course also teaches you how to embrace social platform, bookmarking, and interaction tactics. By the end of the class you should also be able to measure your results and understand the ROI of your campaign and understand next steps for continuing your online success.

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
Financial Management Class (6/29/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: The purpose of financial management is to allow you to make wise financial decisions for a business. Many different pictures of a company’s financial strength, market position, and potential can be obtained by how data is recorded,sorted, organized, and analyzed. This guide will provide the information and perspective needed to make business decisions and help you to expand finance and business management skills to make smart financial decisions for a company. Class Instructed by a Personal Banker of Citibank.

Time:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:  FREE
For Information:   928-8010
Business Life Insurance Planning (6/30/2010)
Sponsored by Business Investment Growth: · Buy/Sell Agreements · Key Person Life Insurance · Employee Benefits · Life Insurance Coverage for your business and your family—what does it mean? “As a small business owner you are responsible not only for the welfare of yourself and your family but for many others as well, including partners, employees and customers. Whether you run your business out of your home or from an office, factory or warehouse, a well-conceived insurance and benefits program is essential. It can help protect your family and your business if you die or become disabled. It can help you bridge an important gap if one of your key employees dies or leaves the business. It can assist you in attracting and retaining the best talent. And depending on the size of your company, it can even offer an innovative way for you to compensate your most valuable team members. This section discusses the different insurance products available to small business owners and the benefits they offer. You’ll learn about buy-sell agreements, key person insurance, employee benefits and executive compensation.” Janelle Pace, Financial Consultant

Time:  9:30 AM - 11:30 PM
Location:  5407 North IH-35, Suite 200, Austin TX 78723
Fee:
For Information:   928-8010
To Register:   928-8010
Introduction to Imports (6/30/2010)
Sponsored by EGRSO International Programs: Small businesses throughout the country are benefiting from global market opportunities. If you are interested in learning how to import your goods to the U.S., this seminar is geared to assist you. Topics examined in this “Introduction to Imports” seminar will include selecting qualified suppliers, transportation, logistics and much more. Featured Speaker: Doug Smith, CGBP Senior International Business Consultant, International Trade Center at UTSA

Time:  9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location:  International Center of Austin, 201 E. Second Street
Fee:  $35
For Information:   512-236-2425
To Register:   512-236-2425