Among the programs are:
- The Cleveland State Small Business Development Center is presenting an Intermediate QuickBooks Training Workshop on Feb. 25.
The course will be taught by Elizabeth R. Tribble, Certified Public Accountant and QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor. Tribble has 13 years of public accounting experience and has owned a small business for 12 years.
The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 136 of the Technology Building on CSCC’s campus.
Participants will learn how to take the basics of QuickBooks to a higher level. By customizing the program to your needs, participants will be able to set preferences for payroll, taxes and inventory, track time and sales tax, create estimates and reports and develop a better understanding of financial data. A basic working knowledge of QuickBooks is needed to grasp the topics presented in this class.
This is a fee-based course. The cost is $75 per attendee. Lunch will not be provided; however, a one-hour lunch break will be given.
To register for this educational seminar, contact Elizabeth Tribble at 615-294-0511 or e-mail her at elizabethtribble28@gmail.com.
- A free educational seminar on Time Management and Employee Productivity Management Using Shared Calendars will be held on March 3.
The program will be from noon to 1 p.m., in Room 136 of the Technology Building on CSCC’s campus.
Brenda Sheehy, director of the SBDC, will be the instructor for this class that will focus on time management utilizing the Microsoft Outlook calendar.
Participants will learn how to manage their employees’ productivity through the utilization of shared calendars. Microsoft Outlook is required for this workshop, so participants should bring laptop computers to the class.
- The Cleveland State Small Business Development Center, in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center, is hosting a free educational seminar on Federal Procurement Training and Government Contracting on March 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, in Room 136 of the Technology Building on CSCC’s campus.
The Procurement Technical Assistance Center helps Tennessee companies find bid opportunities, understand government contracting processes, meet quality control standards, and bid successfully in the government marketplace.
Paul Middlebrooks, marketing consultant with the University of Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center, will be the instructor for this course.
Some of the topics will include: How to market to the federal government; how to find government business opportunities; information regarding federal codes; how to find information on the Internet related to government contracting; and understanding the government contracting process.
Middlebrooks has 20 years of experience in business and management consulting as a marketing consultant and field consultant with the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services. He has a marketing management degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and has been involved in a number of government procurement counseling sessions with manufacturers, distributors, and service operations.
- A free educational seminar on Creating a Positive First Impression for your small business will be h eld on Feb. 18 , from 8 to 9 a.m., in Room 136 of the Technology Building on CSCC’s campus.
Brenda Sheehy, director of the SBDC, will be discussing the importance of first impressions in the success of your business in a competitive environment. Participants will learn how to achieve customer service excellence and valuable information on signage and merchandising.
- Cleveland State Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), along with Borrego Springs Bank, N.A., a proven nationwide lender under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Preferred Lender Program, will be conducting a free Loan Expo on the SBA Community Express and Patriot Express Loan Programs on Feb. 23, 5:30-7 p.m. in Room 130 of the Technology Building on the CSCC campus.
“The SBDC is pleased to have Fred Crispen, the executive vice president of Borrego Springs Bank, joining us for the informational session,” stated Brenda Sheehy, Small Business Development Center director.
“He will go over the various types of SBA financing, including information about the Patriot’s Express Loan designed exclusively for veterans. If you are a veteran and interested in obtaining financing, this is a loan product with a quick turnaround that’s available to wives and/or widows of veterans offered at an attractive interest rate.
“Patriot Express loans are available to start-up businesses as well as established ones. There are many other SBA loan products available, as well. Our center is pleased to offer this national lender’s information to you via our no-cost seminar,” Sheehy said.
- The Cleveland State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and FranNet are presenting a free educational seminar on starting your own business and franchising on March 2, 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Room 130 of the Technology Building on the CSCC Campus.
Jerry Bird, East Tennessee franchise specialist with FranNet, will be discussing how to calculate and maximize your financial returns within a franchise business, as well as the various choices one has in realizing career independence within a franchise system.
This workshop will also cover misconceptions about franchising, why one should own a franchise, how to find the right franchise, etc.
For more information on the SBDC or to register for an educational seminar, call 423-478-6247.
For more information on FranNet, call 423-591-4860.
To register for this free educational seminar, visit the website at www.tsbdc.org.
