Denver's Small Business Resource

Workshop 1 - Starting Your Business                                                                                                                                                                              Register
This is the first in the series of start-up seminars. Participants will learn the basic concepts and techniques of business ownership, the impact of a small business on the owner's life, the information and research they need, where to get the information and resources, what is a business plan and the basics of business finances and problem solving and decision making process

Getting Started: Building a Small Business That Works
A session which helps participants understand the personal and financial commitment needed to create a successful small business. Specific actions and steps to be taken are also discussed.  Specific topics such as: establishing a name, what information is needed about the service or product offered, how strong the competition is, how easy will it be to enter into the marketplace, what start-up issues and problems might be anticipated, and tips to improve success.  Participants are provided an understanding of why research is important and explore what information is needed.

The Road Map: The Plan
An overview session designed to introduce the value and use of a business plan.  participants are provided an understanding of why research is important and explore what information is needed.  A checklist of steps to take is provided to help participants organize and guide themselves to the steps necessary to properly start a new business.

Money Matters: Introduction to Financial Statements
A basic introductory session designed to provide information about relevant financial terms, rations, and financial statements. This seminar focuses  on helping the non-financial oriented participant understand what they need to know to manage the financial aspects of their business, define common finical terms, and the impact of finances on a business plan.

Denver Public Library Resources
A session to provide information about the resources and information available. Focus is placed on the resources available at the Denver Public Library. Participants are exposed to the common sources of information and participant examples are used to demonstrate the information available.

 

Workshop 2 - Expert Advice                                                                                                                                                                                                      Register
This workshop provides specific information relating to decisions new business owners need to make. We  help participants make informed choices about business structure, risk management and insurance, financing, sources of funds, and basic tax information.

Organizing/Structuring My Business: Legal Considerations and Business Entities
This session presented by an attorney introducing information about business entities and the respective tax and liabilities.

Keeping the Paperwork and Documentation: Accounting and Bookkeeping Services
This session presented by an accountant, covers information about various taxes; income, sales, product, business, property, and payroll taxes. The financial impact of business entity choices, record keeping and retention, are also discussed.

Taking Care of Taxes, Reporting Wages, and the Classification of Workers
This session presented by a representative of the IRS, covers basic tax information for small business owners; including the categories of workers, withholding, estimating, report requirements, forms, and importance of records..

A Source of Funds: Banking and Financial Programs
This  session presented by a banker to introduce and describes resources for financing, the role of banks, shopping for a lender, importance of a business plan, definition of collateral, and the importance of maintaining lender relationships.

Small Business Ownership and Risk: Risk Management and Insurance
This session presented by an insurance expert  helps participants understand a variety of business risks and the role insurance can play in the management of these risks.. The variety of insurance programs and the minimum coverage levels are also discussed.

Workshop 3 - Promoting Your Business                                                                                                                                                                                Register
This workshop 3 provides information participants need to promote their business. Emphasis is on helping participants make choices for effective and efficient marketing and promotion of their product. Product, as used in all workshops, is a general term covering the "thing(s)" that a business sells - including goods and/or service.

Developing a Marketing Strategy: Analyzing Your Market and Developing a Marketing Plan
A session to introduce the basic concepts and techniques of market analysis and methods of conducting market research to determine the potential best customer for the small business owner's product The session will help participants with the development of a strategic marketing plan and focus on the purposes, types, uses and data needed to develop a strategic marketing plan Focus will be Participants will develop a description of their target market, competitors and product. Focus is on the concepts of developing a marketing concept, doing market research, developing a target market, and developing a marketing strategy. Additional skills and techniques for basic selling strategies and determining the most effective methods ot getting the small businesses product to the best potential customer.

Letting People Know About Your Business: Advertising/Promoting Your Business
A session to introduce and explore promotion and advertising strategies for a small business. Topics included creating an identity, positioning for success, getting started with advertising plans, creating design that sells, and media choices for the small business. Included is a session on developing a brochure.

Getting and Keeping Customers: What Customers Experience About Your Service
A session to introduce participants to the importance of service and the resulting experience for their customers Participants will understand that the positive/negative experience created when you do business is directly proportional to the repeat sale and their customers coming back.

The Internet and Your Business: Using the Internet and Computers in Your Business
A session to introduce the potential of the internet and computers for marketing sales, prospecting, and advertising. In addition guidance is provided about setting up a web presence and what decisions are important.

Workshop 4 - Business Plan Development                                                                                                                                                                               Register
This is the final workshop in the series and is devoted to helping participants put their business plan together using the information they have gained from attending  the other three seminars and their own research.

Putting Your Ideas on Paper: Business Plan Development and the Narrative Section
This active session helps participants understand what is a business plan and how it is critical, if the participant is going to need financial backing. Participants learn about who writes the plan, the components of an effective plan , and get practice in developing parts of the narrative portion of the plan. As a result of this session the participant will  develop a statement about their business structure, their marketing plan, articulated their management plan, planned for their operations/production plan, and their technical plan. The participants will also develop alternatives to many of the contingences they may face, and develop a tactical launch plan and measures of success for their business. The participants will receive and use worksheets in the workbook, Let's Write Your Business Plan.

Building Your Financial Story: The Financial Section of the Business Plan
This session provides the instruction and tools to complete one of the most important parts of the business plan - the financial section.  The participant will receive both a clean copy and a completed case study of a comprehensive, linked Excel financial projection model.  Participants will walk through the steps to complete, understand and communicate their business' financial projections.

*All of the Spreadsheets needed for completing a business plan are included:

• Detail and Summary Source and Use of Funds Statements
• 3 Year Annual Income Statements, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow Statements
• 1st and 2nd Year Monthly Income Statements, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow Statements
• Product and/or Service Pricing Profiles
• Sales and Cost of Sales Detail
• Labor Projections
• Working Capital Assumptions
• Other Significant Assumptions
• Debt Amortization Schedules
• Income Tax and Self Employment Tax Draw Calculations
• Financial Ratios
• Sensitivity analysis
• Breakeven / Profitability Analysis 
• Return on Investment Analysis

The content is customized to your specific business.  No two businesses financial projection package will look alike.

All the formulas, technical accounting, formatting and linking requirements for these spreadsheets are already done.  All you have to do is input your information into the spreadsheets that are supported with easy-to-follow instructions, explanations and a completed case study example.