Entrepreneurship Academy

Are you starting or growing your own business? Attend one or more of these free informative workshops!

Each classroom workshop listed below is two days from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Students are invited to a meet-and-greet session held Thursday, June 13, 2013, from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. at the Community Campus. This session is your personal invitation to meet local and regional small business experts who can assist you with your business development after you have completed your workshops.

Call 520-206-6468 to register.

Academy Workshops

• BU 220A Understanding Entrepreneurship
  Spring 2013 Workshop: April 10 and 17
  Introduction to entrepreneurship. Topics covered include market research, validation of your business idea, types of businesses, legal and property issues and start-up costs, plus the six components of business success. (Course Outline)

• BU 220B Financing a Small Business, Managing Profitability and Cash
  Spring 2013 Workshop: April 11 and 18
  Introduction to financial statements and accounting principles. Concepts covered include obtaining financing, key financial measures, cash flow and cost accounting. (Course Outline)

• BU 220C Strategic Assessment and Growth of Business
  Spring 2013 Workshop: May 7 and 14
  Discuss the stages, hurdles and assessment of business growth. The course also covers the development of strategies, action plans for internal improvement and external opportunities and executing the business plan. (Course Outline)

• BU 220D Small-Business Leadership and Organization
  Spring 2013 Workshop: May 8 and 15
  Discover how to create a positive company culture, engagement and relationships. Participants will discuss the roles of accountability, job descriptions, organizational structure and process, employee hiring and training and development. (Course Outline)

• BU 220E Marketing and Sales Strategy
  Spring 2013 Workshop: June 11 and 18
  This course explores the role of market focus and approaches to marketing; customer service and sale skills strategies; understanding the competition; creating the competitive advantage and the business model; and value proposition. (Course Outline)

• BU 220F Business Planning and Financial Forecasting
  Spring 2013 Workshop: June 12 and 19
  Learn how to put together an effective business plan. Resources for guidance and assistance, preparing the financial forecast and making financial assumptions, the use of industry comparison data and making the go-no go decision will also be covered. (Course Outline)

Boot Camp Workshops

Learn the skills you need or update your current skills to keep your small business running smoothly or to take it to the next level. These four, popular Saturday workshops focus on financial management skills, leadership skills, marketing and sales techniques (including social media) and how to effectively do long-term planning for your business.

• BU 611 Financial Management for Business Owners
  Saturday mornings: September 7-October 12, 2013     8 am to noon
  Understand the role of the chief financial officer; create budgets; read/analyze financial statements and create solutions; manage cash flow, deal with creditors, finance your business and choose appropriate financial decision making tools. (Course Outline)

• BU 613 Leadership Skills and Organization Development
  Saturday afternoons: September 7-October 5, 2013     1 pm to 5 pm
  Understand leadership as a skill versus management or supervision; learn to recruit/promote from within; creating excellence; communicate a common purpose (vision and mission); identify employee needs and goals; connect the company culture to customer service and satisfaction and obtain effective communication and employee empowerment. (Course Outline)

• BU 615 Marketing and Sales, Competitive Analysis and Response
  Saturday mornings: October 19-November 23, 2013     8 am to noon
  Understand the role of market focus in marketing strategy; select best market research; determine market size; understand market characteristics, trends and needs, customer needs; learn expansion strategies;  align marketing costs with key elements of the marketing plan; use online marketing including social networking effectively and build the customer database, and implement effective customer service strategies. (Course Outline)

• BU 625 Long-Term Planning and Goal Setting
  Saturday afternoons: October 19-November 23, 2013     1 pm to 5 pm
  Understand the company vision; review the company history, assess current conditions; learn to set goals, identify strengths and weaknesses, evaluate opportunities and develop strategies and action plans for internal improvement and to address external opportunities; plan documentation and follow up. (Course Outline)