Educational series for small businesses kicks off in May
The University of Wisconsin Extension service will begin offering a series of no-cost educational courses for small business owners or those thinking of starting their own business. These courses are based on the Money Smart for Small Business modules developed jointly by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Designed to be delivered by intermediary organizations to new or operating small business owners —with or without formal business training—to provide a practical introduction to aspects of starting and managing a business.
The first course is entitled “Is Owning a Business a Good Fit for You?” and will be held on May 17th from 3:00-5:00pm at the Hudson Library. This first course offers a highly interactive experience that encourage participants to make important decisions about their readiness to start a business. This class aims to demystify what is means to be a business owner. It helps participants identify some strengths and weaknesses. After completing this module, participants will be able to:
• Distinguish the myths and realities of small business ownership.
• Start a self-assessment to determine their readiness to become business owners.
• Set a plan of action gathering feedback from family, friends and potential customers.
The second course will be Financial Management and will be given on May 31st from 3:00-5:00 PM at the Hudson Library. The Financial Management course provides an overview of business financial management and is designed to help participants to understand how financial management can benefit their business.
After completing this class, the participants will be able to:
• Explain the concept of financial management and why it is important to a small business
• Identify financial management practices, rules, and tools that are commonly available to a small business
• Explain how these financial management practices, rules, and tools work
• Explain financial management basics for a small business
• Explain the basics of start-up financing
• Explain the basics of financing for a growing business
• Explain the basics of financing working capital
• Explain the basics of financing fixed assets
The courses will be led by Dr. Eric Biltonen, Community and Economic Development Educator with UW Extension. Dr. Biltonen ran his own consulting business working overseas on international development projects. The instructor will also provide information on locally available resources in each topic area. Registration is not required. For questions, please contact Eric Biltonen at 715-531-1930.
