Events/Workshops

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has some excellent online course offering. Click the SBA links to learn more.

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about business planning. Topics of discussion will include writing a business plan, sources of funds for start-up and expansion, small business resources, and required licenses.

Speaker: Cooper Cochran, Director

Para operar un negocio se necesitan licencias y permisos apropiados. En este seminario aprenderá como obtener los números de identificación fiscal (tax ID), los permisos y licencias. El seminario muestra las diferencias entre Sociedades Anónimas tipo “C” y “S”, Sociedades Individuales, Asociaciones Personales y Compañías de Sociedades Limitadas. También se discuten los elementos en que se basan las estructuras de los negocios tales como impuestos, propiedad, responsabilidad, control, riesgos, funciones, y requisitos necesarios para los empleados. •Selección de la estructura legal •Ventajas e inconvenientes de cada estructura legal •Exhibición de formularios de cada estructura legal

Speaker: Ruperto Chávarri, Consultor

This workshop is recommended for vets exploring business ideas and who may be planning to start their own business. It will explain the steps needed to create a business plan as well as provide information about existing programs designed specifically to assist the veteran, small business owner.

Speaker: Mr. Jim Kilcoyne, Acting Center Director; Mr. Lee McCallister, Business Consultant

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about business planning. Topics of discussion will include: • Entrepreneurship Readiness • Writing a Business Plan • Sources of Funds for Start-Up and Expansion • Small Business Resources • Required Licenses

Speaker: Youlander Fulton, Business Consultant

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, expanding their business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about planning. Topics of discussion will include entrepreneurial readiness, writing a business plan, sources of funds for start-up and expansion, small business resources, and required licenses.

This workshop will cover topics essential to starting and expanding a business including business startup & financing, business plans, media marketing & e-commerce & more.

Speaker: Cooper Cochran, Louisiana SBDC & Dr. John Nwoha, Grambling College of Business

This workshop is recommended for individuals exploring business ideas, planning to start, have recently started, or want to expand a small business and those seeking a small business loan. Topics of discussion include business feasibility, business planning, sources of funding, small business resources and required licenses.

Speaker: Kyle Ardoin, Business Consultant for LSBDC at McNeese State University

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about business planning. Topics of discussion will include entrepreneurship readiness, writing a business plan, sources of funds for start-up and expansion, small business resources, and required licenses.

Speaker: Zachary McNeal, Consultant for LSBDC at UL Lafayette

THIS IS THE THIRD INSTALLMENT OF OUR THREE PART SERIES WITH THE NEW ORLEANS BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. A three-part series of workshops for existing and potential small businesses will focus on financing your business and will provide the tools to help your business succeed. •Wed. Aug. 18th – “Show Me the Money” covers financing options from A to Z. Learn about the array of lenders and their products so you can choose the option that best fits your needs. •Wed. Sept. 1st – “Dancing with the Lenders” focuses on what you need to do before meeting with your lender. Learn the steps that will put you in sync with lenders and investors. •Wed. Sept. 15th – “Polishing Your Presentation” puts the spotlight on your business plan. This is the one document that will speak to your lender or investor about your business in your absence. Make sure your plan shines!

Speaker: The Louisiana Small Business Developement Center Greater New Orleans Region

Proper licenses and permits are necessary to operate a business. This seminar teaches how to obtain tax ID numbers, permits, and licenses. The seminar examines the differences between "C" and "S" Corporations, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLC's. Elements that business structures are based on are discussed such as taxes, ownership, responsibility, control, risk, operations, and employee requirements. -Advantages & Disadvantages of each Legal Structure -Legal Structure Quiz -Filing Forms for Selecting an Organizational Structure are Provided

Speaker: Winston Williams, Business Consultant

Preparar un plan de negocios le permite controlar su empresa. Este seminario cubre con detalle las diferentes secciones del plan de negocios. El seminario está diseñado para nuevos empresarios pero también sirve para proporcionar dirección a empresas existentes. •¿Qué es un plan de negocios? • ¿Para qué se usa? • Se proporciona un modelo de un plan de negocios • Se proporcionan hojas de cálculo para proyecciones financieras

Speaker: Ruperto Chávarri, Consultor

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about business planning. Topics of discussion will include writing a business plan, sources of funds for start-up and expansion, small business resources, and required licenses.

Speaker: LSBDC Technology Center at LSU Staff

This workshop is highly recommended for all individuals interested in determining the feasibility of their business idea, planning to start or have recently started a small business, seeking a small business loan, or wanting to learn more about business planning. Topics of discussion will include entrepreneurship readiness, writing a business plan, sources of funds for start-up and expansion, small business resources, and required licenses.

Speaker: Zachary McNeal, Consultant for LSBDC at UL Lafayette

Contractor's College is an innovative program designed to prepare small, disadvantaged, minority-, and women-owned contractors to compete in the highly competitive contractor marketplace by helping them build their financing and bonding capacity. Components of Contractor's College include education on topics ranging from business planning to risk management and preparation for the State licensing exam. Emphasis on business certifications (e.g., SBA-8(a), DOTD, etc.) is a critical part of Contractor's College. Participants will receive financial and bonding capacity assessments. The assessments will help determine if the participants are currently able to obtain financing and bonding. If it is determined the participants cannot currently obtain financing and bonding, the business will be assisted in improving it's financing and bonding capacity and will be shown what needs to be done to become lender-and bond-ready. Ongoing Technical Assistance is available through partner agencies. Call (504) 342-4891 or apply online at www.contractorscollege.com

In conjunction with the Vidalia Chamber of Commerce, the Alexandria SBDC will present this seminar as part of an on-going series of "Lunch and Learn" workshops. This workshop addresses the need and importance of having a living document, the Business Plan, as a roadmap to your business' success. In addition to discussing the WHYs and HOWs of Business Plans, we will provide strategies for developing Cash Flow Projections and Marketing Assessments.

Speaker: Mr. Lee McCallister, Business Consultant; Mr. Jim Kilcoyne, Acting Center Director

This course provides students with experience at creating more elaborate worksheets and workbooks in Microsoft® Office Excel 2007 to display data in more effective ways. This course will teach you how to work with large worksheets using different viewing and printing options and/or hiding/displaying/outlining specific data for better comprehension. You will also learn how to work with and navigate between multiple worksheets and workbooks, linking them using 3-D formulas, consolidating data and editing links between workbooks. Customize Excel views and calculation options, toolbars and menus to suit your work style, and use advanced formatting to ensure your spreadsheet displays well. List management teaches you to use sorting and filtering, as well as apply advanced filtering criteria. There is also a section on advanced charting which includes adjustment of scale, using combination charts and inserting graphic elements. A section on documenting and auditing shows you how to use auditing features, insert and view comments, protect the whole or parts of a worksheet, and introduce workgroup collaboration. You will also learn to make use of built-in templates, such as the Sales Invoice and Expense Statement templates, and create your own templates. You must complete Microsoft® Office Excel 2007: Level 1 before taking this course.

In the first course in this series, Microsoft® Word 2007: Level 1, you gained all the basic skills that you need to create a wide range of standardized business documents. The next step is to improve your proficiency. With this course you can customize and automate the way Microsoft® Word 2007 works for you and improve the quality of your work by enhancing your documents with customized Microsoft® Word 2007 elements. In this course, you will create complex documents in Microsoft® Word 2007 by adding components such as customized lists, tables, charts, and graphics. You must complete Microsoft® Office Word 2007: Level 1 before taking this course.

This course provides students with an overview of the features and functions of Microsoft® Office Excel 2007. It takes you through spreadsheet terminology, explores the Excel window, examines various components, shows you how to get Help and how to open and navigate workbooks. You will learn how to enter and edit data, including creating and editing labels, values and formulas; how to save and update workbooks; how to modify a worksheet; and how to use functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, MIN and MAX. Formatting, printing worksheets is discussed in detail, as is the creation, formatting and printing of charts.

This course provides students with an overview of the features and functions of Microsoft Office Word 2007. This course is the first in a series of three Microsoft® Office Word 2007 courses. It will provide you with the introductory concepts required to produce basic business documents.

Learn what to do before approaching a lender. This seminar will help identify and assess business' financial needs, identify sources of capital, and prepare the essential documents for a lender or investor. Knowing what the lender is looking for, and the questions the lender wants answered, may improve the chances of money that the business needs. Participants will receive helpful forms to use in preparing a financial package. • Key Questions Lenders Want Answered • Worksheets to Determine Start-up Costs, Personal Financials, and Budgets • Resource Directory

Speaker: Allen Villarrubia, Business Consultant

Do you find yourself spending too much time doing minor administrative detail work every day? Do you sometimes waste valuable time searching for items, documents and contacts that are critical to your revenue production? Do you find yourself repeating the same drawn-out tasks over and over without looking for a way to automate your system? Does lack of organization ever get in the way of you making money? If any of these sound familiar, now’s your chance to do something about it! Eliminate unnecessary inefficiency in order to do what you do best…MAKE MONEY! Learn to: • Create Shortcuts for Routine Things You Do • Eliminate Clutter from your Productive Workspace • Develop Systems That You Can Maintain and That Will Work for You • Get Back on Track When Your New Routines Get Compromised!

Speaker: Ellen Martin, Productivity Consultant & Trainer

This 10-week program targets those who are seriously considering starting or have recently started a small business. Each night is packed with planning tools and management information taught by a team of small buisness experts and entrepreneurs from Shreveport-Bossier City. Classes cover business plan development, legal entities, record keeping, marketing, cash flow projections, managing your buisness, risk management, taxes and financing your business. Classes start Sept. 28. To register or for more information, contact Felicia Bell at 673-7525.

Speaker: various instructors

This seminar will be of interest to all business owners and payroll workers. Topics will include W2 reporting, Social Security number verification, end of the year payroll actions, changes for the 2010 tax year as well as business services available online.

Speaker: Don Carroum of Social Security Administration and Shanna Kelly of the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

4-hour certificates of attendance will be issued to attendees. This is an educational seminar given by the Social Security Administration, the Louisiana Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service about current reporting techniques for employers. Topics will include SSA wage reporting, new adjusted IRS tax forms, end of year payroll actions, ways to reduce errors and the penalties that go with them.

Speaker: SSA Rep Don Carroum, LDR Rep Shanna Kelly and IRS Rep Sharon Evans

Learn QuickBooks from the ground up during this workshop. A certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor will teach you basic uses and features of QuickBooks including: setting up & getting started, working with QuickBooks list and bank accounts, entering sales, invoices and receiving payments, creating reports, graphs and analyzing financial data.

Speaker: Diane Dawson, Business Consultant, Certified QuickBooks

Learn QuickBooks from the ground up during this workshop. A certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor will teach you basic uses and features of QuickBooks including: setting up & getting started, working with QuickBooks list and bank accounts, entering sales, invoices and receiving payments, creating reports, graphs and analyzing financial data.

Speaker: Winston Williams, Business Consultant

A continuation of our popular Basic Level QuickBooks Workshop, this session will assist you with more advanced topics such as payroll, inventory, setting persoal preferences, sales taxes and many other areas that will make your use of QuickBooks more efficient and more enjoyable. A working knowledge of QuickBooks is needed to grasp the topics presented in this class. Skills learned include: •Trouble shooting for commen mistaks •How to handle deposits and NSF checks •Specailty transactions •Customizing QuickBooks for your business needs •Setups for Credit Cards and Payroll •Prepare and filling of tax returns •Preform a year-end close with QuickBooks

Speaker: Diane Dawson, Business Consultant, QuickBooks Certified

A continuation of our popular Basic Level QuickBooks Workshop, this session will assist you with more advanced topics such as payroll, inventory, setting persoal preferences, sales taxes and many other areas that will make your use of QuickBooks more efficient and more enjoyable. A working knowledge of QuickBooks is needed to grasp the topics presented in this class. Skills learned include: •Trouble shooting for commen mistaks •How to handle deposits and NSF checks •Specailty transactions •Customizing QuickBooks for your business needs •Setups for Credit Cards and Payroll •Prepare and filling of tax returns •Preform a year-end close with QuickBooks

Speaker: Winston Williams, Business Consultant

This workshop covers the basic tax requirements of a small business owner, including tax comparison of various business structures, taxpayer ID numbers, independent contractor vs. employee, recordkeeping systems, business use of home, business use of auto. Payable at the door.

Speaker: Carol George, Louisiana Society of Enrolled Agents

This seminar will cover IRS issues and guidelines for small businesses. Forms, deductions and regulations will be discussed with opportunities for questions. This event is being presented for the benefit of small business owners who need to understand their obligations and who are completing and filing their own tax returns. The seminar will be in the Business Conference Center on the campus of McNeese State University.

Speaker: Faye Touchet, Enrolled Agent

Are you looking to increase your customer base on a shoestring marketing budget? This seminar will teach you the key marketing points for your product, reveal the secrets to attracting customers, and enable you to determine the layout of your marketing plan. • Free Resources for Marketing and Promoting Your Business • Identify Promotional Tools to Fit Your Business • Define the Foundational 4 P’s of Marketing • Perform a Competitive Analysis • Determine Your Company’s USP (Unique Selling Position)

Speaker: Michael Oden, Business Consultant

China is BIG and Booming. The United States and Louisiana are major exporters. China is the US' third largest export market after Canada and Mexico. Exports to China are up more than 300 percent since 2000 and up 39 percent in the last five months. Louisiana is the third largest exporter to China after only California and Texas. Come learn critical information on opportunities and challenges in this unique market. Learn what sectors are experiencing the greatest growth in China. Come at 10 am for coffee & networking. Presentation starts promptly at 10:30.

Speaker: Landon Loomis, commercial officer, U.S. Embassy in Beijing

China is BIG and Booming. The United States and Louisiana are major exporters. China is the US' third largest export market after Canada and Mexico. Exports to China are up more than 300 percent since 2000 and up 39 percent in the last five months. Louisiana is the third largest exporter to China after only California and Texas. Come learn critical information on opportunities and challenges in this unique market. Learn what sectors are experiencing the greatest growth in China. Come at 10 am for coffee & networking. Presentation starts promptly at 10:30.

Speaker: Landon Loomis, commercial officer, U.S. Embassy in Beijing

A solid website strategy is a must for success in today’s business economy and market and must be integrated into the business operations and marketing strategy of the company. This workshop will teach: • Components of a Successful Website • Website Format Designed to Generate Sales and Profits • Overview of Website Components and Integrated Marketing Strategy • SEBD Program Funding Assistance (through LED to eligible businesses)

Speaker: Christian Galvin, Business Consultant/Website Project Manager

Forget about what you've heard. It is NOT lonely at the top, especially when it comes to marketing your business online. When searching for a business, your customers look at top search results on Google or Bing - that's where your business needs to be. At this lunch and learn, attendees will be educated on low- and no-cost ways to climb to the top of search results on search engines. Door prizes will be awarded and lunch will be provided at this informative event. Stay current with this informative seminar and get the most marketing bang for your buck!

Speaker: Lyn Askin, Louisiana SEO Expert

Are you looking to increase your customer base on a shoestring marketing budget? This seminar will teach you the key marketing points for your product, reveal the secrets to attracting customers, and enable you to determine the layout of your marketing plan. • Free Resources for Marketing and Promoting Your Business • Identify Promotional Tools to Fit Your Business • Define the Foundational 4 P’s of Marketing • Perform a Competitive Analysis • Determine Your Company’s USP (Unique Selling Position)

Speaker: Youlander Fulton, Business Consultant

Dealing with legal issues is part of the job of a small business owner. Learning the basics of business law can make operating your business easier and save you money on legal fees. This seminar will explore the legal environment in which any business must operate in the modern business world. This seminar will include: • Legal Documents • Saving Money on Legal Fees • An Overview of Business Law

Speaker: Al Overman, Legal Consultant

This workshop will cover -- in everyday language -- legal questions startup businesses face including the advantages and disadvantages of each business entity and how to create a limited liability company yourself online. Plus, we'll touch on basic law as it applies to contracts, liability, insurance and lease issues.

Speaker: Henry M. Bernstein, attorney

Any business owner that has employees needs to be aware that there is some kind of law that directs what the owner can do or can't do when it comes to hiring or firing his/her employees. Doing the wrong thing can end up creating a legal nightmare. This seminar will give attendees the lowdown on what they should know about employment contracts, 'at will' employment, do's and don'ts when interviewing, employment record keeping, the importance of having a good Employee Handbook, etc.

Speaker: Alex Peragine is a partner with Peragine and Lorio, LLC, a legal firm based in Covington. Alex is a native of New Orleans. He received his BA from ULL and his JD from LSU. Peragine and Lorio, LLC provide litigation, transactional, and consulting services to businesses and individuals. Their areas of expertise include Health Care, Labor and Employment, and Small Business Structuring.