"The 10 Commandments of Networking"
When: Wednesday, August 3
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 PM
Where: Alternatives' 2nd floor conference room
Cost: sliding scale, $15 - 30
Registration required: contact Alison, alison@alternatives.org
If your business depends on building relationships that lead to customer referrals, then your major marketing activity is most likely networking. But do you feel that many networking events have been a waste of your time? Do you want to have simple steps to make more productive use of your networking time?
Join us for this interactive and collaborative class, presented by Dave Makar of Referral Institute Ithaca. We'll cover the "10 Commandments of a Networking Mixer", providing you tips, tools, techniques, and tasks that you can apply to every networking event you attend to make your networking more effective. The session will include how to network effectively to build positive word-of-mouth, who you want to meet and how you can find them at a mixer, and much more!
"So You Want to Be Your Own Boss?" An Intro to Entrepreneurship...
When: Wednesday, August10
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Where: Alternatives' 2nd floor conference room
Cost: $20
Registration required: Contact Alison
Interested in starting a business or working for yourself, but not really sure what that will really take? Join us for our special introductory workshop, designed for those who are at the "idea stage" or just generally interested in small business. We'll address topics including:
-- What business owners need to know
-- How to research a business idea
-- How to learn about the market and competition
-- How to determine if your idea is financially feasible
-- What resources are available for more help....
Fall "Getting Down to Business" course
When: Wednesdays, Sept. 14 through Nov. 9
Time: 6:00 ? 9:00 PM
Where: Alternatives' 2nd floor conference room
Cost: sliding scale, $80 - 300
Registration required: contact Alison
* Registration will close at 5:00 pm on Friday, September 9 (or sooner, if class becomes full).
Autumn is coming sooner than we realize, and registration for our fall course opens soon! "Getting Down to Business" is our comprehensive business planning course, covering all major aspects of the business start-up process. We'll address bookkeeping and financial feasibility, financial statements, business taxes, marketing strategies and foundations, legal issues for small businesses, banking and financing, and more!
Getting Down to Business is designed for people who:
- have a definite business concept that they are committed to, and
- are ready to move forward with their business planning process, and
- expect to get their business off the ground within the next 6-12 months, OR
- have very recently started a business and need help.
Class participants must be able to commit to an intensive, nine-week course with outside research and homework. It takes time and dedication to create a successful enterprise!
Business Planning Intensive - coming soon!
When: dates TBA
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: Alternatives' 2nd floor conference room
Cost: sliding scale, $30 - 60
Interested in being notified about rescheduled dates? Email Alison!
If you've been meaning to sit down and develop an organized, comprehensive plan for your business, we are going to give you the means and motivation to do it! Whether you're still at the concept stage or have been in business for years, developing a business plan isn't about writing a document, it's a process of setting goals, identifying priorities, realistically assessing feasibility and challenges, and mapping out action steps! This special two-session workshop will jump feet first into that process. You'll leave with a solid framework begun and a clear path for completing your research and moving forward with your plans.
