Our Classes
Classes, workshops, and peer groups offer a framework to understand how to start, develop and advance a business. Different skills are required at different stages of business, so it is critical to assess where you are, to focus on the skills you need now, and to build knowledge of the challenges the next business stage will bring. Classes are often general in scope and they focus on building the participant’s common knowledge of business skills and topics.The real learning and skill development is in the daily application in your own business.
Workshops are offered to further business knowledge in specific topic areas related to client needs. Peer groups are fostered to provide networking and problem solving opportunities for participants that can further their business goals.
Class Costs. Classes are offered at a Base Price of $15/hour, most classes and group workshops are 2-hour sessions and so would be $30.00. There are reduced prices for a series, such as the 8-week Business Plan class. Please see the "Eligibility Requirements" for information on fee waivers and grants.
Typical Classes Offered:
-Classes for entrepreneurs focused on Self-Employment, include a Feasibility Study: How to Evaluate and Refine Your Idea and How to Write a Business Plan; as well as basic sales & marketing and financial courses.
-Classes for entrepreneurs pursuing a microbusiness, include Feasibility Study and Business Plan and extend to cash flow and management topics.
-Class schedules are listed by both Business Stage, showing those eDev recommends for Pre-Venture, Existence and Early Growth stages of the business, as well as by Topic.
Our current schedule (see home page) shows upcoming classes, including the following topics:
- Orientations on eDev Grant & Loan programs
- Feasibility
- Business Plan
- Sales & Marketing
- Financial
- Personal Finance
- Business Operations
Sales & Marketing
Marketing is critical to business success. Many think "advertising" when they think about marketing - that would be an underestimation of the importance of marketing to your business. Marketing begins with real knowledge of your customer (who they are, why they buy, where they purchase, what a product means to them), extends to effectively getting news of your product to your customer, encompasses salesmanship and making the sale, and extends to the ability to repeat that process in order to assure business success.
Financial Skills
Bookkeeping and accounting are very important for any business, regardless of size. Many new small business owners fail to keep good records and struggle to maintain an accurate set of books. As businesses progress, these foundations are important to do Proft & Loss statements and make decisions based on real information. eDev offers both basic and advanced financial classes, as well as QuickBooks accounting software classes. These classes are hands on and questions specific to your business accounting are enouraged.
