New Ventures Maine will offer a free, three-session workshop, Business Basics, to Maine business owners this winter. The class is designed for those thinking about, or in the early start-up phase of, a new business.
Business Basics will be offered online, via Zoom, on Wednesdays from 12-1 p.m. Classes meet for three sessions: Feb. 2, 9, and 16. The class covers the basics of a business plan, marketing, and cash planning and can help assess the feasibility, desirability, and viability of a business idea.
Karin Petrin, business advisor for New Ventures Maine in Aroostook County and a trainer for the class, notes, “If you will be seeking bank financing for your business endeavor or just want to see if your idea will work as a business, you need a business plan. This class will give you the foundational plan for financing, marketing, start-up, or expansion.”
There is no fee for the class, but pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call 207-386-1664, email jenn.dobransky@maine.edu, or register online at bit.ly/NVMEbusinessclasses.
Beginning March 3, New Ventures Maine will offer a series of eight dynamic, online workshops to help entrepreneurs understand and manage the many components of starting and growing their small business. This series is intended for individuals exploring new business ideas and is also appropriate for established businesses looking to initiate a new strategy.
The Business Success Series of online classes will be offered from 12–1 p.m. on Thursdays, from March 3 to April 21, online via Zoom.
Each workshop in the series covers a topic, including: introduction to self-employment, values and mission, marketing strategy, pricing strategies, bookkeeping solutions, projecting cash flow, QuickBooks, and tax readiness.
Workshop facilitator, Jenn Dobransky, New Ventures Maine business advisor, said, “We encourage entrepreneurs to review the list of workshops in the series and choose the ones that meet their individual needs. Each workshop is designed to provide concrete tools and resources to break down next steps into manageable tasks.”
“Being self-employed requires ongoing learning,” said Petrin. “The pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty for budding entrepreneurs and established businesses, both big and small. Entrepreneurs who engage in continuous learning are proven to be more resilient. This is the time to pause and assess what is working and what is not,” she noted.
Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/NVMEbusinessclasses. There is no fee for the training.
New Ventures Maine creates an empowering environment for Maine people to define and achieve their career, financial, and small business goals. Through tuition-free classes and individual coaching, people find good jobs, start or return to college, launch small businesses, manage their money, and build their assets. New Ventures Maine is a statewide program of the University of Maine at Augusta, University of Maine System, an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. For more information, visit newventuresmaine.org.