Training Events
The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center - Berkshire Region conducts free and low-cost workshops and conferences addressing a wide range of concerns for both start-up and existing businesses. Many of these programs are cosponsored with local chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, community development organizations, trade associations, banks and corporate sponsors.
For a complete listing of Massachusetts SBDC seminars offered throughout the state, please visit the statewide calendar at www.msbdc.org. Visit our video page for past trainings and helpful videos.
Conversations That Matter: Credit Ready: Building Business Credit to Secure Financing
Whether you’re
preparing to launch a business or looking to secure
financing for an existing business, understanding credit
is an important step toward success. Join us for an
informative session when we speak with representatives of Greylock
Federal Credit Union, as we explore how personal and
business credit affect lending decisions, loan
eligibility, interest rates, and borrowing terms.
Participants will learn how lenders evaluate creditworthiness, how to establish and build business credit, how to address credit challenges, and practical steps to strengthen their financial profile before applying for a loan.
Join us to gain valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you prepare for financing, improve your loan readiness, and build a strong financial foundation for your business. This session is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout Berkshire County who want to better understand credit and prepare for future financing opportunities.
Special guest speakers:
- Christopher Barry, CUBLP, Vice President, Commercial Lending — Greylock Federal Credit Union
- Jeffrey Lowenstein, CCUFC, Financial Wellness Specialist — Greylock Federal Credit Union
Ready to take the next step toward business financing? Register today to reserve your spot!
Date: Tuesday,
November 10, 2026
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. ET
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact: Massachusetts SBDC - Berkshire Region
at 413-545-0932
Cosponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union
AI for Small Business Finance: Understand Your Numbers, Make Smarter Decisions
Do you know what your numbers are really telling you? Most small business owners are so busy running their business that they rarely stop to read the financial story it's telling — the strengths, the warning signs, and the decisions hiding in plain sight.
In this hands-on workshop, we will show you how to use AI as your personal financial thinking partner — no accountant required, no spreadsheets to prepare, and no financial background needed. You will work through real financial scenarios using a fictional company similar to your own, learning how to ask AI the right questions to uncover insights that most business owners never see until it's too late. And the best part? Everything you learn in the workshop goes home with you.
After the event, you can take the same prompts that we used in class and apply them to your own real numbers — in the privacy of your own office, at your own pace, with complete confidence.
You will learn:
- How to get a plain-English financial health overview of your business using AI
- How to identify your biggest financial strengths — and your most dangerous blind spots
- How to stress-test major decisions before you make them (hiring, pricing, borrowing, expanding)
- How a bank evaluates your business when you apply for a loan — and how to improve your position
- What you should be reviewing weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually to stay financially ahead
What to bring:
- Your laptop (required)
- Curiosity...no financial documents or accounting knowledge needed
This workshop is open to all small business owners in Western Massachusetts. The AI prompts are based on having access to a Profit and Loss Statement, a Cashflow Statement, and a Balance Sheet. These reports are available through any accounting software, or you can build them yourself.
The speaker will be Rob DelMastro, regional director of the Massachusetts SBDC - Berkshire and Western Regions.
Space is limited to 12 attendees, so register soon to secure your spot!
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Berkshire Innovation Center, 45
Woodlawan Avenue, Pittsfield
Cost: No charge
Contact: Massachusetts SBDC - Berkshire
Region at 413-545-0932
Click on icon below to listen to recordings from our recent podcasts, Conversations That Matter.
Massachusetts SBDC training events are supported by federal taxpayer funds. By registering, you certify that you are legally authorized to receive services funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars, in accordance with applicable federal law and regulations.