Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network

 

Statewide Training & Event Calendar

  

Preregistration is required for all events. Each registration link is program-specific. If no link is listed, online registration is not available or registration has closed.

Training registrations are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your space for fee-based events, mail your payment to the appropriate office with a copy of the completed registration form. Credit cards are accepted ONLY for the Massachusetts Export Center's events. Your spot is reserved once payment is received by the appropriate office. Training programs may be added or cancelled; the training schedule is subject to change.

Please note: Training confirmations are sent from centeric@clients.msbdc.org. We use this email frequently, so please add it to your approved sender list. A verification code will be sent from this email address allowing your to register for training. If you have problems signing in, do not create a new account with a different email in order to register. For help registering, send an email to the contact in the seminar description. Please review our cancellation and refund policies.


 
export
PFT bookletThe Massachusetts Export Center organizes seminars, webinars and events throughout the year under Partners for Trade—the official export training initiative of the Commonwealth. Click on image at right to download the Spring 2023 Partners for Trade training booklet.
 
On the calendar below, globe indicates an exporting training event.

      
 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~ 2023 Training Calendar 

Training is held online unless otherwise noted              globe = export training
 SEPTEMBER
27 Canva 101
27 Connect Capital, Berkshire (Pittsfield)
28 Basics of Starting Your Business
29 Export Compliance Risk Assessment for Beginners
 
 OCTOBER
2 Basics of Starting Your Business
3 Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
11 Starting a Business 101
19 Basics of Starting Your Business
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  
 

  

  

  

  

 
Program Descriptions


Basics of Starting Your Business

biz startupThis free presentation will help entrepreneurs start a business plan and provide structure to starting and managing their venture. Topics will include:

  • Introduction and need for planning
  • Basic business plan format
  • Choosing your legal form of organization
  • Marketing, market planning and research
  • Cash flow projections
  • Financial statements
  • Financing

There will also be an overview of the U.S. Small Business Administration's programs and services. The presentation will help you gain a better understanding of the various SBA programs and services available to prospective or current entrepreneurs who need assistance in starting or expanding their businesses, and will include capital, counseling and contracting information.

Oreste Varela, branch manager of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Springfield, will be a speaker. Also presenting from the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, Western Regional Office will be Allen Kronick, senior business advisor or Anita Eliason, senior business advisor.

There is no charge for these workshops, but pre-registration is required. This workshop is offered on several convenient dates. If a date is not listed below, the class is full or registration is closed. A Zoom link for the webinar will be emailed to you immediately after registration from centeric@clients.msbdc.org. Please add this email to your safe sender list.

Dates & Times: Typically held on the first Monday (1:00 - 4:00 p.m.) and third Thursday (9:00 a.m. - 12 noon) of the month - click on your date selection below to register
Location: Online
Cost:
No charge
Contact: Paula Pawloski at the MSBDC Western Regional Office at ppawlosk@umass.edu

     

Starting a Business 101

Are you looking to start a business but don’t know where to begin? This workshop will focus on business fundamentals, from start-up considerations to business plan development including marketing strategies and funding sources.

The speaker will be either Nancy Gerardi, regional director or Rosa Taormina, business advisor and Social Media Marketing Professional with the MSBDC Northeast Regional Office.

Date: Typically held on the second Wednesday of the month - click on your date selection below to register
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact: Kaitlin Muldoon at kmuldoon@salemstate.edu or 978-542-7369

Basic Entrepreneurial Workshop: Business Fundamentals

SEED CorporationJoin us for a virtual entrepreneurial workshop in which participants will learn the fundamentals of planning, preparing for and financing a small business. The workshop is open to anyone currently in business, starting a business, or thinking about someday owning a business, as well as business assistance professionals who would like to learn more about SEED's technical assistance programming.

Attendees will be provided with a free business plan guide and other materials and will be introduced to free and confidential business assistance resources available to them locally and regionally. 

Date: TBA
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact:  Jessica Mello at jmello@seedcorp.com

Sponsored by SEED Corporation in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, and SCORE

Basic Entrepreneurial Workshop: Understanding Business Financials

SEED CorporationJoin us for an entrepreneurial workshop in which participants will learn how to read and a balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement, and keep on top of their business finances. The workshop also explains how a small business owner can anticipate financial needs in order to operate the business more efficiently through a deeper understanding of their financial picture. 

The workshop is open to anyone currently in business, starting a business, or thinking about someday owning a business, as well as business assistance professionals who would like to learn more about SEED's technical assistance programming.

Attendees will be provided with a free business plan guide that includes financial templates and will be introduced to free and confidential business assistance resources available to them locally and regionally. 

Date: TBA
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact:  Jessica Mello at jmello@seedcorp.com

Sponsored by SEED Corporation in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, and SCORE

Canva 101

Did you know Canva can help with your small business marketing? Canva is a user-friendly tool where you can create custom postcards, business cards, social media templates, flyers, emails and more! The best part? It's free to get started.

In this Canva 101 session, Cara Chatellier, founder and Creative Director of Bubly Creative, will go over the Canva basics to get you started on your way to making amazing graphics for your small business.

Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact: Kaitlin Muldoon at kmuldoon@salemstate.edu or 978-542-7369

Connect Capital, Berkshire (in-person event)

Connect Capital, BerkshireJoin us for a gathering of 8 local lenders, 10 regional and statewide business organizations, fellow small business owners, entrepreneurs, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to spark funding opportunities.

SBA will provide updates, insights, and presentations, including:

  • A presentation on using money as a tool to build your business
  • Real stories of local businesses who leveraged financing to expand
  • A panel discussion with four financing specialists
  • A presentation on government contacting

Your confirmation email will be sent from centeric@clients.msbdc.org. If you don't find the email in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder.

Speakers include:

  • Keith Girouard, Regional Director — MSBDC Berkshire Regional Office
  • Carlos Hernandez, Lender Relations Specialist — U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Robert Nelson, Massachusetts District Director — U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Ben Sosne, Executive Director — Berkshire Innovation Center

Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. EDT               
Location: Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield
Cost: No charge
Contact: MSBDC Berkshire Regional Office at 413-499-0933

Cosponsored by the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation and the U.S. Small Business Administration

Export Compliance Risk Assessment for Beginners

In our rapidly-changing geopolitical, economic and national security environment, global trade regulations have become increasingly complex, leaving companies engaged in international trade more vulnerable to compliance risk. From ever-changing sanctions, expanding product and technology controls, increasing restrictions on end users and end uses, potential illegal diversion, and more, compliance risks are more prevalent than ever.  How do companies identify and mitigate these risks? And how do beginners address applicable risks without becoming overwhelmed?   

Join us to learn how to assess and address your unique global trade compliance risks. This program will discuss identifying, understanding and measuring areas of risk for exporting businesses, and using that assessment to develop and implement reasonable controls to address those risks as part of your Export Management and Compliance Program. You will also learn about resources for support. 

Speakers include:

  • Paula Murphy, Director — Massachusetts Export Center
  • Kathleen Kinahan-Newell, Trade Compliance Manager — Massachusetts Export Center  

Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact: Massachusetts Export Center at training@massexport.org or 617-973-6610

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

Most small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many small businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions and don’t know where to begin. Start by learning about common cybersecurity best practices and FREE resources to address and improve your cybersecurity.

Cyberattacks cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars a year and pose a threat for individuals and organizations. Small businesses are especially attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals (bad actors, foreign governments, etc.) want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses to adequately protect their digital systems for storing, accessing, and disseminating data and information.

Speakers include:

  • Robert DelMastro, Regional Director — Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC)
  • Susan Lourie, Business Opportunity Specialist — U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Additional speakers TBA

A TEAMS link will be sent via email prior to the webinar. Be sure you can access TEAMS from your browser prior to the event.

Date: Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Online
Cost: No charge
Contact: SBA at 617-565-5590

Sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration