Basics of Starting a Business

Learn the whole nine yards of starting a business. This free workshop, presented by Allen Kronick, senior business advisor with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network Western Regional Office, will focus on business fundamentals, from start-up considerations to business plan development and funding sources. It is designed for owners of existing businesses as well as those who are planning to start one.

The workshop will help entrepreneurs write a business plan and provide structure to starting/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

Oreste Varela, Springfield branch manager of the U.S. Small Business Administration will also present, The SBA Advantage: An Overview of SBA’s Programs and Services. This 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.

This free workshop is typically held on the first Monday of the month in Springfield and the first Thursday of the month in Greenfield (unless otherwise noted, due to holiday or other conflict). See chart below for dates, times, locations and registration links.

The Greenfield workshops are cosponsored by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

Cost: No charge
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with links below. Please note that each registration link is for a specific date. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

Legal Clinic

We are very pleased to announce that Sarah Willey, Esq., with WMASSbizlaw, is generously offering to hold free monthly legal clinics.  

Individuals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners can meet one-on-one to discuss general legal questions such as corporate structure, leases, contracts, insurance, employment, franchising, and various other business-related issues. Attorney Willey is also an expert on international compliance laws.

Appointments are required and subject to availability. To schedule a session, please click on the link below to choose a time and register online.

Participants will be required to sign a general waiver prior to their meeting and are eligible to attend one 30-minute Legal Clinic.

Date: Monthly on Tuesday - see chart below
Time: 12:00 - 3:30 p.m. (30-minute appointment)
Location: Varies
Cost: Free
Contact: Register online with links below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

Date	Location
Tues., Oct 18   Register online	Franklin County Chamber 395 Main Street, Greenfield
Tues., Nov 15   Register online	Chicopee Chamber 264 Exchange Street, Chicopee
Tues., Dec 20   Register online	Peoples Bank 56 Amity Street, Amherst

Starting or Growing a New Business

In many ways, there has never been a better time to start a business. Learn how to properly launch your business to ensure success. Understand the critical pieces of the puzzle and how they all fit together. We will discuss the legal forms of ownership, licensing and tax requirements, capital and labor, rent versus purchase, insurance and various other business start-up issues.

Is starting a business in Massachusetts for you? Learn what it takes to start a business. We discuss business requirements, planning and financing. Find out how to determine whether you and your company concept will have the best chance for success.

See chart below for dates, times, locations and registration links.

Cost: No charge
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with links below. Please note that each registration link is for a specific date. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

Excel Tips & Tricks Essential for Building Financial Spreadsheets 

This three-hour workshop will present our favorite tips, tricks and shortcuts that we have collected and developed over 20 years of teaching and using Microsoft Excel.

Topics will include shortcuts for selecting ranges, using autofill to create a series of dates or numbers, setting the print area, using page break preview, adding headers and footers, and using page layout view. 

You’ll learn how to group spreadsheets in the same workbook in order to type or format more than one sheet at the same time, as well as how to create 3-D formulas that calculate across several spreadsheets in the same workbook. 

You’ll practice dividing text from one column into two columns, as well as how to concatenate text from two columns into one.  You’ll learn how to use conditional formatting to format cells according to their values, how to protect all or part of a worksheet, and how to paste an Excel spreadsheet into Word as an Excel object that links to the original spreadsheet and updates automatically.  A set of handy keyboard shortcuts will also be included in the workshop.

Presented by Mannie White, director of training at Pioneer Training, Inc. Mannie is a graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst.  Post graduate UMass Amherst in  English/Education, computer programming/technical writing. Mannie taught high-school English for 18 years before switching careers to become a computer consultant. He has worked at Pioneer Training since 1995, and as director of training since 1998. He has taught classes in Microsoft office products to business clients for over 20 years, and receives consistently high evaluations for his knowledge, humor, and teaching style. He has also worked as a technical editor on three Microsoft Press Inside/Out publications.

Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $30
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

QuickBooks I for Beginners

This is an introduction to the popular accounting program QuickBooks. This session will cover setting up a new company, invoicing and receiving payments, writing checks and paying bills. The session will end with a brief introduction to and overview of reports. This class is suitable for those who have recently started using QuickBooks and those planning to use it.

The basic principles of QuickBooks remain the same for the Windows, Macintosh, and online versions of the program, although specific details of how to accomplish a task may differ slightly. It is not required, but if you have a laptop or tablet with QuickBooks loaded, please feel free to bring it and follow along.    

Presented by Don Lesser, president of Pioneer Training, Inc.  Don, has been a consultant and business owner for over 30 years. He has been using QuickBooks since version 2.0 for MS-DOS. Don has taught QuickBooks for 20+ years, as well as consulted in its use for a wide range of clients. He is not an accountant and does not provide accounting advice, but focuses on how to use QuickBooks to track your company’s income and expenses.

Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $35
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

Small Business Lending: Are You Really Ready for a Loan?

Searching for ways to fund your start-up business? Are you a current business owner in need of working capital or new equipment? Not quite sure how to approach the bank for help?

Please join us at this workshop presented by Tom Cebula of Westfield Bank, as he addresses these questions and much more. Tom will lead an interactive and personalized workshop to help you prepare for the loan application process. As he tailors this workshop to your business, you will learn how preparation can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth and successful credit experience. You will discover the importance of good credit and a strong business plan.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Five areas of credit that are considered
• Financial reporting
• Conventional and non-conventional loans
•  Traditional loan types

Presented by Tom Cebula, Vice President/Commerical Loan Officer with Westfield Bank. Tom has 19 years of Commercial and Retail banking experience. Tom has presented this workshop in the past and always receives rave reviews from attendees.

Westfield Bank is proud to offer this workshop through MSBDC as both organizations share a strong commitment to the growth of small businesses in our region.

Date: Thursday, October 27, 2016
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $25
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

Understanding Your Company's Cash Flow

Your business runs on cash—cash in and cash out—a very critical aspect to you and your business.

This workshop will teach:  

• The basics of cash flow
• The timing of cash inflows and outflows
• How to manage your cash flow projections
• How to improve your company’s cash flow
• How cash flow is different from profit

Presented by Robb Morton, CFM, CMA, CPA and managing partner of Boiselle, Morton & Wolkowicz, LLP. Robb has 28 years experience in public and management accounting. As both a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant, Robb offers an excellent source for not only technical accounting and tax issues, but for management advisory support as well.      

Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $25
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

QuickBooks II - Intermediate

This workshop is designed for users who have been using QuickBooks in their business and who want to get more out of it. The session will cover reporting, advanced invoicing and billing, and the customization of QuickBooks for specific requirements. It will also provide a brief introduction to QuickBook’s payroll and inventory functions.

Note: Attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions, but this session is not intended to provide detailed troubleshooting. Those types of questions are better suited to a one-on-one consulting session.

Presented by Don Lesser, president of Pioneer Training, Inc. Don, has been a consultant and business owner for over 30 years. Don has been using QuickBooks since version 2.0 for MS-DOS. He has taught QuickBooks for 20+ years, as well as consulted in its use for a wide range of clients. Don is not an accountant and does not provide accounting advice, but focuses on how to use QuickBooks to track your company’s income and expenses.

Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016
Time:  9:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $35
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.

How to Attract More Customers Using Social Media

Does social media seem like a magical black box that you don't think you are leveraging fully? 

In this workshop we will look at how small businesses are using social media effectively to attract new customers. We will quickly cover the basics of different platforms but spend more time looking at examples and exploring strategies so you too can leverage the magical black box. 

Presented by Derek Allard, president of Tunnel 7. Derek has been helping organizations succeed online for over 14 years. Derek’s business, Tunnel 7, has honed a proven process for organizations to identify and meet their goals on the internet. He specializes in making the technical easy to understand and has left a long trail of happy (and successful) clients in his wake. 

Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Time:  9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal Street, Building 101, Springfield   
Cost: $25
Contact: Pre-registration required - register online with link below. If you have questions or are unable to register online, contact Lynn Shedd at lshedd@msbdc.umass.edu or 413-577-1761.