SSBiN.ORG

Subject: SSBiN.org Update April, 2006

Your Update from the Saginaw Small Business information Network (SSBiN): Educational and informational  opportunities that we want you to be aware of. See SSBiN at http://www.ssbin.org/. Please forward this message to your colleagues and friends.   UPDATE TOPICS: Upcoming Calendar Building Your Business Plan: A Three Part Workshop Business Start-up Seminar - Midland & Bay City Dates Reshape Your Future: Exploring Entrepreneurship The Truth About Loans: Finance Roundtable Next Entrepreneur Orientation Seminar (Free) The Buzz on Bizz: Business Career Camp for Kids Get a Loan, Create a Job: Job Creation Loan Program   UPCOMING CALENDAR We have a number of activities coming up in the Saginaw Valley area. More info can be found below or please see the SSBiN News page for more information. Here is a quick look at upcoming dates: May 3 - 3 Session Workshop: Building Your Business Plan (Delta College) (follow-on dates: May 17 & June 7) May 4 - Seminar: Business Startup Seminar (Midland) May 10 - Reshape your Future: Exploring Entrepreneurship (Frankenmuth) May 11 - The truth about loans: finance rountable (Delta College) May 25 - Entrepreneur Orientation Seminar (Saginaw) Jun 20 - Seminar: Business Startup Seminar (Bay City)   BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN: A THREE PART WORKSHOP The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center at Delta College is pleased to present a three part workshop designed to help you build your business plan. The sessions are designed to discuss and develop an in-depth Business Plan for entrepreneurial ventures. The workshop is appropriate for both the expansion of an existing business and the start of a new enterprise. The workshop provides information and thoughts on the details necessary to develop a business plan that will help focus your attention and provide guidance in starting, expanding and maintaining a small business. To register, have your Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card ready, then phone Delta College Workforce Development Center: (989) 686-9427 from Bay City, Saginaw, Auburn (989) 495-4000, ext. 9427 from Midland (989) 758-3400, ext. 9427 from Birch Run, Reese, Frankenmuth and Vassar When: Three Sessions Session One: Wednesday May 3 Session Two: Wednesday May 17 Session Three: Wednesday June 7 Each session runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Where: Delta College, Course No.: CBE 1440 Cost: $149.00. For a dditional information, download the PDF from the SSBiN news page at www.ssbin.org/news.htm.   BUSINESS START-UP SEMINAR - MIDLAND & BAY CITY DATES A free Business Start-up Seminar will be held on Thursday, May 4th. Sessions are held at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, 1710 W. St. Andrews, Midland, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. A Sessions will also be held in Bay City on June 20th, at the Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library, 500 Center Ave, Bay City, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. Attendance is free and recommended for those who would like to start a small business or those in business that would like to be acquainted with community and business resources. The seminar is an overview of what it takes to start a business; where to go for information and assistance; the business plan and why you need one; licenses and permits; funding and the myth of “Free Money”; and resources available to help set up your business. Pre-registration is preferred to Midland Area Chamber of Commerce (989) 839-9901 or register online at www.misbtdc.org/region5 and click on Calendar of Training.   RESHAPE YOUR FUTURE: EXPLORING ENTREPRENEURSHIP For an opportunity to reshape your future by assessing and exploring entrepreneurship as a career alternative, check out this collaborative effort sponsored by the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center network offices in Region 5 at Delta College and Region 6 and the University of Michigan-Flint. The seminar is made possible by the generous support of the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn and Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce. We are proud to offer what we expect will be the first of a number of informative and interactive workshop sessions during the upcoming year about starting or expanding your business. We are offering two concurrent workshops, each two hours long that will explore what it takes to start a small business or expand an existing small business. Topics to be explored include marketing research, business plan development, finance, advertising and more. In addition, we are pleased to include a session on The American Dream presented by Duperon Education. This seminar will provide insights into how the nurturing and use of entrepreneurial and innovative skills can help individuals create and grow their business and realize their dream. The session will be repeated at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm. The Reshape your Future: Exploring Entrepreneurship workshops will be held at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, MI on May 10th from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm for persons interested in starting a business and 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm for those who want to expand their business or hobby. These workshops will be free and open to the public. We encourage individuals who are serious about reshaping their future due to recent employment changes to attend. Space is limited to the first 100 people who call. Register by calling (810) 767-6494, Or online at www.misbtdc.org/region6. For additional information, download the PDF from the SSBiN news page at www.ssbin.org/news.htm.   THE TRUTH ABOUT LOANS: FINANCE ROUNDTABLE Team SBA announces another Finance Roundtable session. If you are serious about seeking financing for your business, you owe it to yourself to attend a Financing Roundtable presented by TEAM SBA. TEAM SBA consists of SBA lenders, business consultants, SBA economic development staff, and business owners like you. We’ll debunk the myths and demystify the process of bank financing. You will learn how your loan application will be analyzed, what underwriting criteria is used, and how banking regulations affect the decision. We will answer your questions based upon your business model. Over the last six years, TEAM SBA has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs gain a better understanding of the financing process. In order to help you, we require you to have good credit, a solid business idea and some money to invest in your business. The roundtable is free to attend, but you must register in advance and meet the criteria above. This session will be held on the campus of Delta College, 1961 Delta Road, Room F102, University Center, Michigan on May 11, 2006, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. To register on-line visit: www.misbtdc.org/region5 Calendar of Training or call 989.686.9597. Check out www.sba.gov/calendar for upcoming sessions throughout Michigan.   ENTREPRENEUR ORIENTATION SEMINAR (FREE) The next Entrepreneur Orientation Seminar, a free orientation for potential business owners is being offered on Thursday, May 25th. The sessions are offered from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Hoyt Main Library, 505 Janes Ave, Saginaw, MI. Learn about community resources and the basics on business ownership from a local expert. These opportunities are sponsored by Saginaw Future, Inc., the Public Libraries of Saginaw, Saginaw County Minority Business Development Center, Small Business & Technology Development Center and the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce. For more information contact the Hoyt Main Library Reference Department at (989) 755-0904.   THE BUZZ ON BIZZ: BUSINESS CAREER CAMP FOR KIDS For kids in 9th – 12th grades, this camp will engage students in challenging, hands-on, skill-building projects. These projects include group exercises, market research projects, and the opportunity to create new products. Creating the product(s) and discussing a business plan will introduce and demonstrate the process, issues, and factors that need to be considered when owning and operating a small business. Location: tentatively Northwood University, from 8a.m. to 5p.m. Cost: $170 Contact: Deborah Cain, 923-1570 x 108, cain@mitechplus.com Register: Midland Community Center at 832-7937.   GET A LOAN, CREATE A JOB: JOB CREATION LOAN PROGRAM The State of Michigan, along with Charter One have have created the new Charter One Job Creation Loan Program. The program offers fixed, low interest loans to buy equipment or buildings. In exchange, the business must create a minimum of one full-time job within three years of the completion of the project for each $40,000 borrowed. For more information contact the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) at 888-522-0103, or go to the MEDC web site at: http://www.michigan.org/medc/miadvantage/incentives/   ----------------------------------------------------------- The SSBiN website and newsletter is the result from efforts by the Entrepreneur and Small Business Alliance  (ESBA) of the Saginaw Vision 2020. The ESBA is always looking for input and guidance from small business people  like you. If you are interested, please see us at: http://www.ssbin.org/contact.htm.To sign up for SSBiN updates, http://www.ssbin.org/register.htm. To unsubscribe to SSBiN updates, send an email to updates_remove@ssbin.org. To view previous newsletters from SSBiN: http://www.ssbin.org/news.htm We'd like to know what you think about these updates and what information you'd like to see in the future. E-mail  your comments to SSBiN Support (mailto:ssbinsupport@ssbin.org) or see us at: http://www.ssbin.org/contact.htmYour Privacy is important to us. Please see our privacy statement at http://www.ssbin.org/privacy.htm Copyright (c) 2006 www.ssbin.org SSBiN is not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of Web sites to which it may link.