Workshops to help you start, manage your business

Vermont Small Business Development Center is offering a four-hour workshop on how to start your own business and write a business plan. The course will be offered on from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at the Springfield Regional Development Corp. 14 Clinton Square, in the 1st floor conference room.

Starting Your Own Business is conducted by experienced business advisors and designed as a step-by-step guide for starting a business in Vermont for the first-time business owner:

• Evaluate whether there is a viable business in your good idea;
• Identify your target customers and explore how to conduct market research;
• Learn how to register your company, apply for tax numbers and protect your brand;
• Prepare to write an effective business plan;
• Find out about financing options and learn what a credible loan package looks like;
• Receive access to the online workshops to increase your knowledge in money, marketing
and management (at your convenience) valued at more than $150.

By the end of this workshop you will be well-informed about the resources available to you and the steps involved in launching a successful business. Space is limited. To register for the workshop, sign up online click here. For registration questions, please email Heather Gonyaw at hgonyaw@vtsbdc.org. The registration fee is $99. Your payment includes a start-up workbook in hardcopy and pdf format.

Developing job descriptions

Vermont Small Business Development Center and the Springfield Regional Development Corporation are offering a three-hour workshop on utilizing a correctly written job description as the foundation of nearly every  human resources function. The course will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m.Thursday, May 22 at The Howard Dean Center, 307 South St. in Springfield.

In the seminar participants will learn:

• Why many experts feel that the job description is the cornerstone of the HR processes.
• Why job descriptions are more than a of qualifications and duties.
• And how to use up-to-date job descriptions for recruiting, performance management and compensation.
• And as a bonus…participants will be guided through an over view of the legal issues of interviewing and hiring and key employment laws to consider in the employment process.

Space is limited. To register for the workshop, sign up online click here. For registration questions, please email Heather Gonyaw at hgonyaw@vtsbdc.org. The registration fee is $49.

Vermont Small Business Development Center is a non-profit partnership of government, education and business, organized to help Vermont small businesses succeed. No-cost, confidential advice is provided to existing business owners and new entrepreneurs throughout the state. For more information visit www.vtsbdc.org or contact Debra Boudrieau at 802-885-2071 or dboudrieau@vtsbdc.org.

Springfield Regional Development Corp. serves the 10 towns of Southern Windsor County providing assistance to existing companies as well as those looking to start a new business. More information about SRDC is available at springfielddevelopment.org or on the SRDC Facebook page. You can also contact SRDC’s Bob Flint at 802-885-3061.