The class schedule is subject to change due to weather, instructor’s re-schedules, and other unforeseen circumstances.
The schedule below is for the EAP 60 hour (10 weeks) course. Classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 9pm starting on January 31, 2012.
Session 1 – January 31, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Is entrepreneurship right for you?
• Profitable growth and the entrepreneurial mindset
• The NxLeveL Business Plan: your roadmap for growth
• Setting goals and objectives for sustainable growth
Session 2 – February 2, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, Jeanne Stiller
Newburgh Free Library]
This class will be taught at The Newburgh Free Library
Planning and Research: Entrepreneurial Essentials
• Business planning and feasibility studies
• The internal and external uses of a business plan
• Market research for growth opportunities
• The importance of networking
Session 3 – February 7, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Organizational Matters: Management and Legal Structure
• How your business structure affects your growth options
• Legal issues that affect growing businesses
• Managing the risks of growth
• Building, motivating and managing teams
• Outsourcing and growth
Session 4 – February 9, 2012 [Robert Pitkofsky, Greg Hogan]
Legal Issues
• What are common legal problems entrepreneurs face
• Choosing the right legal entity for your new business
• How to find the right small business attorney
Business insurance
• Protecting your business from all types of liabilities
• Which type of insurance coverage should you have for your business
• How to ensure you are personally protected from a litigious society
Session 5 – February 14, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Marketing: Analysis and Understanding
• The impact of marketing on profitability
• The need for market analysis
• Identifying new markets and competitors
• Using customer and competition profiles to analyze new market potential
• Balancing the Four Ps
Session 6 – February 16, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Marketing: Strategies, Tactics and Implementation
• Building a global brand
• Setting the right price in new markets
• Maintaining excellent customer service during business growth
• Choosing the right promotional tools for your growing business
• Online marketing, sales and relationship management
Session 7 – February 21, 2012 [Edison Guzman]
Where to advertise for maximum ROI
• How to choose the best media to advertise for your business
• How to price advertising media
• Differences between traditional media vs. new media vs. social media
• No cost or low cost effective advertising
What is LTV and how can it exponentially grow your business
Session 8 – February 23, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, John Rosenberger]
Financial Overview: Books, Records and Controls
• Financial statements and their uses
• How accounting systems guide growth
• Preparing a Personal Financial Statement and current Business Balance Sheet
• Using ratios to analyze Balance Sheet information
IRS and NYS Tax requirements
• Tax filing schedule for your specific business
• How to legally reduce your tax liability
• How to avoid tax penalties from both the IRS and NYS
Session 9 – February 28, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, Rochelle DeJong]
Managing Your Money: Financial Planning and Budgets
• Examining bookkeeping and recordkeeping activities and controls
• Budgeting for growth
• How budgets provide performance feedback
• Reviewing and adjusting budgets
Session 10 – March 1, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Managing your Money: Developing and Using Cash Flow Projections
• Calculating the break-even point for your growth opportunity
• Managing your cash flow cycle
• Internal controls for cash management
• Monthly and annual cash flow projections
Session 11 – March 6, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Managing Your Money: Understanding and Using Financial Statements
• Preparing the Monthly Projected Income Statement and understanding how it differs from the Cash Flow Projection
• Developing a Projected Balance Sheet and comparing it with the Beginning Balance Sheet
• Understanding the Statement of Owner’s Equity and Annual Statement of Cash Flows
• Managerial uses of financial statements
Session 12 – March 8, 2012 [Charlene Finerty]
Creating Your Business Plan
• Introductions
• What a good plan does
• Writing the narrative
• Funds needed, owner contribution, assets owned
• Cash flow and supporting schedules
• What important documents to include in your appendix
Session 13 – March 13, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, Myriam Bouchard]
Financing Your Business: Sources of Money
• Debt and equity financing for growth opportunities
• Alternative financing sources
• Preparing a financing proposal
• Communicating your financial needs to lenders and investors
Tips for obtaining an SBA loan
• What do lenders and the SBA look for in a loan application?
• Are other government loan programs available for growing or start-up businesses
Session 14 – March 15, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, Frank Dunne]
Green Business Opportunities: Environmental Solutions
• Green growth opportunities
• Feasibility and benefits of greening your business
• Energy efficiency and pollution prevention strategies
• Green branding and marketing techniques
• Assessing the competitive landscape for green business
Should you consider franchising?
• All you need to know about franchising in a nutshell
• Does it make sense to buy a franchise, or start your business from scratch?
• How to choose a franchise that’s right for you
Session 15 – March 20, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Your Business Future: Negotiating, Managing Growth and Plan Completion
• Negotiating and managing deals and contracts
• Avoiding the pitfalls of unmanaged growth
• Project management, financial management and other tools for managed growth
• Growing your supply chain
Session 16 – March 22, 2012 [Nicholas Illobre]
Human resources
• What goes into an employee manual
• Keeping up with employee state laws
• What constitutes an employee vs. an independent contractor
• Keeping compliant
Session 17 – March 27, 2012 [Edison Guzman]
Creating an online presence
• The tools necessary to do business online
• Creating an Internet presence for your business
• How to register a domain name for your business
• How to create a successful web site for your business
• How to use Social Media to promote your business
Session 18 – March 29, 2012 [Debra Pearlman, Melanie Richards]
How to create an effective sales system
• How to Create Your Roadmap to Success and Sustainability
• Establishing Cross-Sell and Up-Sell Strategies Escalating ROI for Time & Effort
• Structuring a Sound Needs Analysis Producing Targeted Customer Solutions
• Methodology for Best Practices Resulting in Shortened Sales Cycles
Learn how to build your referral network of strategic alliances
• Quickly on a limited budget
• Select which networking groups to join or events to attend
• Ways to measure and evaluate your networks’ efficiency
Session 19 – April 3, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll, Lisa Montanaro]
Operate better, faster, cheaper than your competition
• Gain Faster Cash Flow While Reducing Costs
• Free Up Time to Create Customer Relationships & Increase Sales
• Re-allocate Your Current Resources for Maximum Productivity
• Turn Your Data Into Dollars
How to get more done in less time with less stress by maximizing your productivity and setting priorities.
• Learn hands-on, practical solutions that will not only improve your business, but also assist you in becoming and staying organized.
• Develop smart, efficient systems that are easy to follow for both packrats and neat-nicks!
• Learn how to tailor systems to your unique organizing style, and tips for time and task management
Session 20 – April 5, 2012 [Cynthia Marsh-Croll]
Creating a winning mindset
• Final thoughts
• Final questions
Certificate disbursements
