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From Start-ups to the Well-Established, Small Businesses Profit from Continuing Education
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Sort of. You may want to consider becoming incorporated. And there are state and local licenses. Government regulations. Your tax status with the U.S. Department of Revenue. Bookkeeping procedures. Employee payrolls. Operational policies and procedures. Marketing plans. Sales records and taxes. Inventory. Cash flow. Working capital....
For entrepreneurs and those that would be, where to turn for help?
The University of Georgia and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offer informative continuing education workshops and classes to assist business owners, the self-employed, and those just starting up with the operation and management of their businesses. The classes are part of a multifaceted program of the State of Georgia's Business Outreach Services/Small Business Development Center (BOS/SBDC), which has its headquarters at UGA and has numerous offices throughout the state.
For the Northeast Georgia area, many continuing education classes are conducted by the BOS/SBDC office at UGA and the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, as well as by BOS/SBDC offices in Norcross, Gainesville, and Augusta, Georgia. Sessions are held year-round, with morning, evening, half-day, and one-day programs available for small business employees and managers.
"The programs are designed to address small business concerns and to provide practical information and management training the participants can immediately apply in their businesses," according to Denise Logan, business program specialist for the Northeast Georgia BOS/SBDC programs.
"Our instructors include University public service and outreach faculty and other specialized training consultants who have experience in small business. They use case studies with hands-on applications and current research to show participants what works and, more importantly, what doesn't work," Logan said.
A Statewide Network and Program
The State of Georgia's BOS/SBDC is a public service partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and Georgia colleges and universities, which work together to provide business assistance and community economic development support to all counties. The U.S. SBA was created in 1977.
The BOS/SBDC began as a small pilot project funded by the SBA and UGA, also in 1977. Today, the statewide network offers specialized resources in international trade, community economic development, minority business development, continuing education, and applied research. The primary audiences for the organization are small business owners, potential entrepreneurs, and community leadership organizations that support efforts to create, sustain, and/or expand business ventures.
The knowledge base of the colleges and universities connected with the program provides a wide range of educational opportunities, which are delivered through (1) direct business consulting, (2) business training classes (the continuing education programs), (3) export assistance, and (4) applied research studies. Full-time office locations include: Albany, Athens (UGA), Atlanta (Georgia State University), Augusta, Brunswick, Carrollton (State University of West Georgia), Columbus, Dalton, Decatur, Gainesville, Kennesaw (Kennesaw State University), Macon, Morrow (Clayton College and State University), Norcross, Rome (Floyd College), Savannah, Statesboro (Georgia Southern University), Valdosta (Valdosta State University), and Warner Robins. BOS/SBDC has a working relationship with at least 90 chambers of commerce, regional development centers, business leagues, technical institutes, and institutions of higher learning.
Over the past two decades, the BOS/SBDC has provided individualized consulting to more than 60,000 clients, and more than 200,000 have received management training through nearly 10,000 seminars, workshops, and courses. According to BOS/SBDC reports, during 1996-97, unit consultants assisted in the generation of more than $5.4 billion in increased sales for clients and in the creation of more than 55,000 new jobs in client-owned firms. During 1999, consultants handled 5,222 cases, and more than 18,194 Georgians attended 1,014 SBDC-sponsored training programs.
Information about Georgia's BOS/SBDC can be found at http://www.sbdc.uga.edu.
The Continuing Education Program at UGA
As is the case for the BOS/SBDC continuing education programs throughout the state, the classes conducted by UGA for the Northeast Georgia area are offered in subjects targeted for experienced entrepreneurs as well as in management basics for those considering starting businesses. Client-specific classes and in-house training are also provided. For 1999, 2,121 attended 128 SBDC-sponsored programs in the area.
"Our target market, of course, is small business. Most of our participants at UGA are from businesses with fewer than 100 employees," Logan said. "The topics offered are determined by what the clients say they need. We try to assist them with very specific business applications."
Subjects include pre-business planning, managing a business, employee relations, marketing and sales, record keeping, tax awareness, and financial software applications. Topics scheduled for this Fall are listed below. "The class about starting a business is our most popular program. The agenda includes basic finance, marketing, and management tools for beginning and operating a successful business. Some participants are surprised at the numerous items to consider and work through," Logan said.
For instance, working capital can often be a stumbling block. "Small businesses have high failure rates; close to 80% fail within the first three years. Generally, for a viable business, the third year should be a growth period. By the fifth year, the business may be considered viable by banks and investors," Logan said. The BOS/SBDC can assist businesses in determining funding levels. Future plans for the continuing education program call for expanding the topics list to include more in-depth study in certain areas. "We're always looking to add more specialized courses and training where possible, even beyond the basics," Logan said.
For more information, contact:
Denise Logan, BOS/SBDC Business Program Specialist
Georgia Center for Continuing Education
The University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602-3603
phone: 706-542-3568
fax: 706-583-0415
e-mail: logand@gactr.uga.edu.
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The University of Georgia Business Outreach Services/Small Business Development Center (BOS/SBDC) Continuing Education Programs Fall 2000 Topics
Management, Marketing, and Finance Training Programs
Session I: Introduction to Accounting Terminology
Computer Training Programs for Business
The BOS/SBDC continuing education programs are part of UGAšs public service and outreach efforts. Participants are awarded continuing education units (CEUs). The latest training schedules offered by the UGA office of the BOS/SBDC can be found at http://www.georgiacenter.org/sbdc/.
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