Cash Flow Solutions for Your Small Business |
| Does your
business have plenty of customers and high revenues, but you
struggle to pay the bills each month? Effectively managing cash
flow is vital to the success of your business. In this seminar,
you'll learn how to implement simple techniques and procedures
that can help you better manage your cash flow. Instructors Tony
Branch and Travis Huisman will identify the amount of cash you
need on hand to run your business effectively, introduce the
cycles of cash flow, and outline how you can use the cycles to
manage your cash successfully. Also learn how to fix minor
problems before they become serious issues, as well as how to
take advantage of short-term borrowing to cover potential
deficiencies. You will leave this course with knowledge you can
apply right away to your financial practices. Tony Branch is a
Citigroup Smith Barney Financial Advisor; Travis Huisman is a
manager in the Wealth Services group at Moss Adams. Session
is closed. |
Using Google for Your Business
 |
| Google is not
only a great place to look up information, but it is also an
inexpensive resource for small business owners who want to
advertise and share information with clients or co-workers via
the web. In this hands-on course, instructors Mark Lee and Doug
Devries of Big Fresh Media will show you how to take advantage
of Google's user-friendly offerings, most of which are free.
Class will focus on Google Apps which include Google Docs,
Calendar, Gmail, and more. You have the option to bring your
laptop to our wireless classroom for a hands-on experience! Mark
Lee and Doug Devries, owners of Big Fresh Media, will draw on
the latest web standards and their years of experiences in
website development. |
S8791 / 1
session
Th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Lee
$29 |
Start Date:5/1
End Date: 5/1
WCC - Kulshan 225 |
Start Making Sense of Your Financial Records |
| When you look at
your company's financial statements, do you ask yourself, "What
do they mean?" In this seminar, Kathy Bastow will help you
understand key measurements that tell a story about your
business, including how your business has performed over the
past year and what the challenges may be for the upcoming year.
We will work with a case study so that you'll be able to apply
the tools immediately to your own business financials. Using a
Profit and Loss statement, you will learn the difference between
net and gross profit margin and why these measures matter. Also
learn to calculate the current and quick ratios on your balance
sheet, which are key measures that determine your ability to
survive and thrive. All levels of accounting and business
experience are welcome. Kathy Bastow is currently a senior
accountant with Moss Adams LLP and has also owned and operated
both retail and service businesses. Session is closed. |
How Blogging Can Grow Business
|
| Blogging is not
just for socializing--it can also be a powerful marketing tool
that will attract your target market. Businesses of all sizes
are putting web logs (blogs) to use, including your competition.
Find out how you can get your own blog up and running easily and
inexpensively, without having to hire a web developer or learn
HTML. Advertising expert Jane Atherton will explain how you can
use your blog effectively to build business presence; increase
customer awareness, participation and loyalty; and help brand
yourself. Jane Atherton has worked in the sales, marketing and
advertising arenas for 30 years. Her companies, ADditude
Creative Marketing and Remember Me Business Cards, offer
in-depth assistance in all aspects of marketing and advertising. |
S8366 / 1
session
Th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Atherton
$29 |
Start Date:5/15
End Date: 5/15
WCC - Kulshan 225 |
Recruiting on a Budget
|
| Increasingly,
recruiting is an expensive proposition--especially for small
businesses. Traditional venues for delivering your recruiting
message are becoming less effective, and to top it off, Whatcom
County's unemployment is at an all-time low, making it difficult
to find qualified employees. In this seminar, you will not only
learn about inexpensive ways to get your recruiting message out
there, but you will also begin the process of developing a
toolkit for effective hiring. You will discover productive
avenues to post your job opening, explore effective ways to
phrase your message, and identify target-specific venues for
your recruiting message. Instructor Jack McCallum is the
President/Principal Consultant of HR Balance. |
S8600 / 1
session
Th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
McCallum
$29 |
Start Date:5/22
End Date: 5/22
WCC - Kulshan 225 |
Pricing Strategies for Service Professionals
|
Is it time to
take the guesswork out of setting your hourly rates? Are you
under-earning but afraid that raising your rates will scare
clients away? Instructor Maria Marsala will share insider
secrets and rate-setting strategies that will help you set your
fees so that they are just right for attracting and keeping the
ideal clients in your target market. Discover why giving away
business for free or cheap is NOT the way to get more clients!
Learn 10 things you can quickly say to anyone who just wants to
pick your brain. Find out what a marketing funnel is and how it
can help you market smarter. It's time to be paid by the value
you produce, and NOT by the hour. Maria Marsala, founder of
Elevating Your Business, is a former Fortune 300 executive now
working as a small business strategist, author, speaker, board
member, and workshop leader.
Session is Closed |
Staying on Top of the Red Tape
|
| Are you confused
by the array of city, state, and federal taxes, licenses and
forms that your small business is required to fill out? Would
you like to get a better handle on what and when to submit so
you can rest assured you're in compliance and eliminate
penaltes? This seminar will provide a comprehensive overview of
the city, state and federal tax forms and licenses an S Corp,
Sole Proprietor, or LLC must process during startup, ongoing
operations or changes in business. We'll cover City of
Bellingham Business Licenses, specialized city/state licenses,
other city licenses, State of Washington Registration, Federal
EIN, Washington State Excise Tax Form, City B & O Tax Form, when
sales tax is required to be paid to other cities, and Form 1040
ES (Federal Estimated Taxes). Presenter Kathy Bastow, MA, owner
of Primus Services, provides small businesses with accounting
solutions, financial analysis and QuickBooks consulting.
Employment taxes covered in another seminar. Session is
closed. |
Hiring Employees? An Employment Tax Primer
|
L & I, SUI, 941,
940 . . . do all of these forms make your head spin? While
hiring employees may be a fabulous growth step for your
business, the myriad of paperwork and form deadlines can be
daunting. Avoid costly penalties by familiarizing yourself with
the forms and deadlines required by Washington State Labor &
Industries, Employment Security Department and Federal Internal
Revenue Service. Whether you are hiring employees, or are the
sole employee (S Corps) of your own company, this course will
keep you in compliance with State and Federal employment tax
requirements.
Session is Closed |
Creating Stories the Media Will Love
|
Some businesses
and non-profits seem to get all the free press. If you're not,
find out how you can! This popular class will teach you how to
write what the news media wants to cover. You will discover what
goes into an effective press release, using sample releases and
the published articles that resulted from them. Learn where to
send the press release, who to send it to, what activities in
your business might be press-appropriate, and how to conduct
yourself when reporters come calling. Class materials include
sample press releases as well tips for finding media email
lists. Taimi Dunn Gorman of Gorman Publicity has created buzz
for several successful and well-known businesses in Bellingham,
including The Colophon Cafe and The Doggie Diner.
Session is Closed |
Terminations--What's An Employer To Do?
|
| Have you hired
someone who isn't performing up to your company's standards, but
you're not sure if you want to terminate them? This seminar is
designed to provide valuable strategies for ending the
employer-employee relationship while avoiding costly wrongful
termination suits, as well as tap into proven strategies to help
you deal more effectively with problem employees to prevent
termination. Areas to be covered include what it means to be "At
Will," potential liabilities, documentation-progressive
discipline, what to consider when you terminate, how to handle
the exit, and dealing with the aftermath of a termination.
Instructor Jack McCallum is the President/Principal Consultant
of HR Balance. Session is closed. |
Quality Management for Small Business Owners
|
| Quality
Management Systems, or QMS, are systems that can make any
business more profitable, have better customer satisfaction, and
retain more employees. Come to this informative workshop to
learn how to use these systems at your small business. Quality
expert Lee Patza will explain how Quality Management can work at
a small business using a simple 3-page project roadmap that he
will help you develop in class. Whether your business has 1 or
100 employees, this seminar will help you implement Quality
Management and get immediate bottom line results. Lee Patza is a
QMS Lead Auditor and Pacific Northwest agent for DQS Assessment
Registrars. Session is closed. |
