The three legs of any community’s economic development strategy are business retention, business creation and business attraction and, while business attraction creates a lot more buzz in the media, the real work of job creation comes from the other two legs – business retention and business creation.
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Angelina College is contracted by NEDCO to assist with our Entrepreneur Incubator Program in Nacogdoches County. Among its services are business plan development (free of charge) and SBA loan packaging.
In addition, the SBDC offers a series of classes designed to give small business owners, as well as budding entrepreneurs, the basics of operating a business. Our goal is to increase the liklihood that your business will be successful and the track record of the Angelina College SBDC bears this out.
After one (1) year, 94% of small businesses that have gone through the Angelina College SBDC are still in business vs. an SBDC nationwide average of 50%.
After five (5) years, 47% of Angelina College SBDC clients are still in business vs. an SBDC nationwide average of only 20%.
If you are considering launching a new business venture, contact Bill King at NEDCO by email or telephone (936.559.1255) and we'll help you get started in the right direction.
CLASSES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES & START-UPS:
The following classes will be offered by the SBDC at the Angelina College Campus during the Spring 2010 Semester.
To register for one or more of these classes, you can either call Angelina College Community Services at (936) 633-5400 to register using your credit card, or you can register in person at the Community Services Building office at Angelina College.
For questions about class content, contact Brian McClain at (936) 633-5400, or email at bmcclain@angelina.edu. The Fall 2009 Semester class schedule can also be found below.
BUSINESS DECISION MAKING CLASSES:
"Step One: Going Into Business" -- Got an idea? Learn what it takes to convert that great idea into a sound business venture. Learn to explore business possibilities and how to fit them into the marketplace in this seminar. CLASS SCHEDULE: 3 hours ... $25 ... SBD 0011 ... Monday, 02/01/10, 03/01/10, 04/05/10, 04/26/10 at 6-9pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 101F
“Business Planning: A Hands-On Approach” — This course covers the confusing process of building a business plan. You will work directly with the business planning software. Chart the direction of a company, determine cash flow, project profit and project capital needs. Software is included in the cost of the class. CLASS SCHEDULE: 12 hours ... $125 ... BUSG 1025 ... Tuesdays, 01/26/10 thru 02/16/10 (4 weeks) at 6-9pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 203
“Advertising Your Business” — you may have the best new product since sliced bread, but if you are the only person that knows about it, your business is not going very far very fast. This course covers targeting advertising and promotional strategies as significant elements of a business, identifying a target audience and then identifying the most successful way to reach them. CLASS SCHEDULE: 4 hours ... $49 ... SBD 0158 ... Friday, 01/29/10 at 1-5pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 203
“Building Your Brand” — The power of branding is evident in our everyday lives … when you think of tissues, for example, you think of Kleenex; when ordering a cola, you think of Coke. It is not by chance these products are household names. Is it possible for a small business to establish a brand? The answer is yes. CLASS SCHEDULE: 4 hours ... $49 ... SBD 0159 ... Friday, 02/05/10 at 1-5pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 203
“Promoting Your Business: Grassroots Marketing” — Creating and executing a promotional campaign takes significant time and resources. If you want to run a successful business, you need customers. This workshop examines traditional sales and promotional strategies, and several innovative grassroots marketing strategies to help you build customer traffic. CLASS SCHEDULE: 4 hours ... $49 ... SBD 0160 ... Friday, 02/12/10 at 1-5pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 203
“Pricing Products and Services” – Attaching a fair and accurate price tag to your services can be a tricky balancing act. Learn how to price your products and services. CLASS SCHEDULE: 4 hours ... $49 ... SBD 0161 ... Friday, 02/10/10 at 1-5pm ... Angelina College, Room CS 203
