The Public Relations Association of Western North Carolina, or PRAWNC, is the region’s premier professional organization for public relations, marketing, advertising and communications professionals since 1983.

PRAWNC is an organization dedicated to the professional development of Public Relations and Communications professionals. PRAWNC members meet monthly at luncheons or after-hours events in the Asheville and surrounding areas for informative presentations on current topics in the public relations profession.

For more information about PRAWNC or to learn how to become a member visit the PRAWNC website.

PowerPoint 2007
PowerPoint Basics

Learn the PowerPoint environment including the Normal, Slide sorter and Slide show views. Create a presentation from scratch, format the presentation and prepare it for delivery. Add tables and charts and special animation effects to your presentation.

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Windows and using Microsoft Office.

Click Here for Outline

For class dates and times, www.DataSolutionsPlus.com
828-505-3236

AAFA

CONNECT ON THE FRENCH BROAD WITH HUCK FINN RAFTING
Friday August 13, 12 noon to 5PM
RSVP by Friday August 6

Details at http://www.aafasheville.org . RSVP to programs at aafasheville dot org

Access 2007 Level 3
Advanced Database Concepts in Access

Explore more advanced Access database design tools. Learn to use field properties to require data entry, create custom date formats, and define input masks. Understand how to create and modify drop-down (“look up”) lists. Work with importing, exporting and linking data between Excel and Access. Discover advanced query techniques such as calculating totals and averages, finding unique values and using action queries to automatically update, delete or append data.

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Access 2007

Thu 8/26 (Acc Level 3) 8:30-Noon

For additional class dates and times, www.DataSolutionsPlus.com
828-505-3236

AAFA

TONIGHT AT THE WINE STUDIO OF ASHEVILLE
5 Wines for $5. 20% of proceeds to benefit Asheville Humane Society.
Drop in anytime between 5 and 8PM. No RSVP required.

For more info., please visit: http://www.facebook.com/AAFAsheville

Information Session (Asheville)

Date: July 21, 2010
Time: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Location: Mountain BizWorks (Asheville)
Cost: Free
Deadline for Registration:
Instructor:
Contact: erika@mountainbizworks.org

Information Sessions are the first place to start if you are interested in learning about services available at Mountain BizWorks. Pre-registration is required to attend a session.

Directions: We are located at the corner of Hilliard and S. Lexington – one block over from The Orange Peel.

About Mountain BizWorks: The mission of Mountain BizWorks is to build economic opportunities through business development and capital. Our vision is inspiring entrepreneurs who have viable business ideas and the discipline to follow through will be able to access the resources they need to create successful businesses. The entrepreneurs’ increased income and improved quality of life will build a more vibrant local economy in Western North Carolina. All who participate know Mountain BizWorks as a trusted gathering place and community to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs of varying incomes, geographies, and ethnicities. Mountain BizWorks is a leading small business development organization.

Community Agri-Business Alliance (CABA)

Date: July 21, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Cooperative Extension Office (Columbus)
Cost: Free
Deadline for Registration: July 20, 2010
Instructor:
Contact: joann@mountainbizworks.org

The community Agri-Business Alliance (CABA) is a membership organization for the support and development of Mountain BizWorks Alumni in Polk County Office of Agricultural Economic Development.
The focus of this alliance has a special emphasis on agriculture, but the friends of agruiculture are also encouraged to participate.
For more information call: Jo Ann Miksa-Blackwell at 864.457.6843

Information Session

Date: July 26, 2010
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Mountain BizWorks (Asheville)
Cost: Free
Deadline for Registration:
Instructor:
Contact: erika@mountainbizworks.org

Information Sessions are the first place to start if you are interested in learning about services available at Mountain BizWorks. Pre-registration is required to attend a session.

Directions: We are located at the corner of Hilliard and S. Lexington – one block over from The Orange Peel.

About Mountain BizWorks: The mission of Mountain BizWorks is to build economic opportunities through business development and capital. Our vision is inspiring entrepreneurs who have viable business ideas and the discipline to follow through will be able to access the resources they need to create successful businesses. The entrepreneurs’ increased income and improved quality of life will build a more vibrant local economy in Western North Carolina. All who participate know Mountain BizWorks as a trusted gathering place and community to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs of varying incomes, geographies, and ethnicities. Mountain BizWorks is a leading small business development organization.

Information Session

Date: July 27, 2010
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Mountain BizWorks (Sylva)
Cost: Free
Deadline for Registration:
Instructor:
Contact: daphne@mountainbizworks.org

Information Sessions are the first place to start if you are interested in learning about and potentially signing up for classes and services with Mountain BizWorks. Pre-registration is requested to attend a session.

About Mountain BizWorks: The mission of Mountain BizWorks is to build economic opportunities through business development and capital. Our vision is inspiring entrepreneurs who have viable business ideas and the discipline to follow through will be able to access the resources they need to create successful businesses. The entrepreneurs’ increased income and improved quality of life will build a more vibrant local economy in Western North Carolina. All who participate know Mountain BizWorks as a trusted gathering place and community to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs of varying incomes, geographies, and ethnicities. Mountain BizWorks is a leading small business development organization.

SheBIZ Alliance

Date: July 28, 2010
Time: 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Location: Mountain BizWorks (Asheville)
Cost: $20 for MBW members and Sheville advertisers, $25 for others
Deadline for Registration: 7/21
Instructor: Celeste Ametrine
Contact: shebiz@sheville.org

What is it?
The SheBIZ Alliance is a women’s networking and referral alliance! The mission of the SheBIZ Alliance is to provide women a place to network and develop business leads in a non-competitive business environment over six months.

How does it work?
The SheBIZ Alliance will hold closed monthly meetings of no more than 20 women. In these meetings you will have a chance to present your business and in
turn the group members will work to generate business leads for you.

What’s required of me?
Each member must agree to get leads for another business. You should bring 20
business cards to your first meeting. Each member will be required to sign a
confidentiality agreement. We will provide lunch.

Who can join?
Any woman owned and operated small business can join.

Group 1: First Friday of every month
Group 2: Last Wednesday of every month

*Lunch served @ 11:30 a.m.

Asheville Artist Alliance

Date: July 28, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Mountain BizWorks (Asheville)
Cost: Free
Deadline for Registration: 7/23
Instructor:
Contact: naomi@mountainbizworks.org

We invite you to join our steering committee to help create unique workshops and events to support local artists enhance their business skills. In this meeting, we will be working on the final touches for our August workshop.

The Asheville Artist Alliance mission is to provide assistance and opportunities to WNC artists for the development of business skills needed to succeed in their venue. The Asheville Artist Alliance is in its sixth year of producing Artist Seminar Series workshops and events, which are designed for WNC artists to provide assistance and opportunities to develop successful business skills.

Spanish Foundations

Date: July 31, 2010
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: PILLAR Tax Servicess
Cost: Sliding scale
Deadline for Registration: July 30, 2010
Instructor: Norberto Chavez
Contact: adriana@mountainbizworks.org

Una vez que usted haya elegido confiar en usted mismo y en el negocio de sus sueños, nosotros le invitamos a que inicie el curso de Fundaciones. Este curso es esencial para la planificación de su negocio, con una duración de nueve semanas. Cuando usted participa en la clase de Fundaciones, también tiene la oportunidad de compartir con otros futuros comerciantes y explorar las necesidades que tendrá al iniciar su propio negocio. Al finalizar el curso, usted habrá convertido su idea a un plan de negocios por escrito que le ayudará a iniciar o crecer su sueño.

What are the advantages of Foundations: the Mountain BizWorks business training program for small business?
1. Comprehensive: The 24-hour course covers the key elements of a business plan, including:
• Business mission, goals and structure and management capacity
• Financial planning and resources
• Marketing (defining and targeting markets, product features and benefits, marketing strategy)
• Presentation
2. Stimulating, empowering and enjoyable: New and expanding small business owners ‘discover’ how to
apply their knowledge, skills and experiences to realizing their dream of economic independence.
• Actively involves participants in their own learning process
• Encourages creative thinking, discussion and problem-solving
• Develops life skills as well as business skills
• Generates immediately relevant learning in a safe, fun environment
3. Flexible: To be effective in a wide range of environments, the innovative content and methodology are
designed for:
• Dynamic delivery in informal classroom setting
• Low cost reproduction and supplies
• Accessibility/effectiveness with culturally and educationally diverse groups
• Learner-focused; participant controls what and how he/she learns
• Targets start-up or expanding business owners in every industry
4. Value-based AND results-oriented: The underlying principles are the same, regardless of the group:
respect, empowerment, trust. Inspired by these values, participants build their OWN business plans
based on their goals, experiences, management style and resources over nine weeks.

For more information, please visit http://www.mountainbizworks.org/.

* All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made of requested two weeks in advance. Contact the staff member listed with said event to request accommodations.

Meet the Geeks
Bimonthly Socializing Event

Join us on the last Wednesday of every odd month for the Meet the Geeks IT Get Together, an evening of casual socializing with other IT professionals living and working in Western North Carolina. It’s the place to share knowledge, develop partnerships, and build our local IT industry.

Location: Scully’s Signature Dine & Drink, 13 W Walnut St., Asheville

So, join in the fun! Stop by for a drink after work and chat. As always, there will be no formal program for the evening, but we’ll be there to facilitate introductions.

For more information, please visit http://www.meetthegeeks.net/.

Everyone in the IT industry from research and development through to sales and marketing is welcome. If you know others who you think should attend, please forward this e-mail to them.

Asheville Women’s Roundtable Event
Presented by Asheville SCORE

Who: Any Woman Business Owner/Operator who’s interested in having a roundtable discussion on a regular basis with other women to define ideas, discuss opportunities and brainstorm solutions to everyday business issues.

What: This month’s topic
“Networking – Where to be seen in order to be most effective”

Where: Dixon Hughes

http://www.dixon-hughes.com/

When: Thursday, July 22nd 7:30-9:00am
Coffee Available

Why: To develop business relationships that offer sound advice and ideas!

Please RSVP to Ashevilleroundtables@yahoo.com to reserve your spot. Space is limited to the first 20 to register. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday July 27, 2010 Noon to 1:30 PM @ O’Charley’s on Tunnel Road
$12

RSVP to sarah@creative-original.com for confirmation. Limited space available.

Meet other local professionals dedicated to buying local and promoting Asheville based businesses. Learn some skills for effective referral and word of mouth marketing. Expand your network. All in just 90 minutes at the BNI Visitor’s Day and Business Networking Event. Do you want to grow your business? Then get started today, join the Beaucatcher BNI Chapter for a fun, focused and productive networking lunch.

Meet the Geeks is an Asheville based all-volunteer organization focused on providing a common contact point for the IT industry in North Carolina. Projects range from casual socializing at bi-monthly get-togethers to the development of the Meet the Geeks website which includes the IT Directory and Forums. Our goal is to build a network of professionals across all the IT sectors – from development to recruiting, programming to capital – that promotes relationships and the cross-pollination of ideas that will foster growth in Western North Carolina.

Find out more about Meet the Geeks classes, networking events, organization initiatives and tech meetups on the Meet the Geeks website.