Financial Tools, featuring QuickBooks

Date: July 29, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Oak Park Inn (Waynesville)
Cost: $85 members, $140 alumni, $170 for the public
Deadline for Registration: July 23, 2010
Instructor: Amy Riddick
Contact: daphne@mountainbizworks.org

Building on your Foundations – Financial Tools is a five session course which starts with the basics of bookkeeping and then launches into QuickBooks for more advanced financial management.

Session 1 starts with bookkeeping basics

Session 2 you set up your own company

Session 3 deals with customer issues (invoicing and receivables)

Session 4 deals with vendors issues (payables)

Session 5 teaches you how to generate financial statements and touches on payroll and inventory.

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.

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.

Is now the time to pull back and weather the storm, or do you seize the moment and move into growth mode? The truth lies somewhere in between. Learn how to look for hidden business opportunities in the current economy. (3 hrs)

For more info visit the Asheville Small Business Incubator Website!

Total Registration Fee: Free
Tue, Apr 13, 6:00PM-9:00PM
2046 Small Business Center, Enka Center Course #: SBC-1001-700

March 20, 2010 – Saturday – 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration: $30.00
Save $5 by pre-registering!

Ask any banker if they would consider lending money to you for a business that does not have a Business Plan. Once they wipe the tears of laughter from their face, they will look at you sympathetically and say, “Of course…NOT!”. Why would they do such a mean spirited thing? Lenders know that without a Business Plan (1) They cannot make a valid judgment about whether your business idea is a good one or not and (2) They cannot be sure that you have thought through all the essential issues of your proposed business. And guess what… neither can you! Join our Business Plan workshop and learn how to assess the real chance your business has to survive in today’s hotbed economy.

The speakers are successful business persons who will bring you first-hand insights.

–Bryce Malsbary is a retired executive with careers in Human Resource Management and Financial Services. He has 18 years experience in Healthcare HRM with 10 of those years as Vice President of HR at Shands Teaching Hospital at the University of Florida. His second career of 17 years was with AIG Retirement as Regional Director for the State of Florida where he was responsible for group relations and new business development. His responsibilities also included developing and implementing annual business plans to achieve corporate sales quotas.

–Glenn Pirrong is an Asheville SCORE counselor with extensive background in finance and general management. Prior to purchasing and operating his own company, he was the CFO of a NASDAQ-traded public company. Earlier he held senior financial positions with major corporations and was president of a subsidiary company. He will present the material on the Financial Section of the Business Plan covering Balance Sheet, Income Statement (P & L), Cash Flow Statement and Break even Analysis.

Scheduled dates, times, location and directions:

March 20, 2010 – Saturday
* 8:00 a.m. – Registration
* 8:30 a.m. – Seminar starts promptly
* Location: A-B Tech Enka Campus, Small Business Center, Room 2046

AAF Asheville is proud to announce the March 2, 2010 CONNECT event. The free event requires no RSVP and will be held from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Satchel’s Bar at 56 Patton Ave, in downtown Asheville. This is a great way to meet and network with local experts, small business owners and professionals while enjoying the beauty of downtown in a fantastic location.

AAF Asheville is the realization of a dream, born from the knowledge that we’re big enough, diverse enough, and creative enough to have a Western North Carolina advertising club. For more information about CONNECT business networking events and monthly programs visit www.aafasheville.org.

Feb. 25, 2010 5:30 PM 755 Biltmore Ave.

RSVP to RSVP@meetthegeeks.net

For more info visit www.meetthegeeks.net

Asheville, NC — The Board of Directors of Meet the Geeks (MTG) invites you to attend its first community showcase event at CityMac in Biltmore Village on Thursday February 25th starting at 5:30 p.m.  The event is open to the public and refreshments will be served. CityMac is located at 755 Biltmore Avenue and there is parking onsite.

MTG is dedicated to supporting and growing the IT industry in Western North Carolina and the new community showcase program allows the opportunity to gather at a local place of technology and create awareness for resources within our community, facilitate connections among IT professionals, and advance and promote IT-related endeavors. Doing so contributes to the overall economic health and diversity of the region.  MTG, in conjunction with local organizations, will host a community showcase event quarterly.

CityMac is a proud sponsor and supporter of MTG.  CityMac stores offer consumers and business customers the “Apple Retail Experience” which is similar to that of Apple corporate store locations. The stores provide complimentary daily training, users group meetings, one-on-one training, a coffee shop, and free Wi-fi access. All of CityMac’s locations maintain a complete Apple Authorized service department offering on-site and in-store repairs and support for all warranty and out-of-warranty Apple products.

Meet the Geeks (MTG) is a volunteer-driven organization that seeks to build and support the IT community throughout Western North Carolina. Since its founding in March 2005, Meet the Geeks has grown to over 500 registered users.  Meet the Geeks hosts a successful series of networking events, offers an online portal for local IT professionals, participates in recruiting new IT business to the area, and has initiated efforts to build the regional IT community.  Events and classes are free and open to the public. For more information or to join the network visit www.meetthegeeks.net.

Boasting extended hours, new menu selections and more space at a new location, Artisan Catering and Deli is opening on December 16 and will be celebrating a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on January 20 at 4:30 p.m. A staple in Asheville’s catering and deli industry since 2005 when owner and executive chef Mauricio Villa began the restaurant, Artisan is now at The Shoppes at Beaver Lake. The only upscale delicatessen in the Merrimon area to serve breakfast and offer a lunch menu from noon through dinner hours, Artisan is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information visit the Asheville Chamber website or contact Artisan Catering & Deli at (828) 258-6101.

Artisan Catering & Deli

1020 Merrimon Avenue.
Suite 106
Asheville, NC 28804

Asheville Green Drinks Jan. 15, 2010 6 pm @ BoBo’s

The Asheville Green Opportunities Training Team (Asheville GO) is a green collar job training and placement program for disconnected youth and young adults.

The program combines service-learning projects, life skills training, classroom learning and case management to provide its members with the skills and experience they need to pursue careers that serve themselves, their community, and the planet.

On Friday Jan. 15 Asheville GO Members and staff will discuss the program and share with the audience some accomplishments from the 2009 program year.

For more information about weekly meetings and programs visit the Asheville Green Drinks website.

Clear Channel Asheville presents Business After Hours hosted by Hill Partners

Date: Jan. 7, 2010

Time: 5:30 Pm – 7 PM

Event Description: Please join us for the Asheville Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours hosted by Hill Partners, Inc. in Biltmore Village. Beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Directions: Located in Biltmore Village, Business After Hours will be held on the 2nd floor of the 10 Brook Street Building (Chico’s, Talbot’s, Coldwater Creek, etc. are on the 1st floor.) Complimentary parking is available underneath the building. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

For more information visit the Asheville Chamber of Commerce website.

A Training and Networking Opportunity for Food Entrepreneurs
Sponsored by the Division of Marketing

Brought to you by ASAP and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Date: Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Location: Haynes 128, Enka Campus, A-B Tech, Asheville

Cost: $30, includes lunch, snacks and materials

Registration Deadline: January 3, 2010

Space is limited to 40 attendees. For more information and to register, contact: Annette Dunlap, Agribusiness Developer, NCDA&CS, Division of Marketing
annette.dunlap@ncagr.govThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(919) 733.7887 x3111