Financial and Economic Literacy

CBDC has begun partnering with community-based organizations to offer workshops on financial and economic literacy. These workshops have flexible content, which is tailored to meet the needs of each group. Topics can include banking and savings, creating a personal budget, understanding credit and managing debt, stretching your economic resources, insurance, and planning for college and retirement. Please contact us to learn more about these programs, to schedule a workshop at your community organization, or to learn when the next workshop is being held. Email noor@cbdc.org, or call 617/349-4690 for more information.

Getting Started in Business

A 3-hour workshop introducing aspiring entrepreneurs to the fundamentals of launching a small business. Participants learn about the risks and awards of business ownership, assess their own readiness to launch a venture and begin the business planning process necessary to turn ideas into reality. Topics covered include incorporation, legal requirements, financing, and marketing strategies.

To be offered on March 15, 2002 from 9 am-12:30 pm. Free to people who meet HUD guidelines for low/moderate income. $35 fee for others. To be held at CareerSource, 185 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge. Contact CBDC with questions or to register: (617) 349-4690 or info@cbdc.org.

Business Planning Guide

The process of creating a business plan can be as important as the final outcome. In this workshop, entrepreneurs will take a critical look at their business idea, work through the pieces of a business plan, and come away with an important tool to ensure their business’ success.

A series of three workshops that guide aspiring entrepreneurs through the preparation of a simple business plan. Topics such as analyzing the market for a product or service, understanding the competiton, and simple financial projections to assess whether the business could be viable will be covered. Emphasis is more on whether the proposed business can be feasible than on developing a polished written document. People who have an idea and want to test whether it can be a viable business will find these workshops invaluable.

Our next Business Planning series will be held on three consecutive Wednesdays, May 29th, June 5th, and June 12th, from 12-2pm. Contact CBDC with questions or to register: (617) 349-4690 or info@cbdc.org.

Branding Workshop

An effective brand can be the reason customers choose one product or company over another! Join us for this informative workshop on branding for small business owners. Topics will include corporate identity and image, the logo design or redesign, and designing marketing materials. Please bring along your creative ideas and copies of current marketing materials, as well as a brown-bag lunch!

This workshop will be held on Thursday, April 11th, 12-1:30pm. The workshop will be taught by Jennifer Proia of Fire Creative.

Creating a Personalized Internet Strategy for Your Small Business

Would you like to learn how to use the internet as a tool for marketing your products or services? Have you wondered whether a website is appropriate for your type of business? At our brown-bag lunch seminar you will have the opportunity to create a personalized internet strategy for your business which will help you determine what kind of e-presence is right for you. Topics will include website design and hosting, email marketing, synching on-line and off-line marketing, how to get listed on search engines, and on-line resources for small businesses.

This workshop will be held on Thursday, April 25th, 12-1:30pm. The workshop will be taught by Neil Fennessey of Four Mangos.

Legal Clinic for New Businesses

This workshop will provide an overview of key legal concepts that all new businesses must address. A brief presentation on topics including: types of legal entities, stock and capital structure, minimizing liability risks, employee issues and tax planning will be followed by a question and answer session.