Community Futures Peterborough is expanding its free Entrepreneurship 101 workshop series this spring, with two brand new workshops in response to demand from local entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Taking place over the lunch hour on Wednesdays from March to May, the nine-part series is designed for entrepreneurs at all stages of their business journey, from those exploring a business idea to established owners looking to grow their business or sharpen their entrepreneurial skill set.
After first launching the series with four workshops last February, Community Futures Peterborough expanded the series last fall with seven workshops that supported more than 120 entrepreneurs and small business owners.
That was followed by a three-part condensed series in Peterborough County this year, with the final workshop in that series, “Funding and Cash Flow” with Braden Clark, taking place at Lakefield’s Marshland Centre the morning of Monday, February 23.
According to Community Futures Peterborough, the Entrepreneurship 101 series has grown quickly as more businesses across the region seek advisory and lending support. Since last April, the organization’s Business Advisory Centre has supported more than 340 businesses with over 440 in-depth one-on-one consultations.
The growing interest in business advisory services along with feedback from past workshop participants had led to a partnership with Scotiabank that will see two new workshops added to the spring series.
“Appear First – Search Engine Optimization & E-Commerce” on April 8, delivered by e-commerce and Shopify expert Brendan Quigley, will introduce participants to building an online presence, improving search visibility, and boosting online sales.
“Employer Essentials – Understanding Your Obligations as an Employer” on April 22, delivered by staff of the Office of the Employer Advisor and Service Canada, will help business owners better understand their responsibilities when hiring staff.
In addition to these two new workshops, the other seven workshops in the spring series are “Spark Tank – Brainstorm and Validate Business Ideas” on March 4, “Launch Pad – Business Planning” on March 11, “Brand Lab – Marketing and Branding” on March 25, “Funding Fuel – Explore Funding and Financing” on April 1, “Staff Smart – Hiring Your First Employee” on April 15, “Money Map – Cash Flow Forecasting” on April 29, and “Protect It – Intellectual Property for Small Businesses” on May 6.
All the workshops will be held in the lower-level boardroom at the Venture North building at 270 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. There is no cost to participate, but space is limited and early registration is encouraged at cfpeterborough.ca.
