Small Business Success Series

Small Business Success Series

The Small Business Success Series (SBSS) is a five-part series designed to build the basic skills for an entrepreneur. It is offered year-round at each HCC Center for Entrepreneurship, both in English and in Spanish. The series includes the following one-day workshops:

1. Ignite the Entrepreneur in You! is an interactive workshop designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs uncover the mindset, behaviors, and traits of successful business founders. Through guided activities and peer collaboration, participants will explore their own entrepreneurial styles and begin shaping a clear, strategic roadmap for their business ideas. Whether you're refining an existing venture or launching something new, this course will challenge your thinking, expand your network, and provide tools to fuel your entrepreneurial journey.
2. Vet the Venture – Are My Ideas Lucrative? is a hands-on workshop designed to help entrepreneurs evaluate the financial potential of a new business idea or growth strategy. Participants will explore key factors that influence viability, including market demand, competitive landscape, pricing strategies, and unique value propositions. The session also covers essential financial components such as revenue projections, startup costs, and break-even analysis. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a clearer understanding of whether their idea is worth pursuing—and what it will take to make it profitable.
3. Financial Management for Small Business Launch & Growth – Understanding your business's financial landscape is paramount for both initial launch and sustained success. This intensive one-day workshop is designed to quickly demystify the critical "why, how, and what's next" of managing your business's money. Participants will gain essential, actionable insights into analyzing past financial performance, interpreting present financial health, and effectively estimating future financial needs and projections. We will cover core financial statements, practical budgeting techniques, essential cash flow management strategies, and crucial metrics that not only inform your strategic decisions but also satisfy the requirements of potential funders and investors. By the end of this focused session, you will be equipped with the foundational financial competencies to propel your small business towards profitability and long-term viability.
4. Sales and Marketing Powered Up! This intensive one-day workshop offers entrepreneurs and small business owners actionable insights and practical tactics to significantly improve their marketing efforts and drive sustained growth. Participants will learn how to refine their ongoing market research processes, craft compelling messaging that resonates with their target audience, and enhance strategic planning for maximum impact. The curriculum covers effective budget and spending allocation for lean operations, optimizing digital marketing initiatives, leveraging analytics and measurement for data-driven decisions, and building strong customer loyalty and brand advocacy. Designed specifically for the needs of small businesses, this workshop provides actionable strategies to achieve measurable results and strengthen your organization's market presence.
5. Managing Risk - Protect your assets, your business, & your future! Learn how to protect your business from costly legal, financial, and operational pitfalls. This course covers essential risk management strategies for entrepreneurs and small business owners, including how to structure your business to limit liability and meet tax requirements. You'll explore key considerations in hiring employees vs. independent contractors, understand the role of insurance in safeguarding your operations, and gain insights into sound operational practices and effective contract negotiations. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to confidently minimize risk and secure your business's long-term success.

Beyond the Basics

The following new workshops were developed as a continuation of the Small Business Success Series to help entrepreneurs continue to build their skills and to respond to the changing business landscape.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): this one-day workshop is new and will be presented in Fall 2025. Artificial Intelligence offers a wonderful new tool for business owners. Participants will learn what AI is, how to use AI most effectively, and how recognize items that are not original. AI will save you time and energy yet facilitate your business needs with accuracy and speed. For example, you’ll learn what AI generated content is and how you can create your own authentic and original content with this tool.
• HR Essential Competencies for Entrepreneurs: This workshop will cover talent acquisition (how to attract the right candidate), Employee Retention (how to reduce turnover), Legal Compliance (labor laws), Performance Management (aligning employee contributions with business goals), Employee Creativity, and Conflict Resolution. Building a strong team for your business is one of the keys to success and included in this seminar.
• Negotiating Skills: Negotiating is one of the most critical skills, not only in business, but in life! This workshop will teach you how to facilitate an agreement without giving in, how to be active listener to create win-win situations, how to recognize your own emotions as well as those of others and stay focused, and how to find mutually beneficial solutions. It’s both an art and a science!
• Financial Statements You Can Understand! The sad truth is that 95% of businesspeople can’t read financial statements. This workshop will teach you! There are three major statements that provide essential insights into a company’s financial health: Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Statement. You’ll discover how to analyze each of these in this engaging and interactive workshop.

Thanks to Wells Fargo for supporting the development and delivery of these dynamic workshops that are the foundation of small business.