Small business seminar helps bring new businesses to life

Students, along with members of the community, will have the opportunity to learn about starting their own business today in a small business workshop.

“It’s an introductory workshop that provides an overview of the important first steps associated with starting a business,” Sarah Vargyas, research associate at Missouri Southern’s Small Business Development and Technology Center, said.

“It’s designed specifically for those people who are thinking of starting a business because this helps them think about everything.”

According to Vargyas, the workshop will allow those in attendance to assess their strengths and weaknesses as well as learn about the importance of planning.

Other topics to be covered include legal and regulatory requirements, financing, writing a business plan, human resources management, marketing and market research.  

Two instructors, Ken Surbrugg and Karen Bradshaw, both of whom are consultants to the SBTDC, will lead the small business workshop.

All attendees will receive handout materials and a start-up manual.

“It’s just to help them see if they are thinking about all the different things they need to think about when starting a business, give them a better handle on what they’re doing and what they want to do,” Vargyas said.

“It’s a community outreach and helping the local business community.

“A lot of people have had ideas and they come to see if they are viable and it helps them to really see what might be a good idea as well,” she said.

Today’s small business workshop isn’t the only workshop offered by SBTDC this semester.

“We do this particular one once a month,” Vargyas said.

“We offer approximately 70 workshops throughout the year and our schedule of workshops we have posted for the fall semester.”

Some of the other workshops offered include computer software, taxes, business management, writing a business plan and marketing.

The workshop will be held from 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Empire Room at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce at 320 E. 4th St. in Joplin.

For a schedule of other upcoming workshops, visit mssutraining.com.