How to Prepare a Business Plan - Part I
This workshop provides a framework to determine whether or not your plans to go into business are realistic.
All of the topics and issues covered in the seminar are normally included in the business plan:
- Description of business
- Description of customers/clients
- Adequacy of products and/or services
- Soundness of plans to attract, retain and gain new customers/clients
- Strength of competition
- Trends in your line of business and possible impact on you
- Evaluation of your management of relationships with suppliers, distributors, government agencies, subcontractors, etc.
- Techniques for keeping your business operating effectively and efficiently
- Positioning business to cope with changes in your industry
- Brief review of finances (covered in detail in Business Plan - Part II)
The Business Plan & Finances
(It is helpful, but not essential to take the workshop Prepare a Business Plan - Part I first.)
This workshop continues business planning with hands-on development of the financial portion of the plan.
Topics and issues covered include:
- Review of various types of income and expenses
- Forecasting income and expenses
- Income Statement
- Cash Flow Statement
- Balance Sheet
- Breakeven analysis
How to Really Start Your Own Business
Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss?
Experts from ScoreBergen and guests from the business community will discuss the basics you need to live your dream. The topics and issues covered in this two part workshop include:
Part I:
- Developing your business plan
- Defining and testing your idea and target market
- Bringing your product or service to market
- Should you buy an existing business?
Part II:
- Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur?
- Legal issues (patents, trademarks, business structure)
- Financing for small businesses
- Financial information and controls
- Using your website as a business tool
The workshop will help you develop innovative, cost-effective strategies that pay off in great profits, increased sales, and satisfied customers.
You’ll learn how to:
- Determine what’s unique about your product or service
- Distinguish features from benefits
- Target your market
- Analyze your competition
- Establish pricing
- Get the word out to customers
- Track and analyze every campaign to see what's working and what needs changing
How to Make Sense of Your Financial Information
(Recommended for people already in business)
This workshop demystifies numbers and shows you how to use them to take action. The content will be adapted to the attendees’ businesses.
Topics include:
- Making your accountant’s statements easier to understand
- Obtaining better information in order to minimize risk and manage more effectively
- Employing the tools experts use to evaluate your business
Bring a hand-held calculator. We will provide a user-friendly worksheet.
How to Obtain a Loan and Finance Your Business
This workshop covers the kinds of financing and loans available to both start-up and ongoing businesses. Special emphasis will be placed on SBA-guaranteed loans, including information and data necessary for applications.
The review includes:
- Typical bank application forms
- Criteria considered by a lender in reviewing the applicant and his application
- Importance of the business plan to the loan package
If you are considering buying a business, the time spent at this workshop may go a long way towards helping you avoid overpaying for a business or committing to things you will be sorry for after you own the business.
Among the topics covered are:
- Determining a reasonable price
- Questions you must ask during due diligence
- How to out-think the seller
Using Your Website As A Business Tool
Whether you are taking that first step into cyberspace or you are looking for ways to improve your existing web presence, this workshop will leave you with all the elements to help your business succeed online. Throughout the course of this workshop, you will learn how to :
- Build confidence in your company through the design of your website
- Get your website to appear on all of the major search engines
- Build an e-commerce site on any budget
- Write exciting copy that draws users farther into your website
- Keep your content fresh, up-to-date and stimulating
- Determine what type of site would be best for your company, and the costs involved in developing it.
- Promote your website using online tools such as banner ads and e-mail marketing
- Determine what to look for when hiring a web designer
- Use your website to make your company appear larger than life
Estate Planning For Business Owners
This workshop will provide small business owners with the basics of estate planning including an overview of federal and New Jersey gift and estate taxes. Case studies will be used to explain ways to minimize future estate problems including:
- Considerations when setting-up a new business
- Buy-Sell agreements
- Family limited liability companies
- Intra-family sales of stock at discounted prices
- Selling to an ESOP
- Use of trusts
- Business succession planning
Mr. Saraisky concentrates his practice in estate planning, business succession planning, and corporate transactions. He has managed several family-owned businesses. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago School of Law in 1994.
401(k) and Other Retirement Plans
This workshop will provide a detailed understanding of 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans and defined benefit plans. It will cover the basics to advanced retirement plan designs. Specifically, it will cover:
- 401(k) contributions – pretax and Roth
- Timing of 401(k) deposits
- Matching contributions
- Various profit sharing contribution formulas
- Maximizing contributions for the owners/key employees
- Cash balance plans/other defined benefit plans
- Vesting
- Loans from retirement plans
- Form 5500 (tax return required for retirement plans)
Scott M. Feit, is a Partner with Abar Pension Services, Inc., an actuarial and
record keeping firm in Florham Park, NJ. and is experienced in plan design,
compliance testing and preparation of government forms pertaining to
retirement plans. He has lectured extensively on Pension, 401(k) and Profit
Sharing Plans. Scott is a Certified Pension Consultant (CPC), Qualified
Pension Administrator (QPA) and Qualified 401(k) Administrator.
Tax Impact of Business Decisions
This workshop will provide small business owners with information on how business decisions impact taxes. You will learn how to:
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Better track business costs so you can KEEP MORE OF WHAT YOU MAKE
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Get the best deductions for auto and home office expenses
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Maximize depreciation deductions
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View your books and records as a business guide, rather than a nuisance
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Keep good records so you can control your finances - not have them control you
Alyssa Lebovic is a CPA and Profitability Consultant with Keller and Lebovic, CPAs of Fair Lawn, NJ. They have been helping businesses and individuals KEEP MORE OF WHAT THEY MAKE for over 20 years. Alyssa is past president of Bergen NJAWBO and a frequent area speaker
.
Franchise Opportunities for New Entrepreneurs
Franchise business opportunities span almost every industry including: Food, Retail, Consulting, Automotive, Education, Home-based, and many more. This workshop will help you:
- Determine whether purchasing a franchise is the appropriate option for you
- Dispel common myths and misconceptions about franchises
- Learn how to identify and then research a franchise opportunity
- Understand the major components of a franchise agreement
- Understand the legal obligations of owners and franchisers
- Understand financing options
Maximizing Search Engine Results
With approximately 100 million websites on the Internet today it’s becoming harder and harder to get traffic to your site from any one of the major search engines. If you already have a website and would like to increase your visibility online, this workshop is for you. You will learn how to:
* Develop keywords and phrases to increase
more targeted visitors
* Optimize your site using many of the Do’s and Don’ts
* Register your site with all of the major search engines
* Use Pay-Per-Click without breaking the bank
* Monitor how your site is rated
* Use many of the free online resources that help increase your
rating
Resources for Women Entrepreneurs
This workshop will provide an overview of business resources specifically geared toward women entrepreneurs. You will hear from women who have successfully dealt with the unique problems women business owners face such as juggling home, family and business and other issues. You will also learn how to take advantage of set-asides for women and other government programs.
