You do all the work and deliver as promised, but still, is it a guarantee you're going to get paid? Short answer: NO. It's not enough. Learn how to increase your chances of getting paid for the work you do. We'll cover the blind sides that gets your money tied up for months, and it's legal for it to happen. Also, how to prepare for tough times the best you can.Tips for your contracts that can put you ahead in line to get…

This workshop will provide attendees with information about the program requirements and the different services and training offered by the SBDC. The key fundamentals essential for starting and maintaining a successful business will be reviewed. As capital is the life blood of any business, your questions concerning capital and how the SBDC can assist in this effort will be addressed. And as a special bonus, the critical reasons why products/services sell will also be discussed. Attendance is required for existing,…

This critical HR training will guide you through the basics of what HR is and how to prepare your business for employees before you hire them. Learning these steps will help protect your business from unintended risks and provide you valuable California based HR knowledge and best practices. Instructor: Sara Nicholson (SBDC Advisor) brings over 25 years of HR experience, helping small business owners find solutions to their human resources needs.  REGISTER NOW

This webinar will provide answers to your questions about sales taxes. Do you need to charge sales tax, how much should you be charging your customers, how do you apply for a sellers permit, what is a marketplace facilitator, when and how should you pay the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration your sales tax that is owing, how do you complete a sales tax return?… and more During the webinar, the presenter will show attendees how to prepare…

This workshop will provide attendees with information about the program requirements and the different services and training offered by the SBDC. The key fundamentals essential for starting and maintaining a successful business will be reviewed. As capital is the life blood of any business, your questions concerning capital and how the SBDC can assist in this effort will be addressed. And as a special bonus, the critical reasons why products/services sell will also be discussed. Attendance is required for existing,…

Lean business planning is not what you think. Not a big formal plan. Not just for startups. Quick and practical tool for managing through a crisis. It's as quick and easy as a few simple bullet point lists and tables to set down milestones and metrics. Plus powerful tools to manage sales, spending, and cash flow. Make a quick dashboard for getting through a crisis. Join this webinar as Tim Berry, founder of bplans.com and Palo Alto Software, shares the simplicity and ease…

It's time to market smarter by targeting customers using drip marketing campaigns to maximize your impact and identify your next best customer. Learn how to automate your follow-up and bring more customers to your website, shopping cart or donation page. Get my 10 Tips to segment your marketing lists, use landing pages and customize content for easy marketing automation. We'll target your emails and landing pages, tag key list properties and provide social media tools and post automated flows along…

What if you could grow your business without working longer hours? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to build a powerful, automated marketing system—supercharged with AI—that works for you 24/7. Whether you’re a solopreneur or managing a growing team, this session will show you how to leverage cutting-edge tools to attract more leads, convert them into loyal customers, and boost your revenue with less stress and more consistency. In this workshop, you’ll discover: How to attract and capture high-quality…

Are you looking to get into business ownership but don’t know where to start? Discover what type of business could leverage your professional acumen and have a team to support you build a successful company. During our webinar learn what type of businesses excelled through Covid and are Recession Resistant. Additional topics we will be covering:  Buying into a Franchise & Running your New Business The Surprisingly low upfront cost The different types of Franchise Models Whether franchising is a…

This workshop will provide attendees with information about the program requirements and the different services and training offered by the SBDC. The key fundamentals essential for starting and maintaining a successful business will be reviewed. As capital is the life blood of any business, your questions concerning capital and how the SBDC can assist in this effort will be addressed. And as a special bonus, the critical reasons why products/services sell will also be discussed. Attendance is required for existing,…

This workshop focuses on best practices for making your interaction with the media go as smoothly as possible. Whether you're trying to promote your business or seeking to communicate effectively during a crisis, knowing how to deal with the media can help you control your message and get your story told in a way that will truly enhance your brand. This workshop is a must for every small business owner. Instructor: Saida Pagan (SBDC Advisor) media trainer, communication specialist and…

Thinking of starting a business, but not sure what kind? You’re not alone. Many aspiring entrepreneurs are fueled by passion and the dream of being their own boss—but often lack clarity on the type of business that truly fits their strengths, lifestyle goals, and market realities. In this interactive 2-hour workshop, you’ll learn how to: Clarify your personal motivations and entrepreneurial strengths Explore and compare different business models Evaluate your business ideas with practical tools Identify the type of business…

This in-depth workshop addresses a multitude of important topics regarding legal entities and other important decisions you will need to make as a business owner. One of the first decisions will include how the company will be structured. Because of this, we will cover the basics of regulatory filings that permit new owners to properly set up entities in California. Our discussion will cover legal formation for startups, including: • LLC’s, S-Corporations, C-Corporations • DBA’s • Business permits • Resale…

A cross-disciplinary workshop showing the relationship between Marketing, Website Design, and Social Media to build, promote and market a small business. This Multichannel workshop presents three advisors who'll share their expertise of their field and its application to small businesses as they proceed through the SBDC process. At the end of each advisors presentation there will be a 30 minute Q&A to ask questions across the multichannel. Instructors and SBDC Advisors: Debbie Goldfarb is a well-respected marketing coach and consultant. Chérmelle Edwards is a writer,…

Building a successful business requires vision, and the coordination of efforts in several areas.  The process of starting and running a business can be overwhelming without a good plan. A good solution to understanding all of the moving parts of your business is to write a business plan. In this webinar we will discuss: -The internal and external purposes of a business plan -A review of the types of plans: Traditional, one page, Canvas, Pitch Deck -Writing strategies and tips,…

Funding and financing your business are extremely important. One of the options that comes up is angel investment. What does angel investment mean? How often does it happen? Is your business a candidate? What steps to take? What do you need? Webinar presenter Tim Berry has been on both sides of this table. He successfully raised investment for his business. And he has been an angel investor for more than a decade. In this webinar, Tim answers key questions you…

This workshop will provide attendees with information about the program requirements and the different services and training offered by the SBDC. The key fundamentals essential for starting and maintaining a successful business will be reviewed. As capital is the life blood of any business, your questions concerning capital and how the SBDC can assist in this effort will be addressed. And as a special bonus, the critical reasons why products/services sell will also be discussed. Attendance is required for existing,…

The “Improve Your Personal Credit for Lending Opportunities” workshop is designed to help individuals and business owners understand the factors that affect their credit scores and learn strategies to improve them. Whether you are looking to apply for a personal loan, business loan, or credit line, having a strong credit score can significantly increase your chances of approval and favorable terms. During this workshop, participants will learn about the different credit bureaus and how they calculate credit scores, the common…

What do small businesses need to know about contracts?  While Covering the Basic principles of contracts, you’ll learn how to avoid the pitfalls hidden in written and oral contracts and learn how to negotiate and to write them.  Learn how to make a checklist to identify your contract needs. Instructor: Ben Martin (SBDC Advisor) and Attorney who loves helping new and small businesses, survive and thrive. With over 20 years of experience working for SBDCs, Non-profit Entrepreneurship Programs, and Pro…

This workshop will provide attendees with information about the program requirements and the different services and training offered by the SBDC. The key fundamentals essential for starting and maintaining a successful business will be reviewed. As capital is the life blood of any business, your questions concerning capital and how the SBDC can assist in this effort will be addressed. And as a special bonus, the critical reasons why products/services sell will also be discussed. Attendance is required for existing,…

This training is designed to assist California small business owners create a realistic and compliant strategy to legally hire employees. Instructor: Sara Nicholson (SBDC Advisor) brings over 25 years of HR experience, helping small business owners find solutions to their human resources needs.  REGISTER NOW

Intellectual Property: An Overview – Ideas and inventions are often the key assets of a business. How do you protect your ideas while using them, developing them, or marketing them to customers? Discussions includes the basics of Copyrights, Patents, Trade Secrets, Trade and Service marks, Masks and Domain Names. Non-disclosure Agreements and Agreements Not to Compete are covered along with how to keep records that prove your idea is your idea and no one else’s. Instructor: Ben Martin (SBDC Advisor)…

Accounting is the system of tracking the income, expenses, assets and liabilities of business. Owners, managers, bankers, investors - use accounting terms and concepts to describe the events that make up the "story". This workshop will explain the basics of how to make journal entries including debits and credits, the structure of financial statements, important financial ratios, and, more importantly, how to "account" for the transactions in your business. Instructor: Andrew Strachan (SBDC Advisor) has many years of financial analysis…

Did you know that for many companies, the holidays are critical to wrapping up the year to meet their annual goals? From fundraising to well wishing, you can turn the holidays into opportunities while reminding your customers why they love your company. Whether you are a non-profit or sell products or services to consumers or businesses, use our free guide to help you maximize your marketing impact in November & December. This Webinar Will Teach You How To: • Use…

Businesses have many taxes they need to pay besides just income taxes.  The webinar presenter will discuss federal and state income taxes, county taxes, city business license taxes, Secretary of State fees, sales taxes, payroll taxes, estimated tax payments and business back tax solutions.  You will be sure to learn of taxes and tax rules in 2026 that you were not aware of for your new or existing business. Instructor: Maureen Thielen (SBDC Advisor) provides bookkeeping, accounting and tax consulting services to…

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide an opportunity for small businesses to tap into federal funding to conduct research and development on promising new innovations and technologies.  With $4 billion available annually, the programs are a source of seed capital for early stage companies. SBIR/STTR funding can also serve as a pathway to equity financing by allowing businesses to demonstrate feasibility of new technologies and move toward commercialization. This webinar will cover…

One way to increase sales for your business is to become a vendor or contractor to public agencies and private organizations. This workshop will provide an overview of how to decide if contracting is right for you, as well as cover the elements you need to know to begin the pursuit of new contracting opportunities. Instructor: Michael Williams (SBDC Advisor) proudly offers over 30 years of experience in government contracting and procurement, certifications, marketing, recruiting, and training. He has successfully…