TAMIU-SBDC Offers Various February Business Workshops
The Texas A&M International University Small Business Development Center (TAMIU-SBDC) will sponsor several workshops throughout the month of February.
Thursday, February 7: the Art of Starting a Business: Basic Business Essentials, free of charge workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the TAMIU Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 126. Instructor Angelo Piccirillo, SBDC-certified business advisor, will present this practical Workshop that helps businesses to avoid common pitfalls, evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and the skills needed to succeed. Participants will also explore initial paperwork, assessment process, legal structures and importance of the business plan.
Friday, February 8: QuickBooks Workshop: Putting Financial Management to Work for Your Business, is a hands-on workshop from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in TAMIU’s Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall, room 113. Instructor Norma Rodríguez, SBDC-certified business advisor, will go over the steps to create a new QuickBooks company, modify the preset chart of accounts, reconcile a QuickBooks checking account, invoice customers, create sales orders, receive payments from customers and make bank deposits, enter bills into QuickBooks and create and customize QuickBooks reports and graphs. Workshop fee is $50.
Tuesday, February 12: The Art of Customer Service: How to provide Continuous and Improved Customer Satisfaction, will be offered from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.; classroom location provided with registration confirmation. Fee is $20. The Workshop’s purpose is to learn the Art of Customer Service using the “CIVIL” framework. It will help your business and organization experience employee empowerment, repeat business, loyal customers, and an overall satisfactory customer service strategy. Join instructor Tina Rodríguez, SBDC-certified business advisor, for an interactive two-hour presentation.
Thursday, February 14: Managing Payroll with QuickBooks Pro, free of charge workshop will be offered from 9:30 to 12:30 p.m. at the Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Road. Instructor Norma Rodríguez will guide you through the process of: setting up employees, creating paychecks, paying employees: direct deposit, computer printed or handwritten paychecks; paying and filing federal taxes online and preparing W-2’s. Join us for this informative hands-on workshop.
Thursday, February 14: Anatomy of a Business Plan Workshop, is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., classroom location provided with registration confirmation. Workshop fee is $20, and each participant receives Linda Pinzon’s “Anatomy of a Business Plan: a Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business and Securing your Company’s Future,” a $50 value. Instructor Angelo Piccirillo explains that planning is the map to success in the business world. One needs to write a business plan when: starting or buying a business, financing or refinancing a business, or raising debt or equity capital.
Thursday, February 21: Managing Cash - the Small Business Owner's Guide to Financial Control Workshop, is scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; classroom location provided with registration confirmation; $20 fee includes Workbook. Cash flow is what comes into and goes out of a business. Gaining financial control by understanding cash flow is crucial to business success. Tina Rodriguez will review cash – the fuel that runs your business, maximizing your cash flow, tools for speeding up cash collections, overdue invoices, three tools for helping with accounts receivable, cash flow statements and four short-term financing solutions.
Wednesday, February 27: Internet Marketing and Social Media Workshop, will be offered from 9:00 to 12:00 noon, classroom location provided with registration confirmation. Internet marketing can attract more people to your website, increase customers for your business, and enhance branding of your company and products. The hands-on workshop spans the entire process of building a simple website from the ground up, with plenty of pointers and reference material.
For more information or to register for any of these Workshops, call the TAMIU-SBDC office at 956.326.2827 or e-mail:sbdc@tamiu.edu Register online at http://sbdc.tamiu.edu
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu