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July 6 - September 30, 2009 La Crosse	UW-La Crosse Project Management Certificate Program The UW-La Crosse Project Management Certificate Program is an innovative and collaborative education opportunity that provides participants with a targeted and unique learning opportunity. Each participant’s program is custom designed to fill the individual skill gaps and designed to work for their planned future career needs. Participants are required to complete 56 hours of learning activities to earn their certificate. Participants will work individually with the instructor to select learning activities in-line with their goals and learning style. The program is from Monday, July 6 through Friday, September 30.
July 6, 2009 Monroe	Green County Area Entrepreneurs & Inventors Club Monday, July 6, 2009, 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the NEW GLARUS meeting room in the Mornoe Clinic Hospital, 515 22nd Avenue, MONROE, WI. (Enter through the hospital foyer, take elevator to first floor, exit right and follow the signs.) Speaker: James Schneider, Blue Chip Marketing & Training. Topic: "Building and Maintaining a Winning Business Attitude." The evening is free of charge. Networking is encouraged and expected. Questions? Call 608.328.9452 or email gcdc@tds.net.
July 7, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
July 7, 2009 Milwaukee	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a whide range of business topics ssuch as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
July 7, 2009 Eau Claire	7 Steps to Starting a Business This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
July 8, 2009 Stevens Point	Blog On, Link In, Twitter Out and Digg It: An Introduction to Social Media and Business Presence Are you an expert in your field? Do your customers know it? Social media are some of the hottest and simplest ways to establish your online business presence. They also provide a means to attract customers you might not otherwise know you have. Learn about blogs, micro blogs, and other social media vehicles and how they can be used to promote your business.
July 9, 2009 Green Bay	DoD EMALL This seminar provides a foundation to selling goods and services through the DOD EMALL.
July 10, 2009 Milwaukee	Mergers / Acquisitions / Divestitures: Growth & Survival for Challenging Times Looking for lasting growth opportunities in the global marketplace? Does your company need to retrench and focus on its core competencies? Moving from saturated to emerging markets necessary to remain competitive and foster growth? Join the WTCW on July 10th, 2009 as we explore Part I of our Global Growth & Survival Strategies series. This program, geared toward midmarket and larger companies, will explore how to leverage M&A and divestiture strategies in the current economy and create new opportunities for the long term competitiveness and profitability of your company.
July 14, 2009 Madison	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
July 15, 2009 Cleveland	Getting Started in Federal Contracting This entry-level seminar provides a solid orientation to the federal contracting environment for those new to this market.
July 15, 2009 Stevens Point	13 Reasons to Embrace the Web in Any Economy The economy is in recession. Money is tight. Times aren't what they once were, and you're either in business or thinking about going into business. So, why should you embrace the web? We'll look at 13 unique reasons why your company should embrace the web in any economy. You'll learn why the web is the best employee you'll ever have and more.
July 17, 2009 Racine	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
July 17, 2009 Montello	Afternoon in an Aquaponics Greenhouse This is a fun and fascinating tour of an aquaponics greenhouse.  Attendees spend an afternoon in the greenhouse learning the basics of aquaponic system design and operation.
July 18-19, 2009 Montello, WI	Aquaponics and Controlled Environment Agriculture Learn about aquaponic system designs, methods and daily operation with an emphasis on proper environmental control.  This course covers concepts through construction.
July 20, 2009 Eau Claire	QuickBooks for Your Business At the end of this 3-session series attendees will have set up an individualized file for their company which they will be able to import to their own business computer. Classes will use Premier QuickBooks 2009; files may be imported to any 2009 QuickBooks version including the free download SimpleStart. Please bring a flash drive and business cards for 3 vendors and 3 customers. Laptops will be provided so space is limited--register early.
July 21, 2009 Madison	Essentials of Leadership & Coaching Essentials of Leadership and Coaching Session #1 of Supervisory/Leadership Series    This module provides insight into aspects of effective leadership, the roles and responsibilities of a successful leader, the strategies needed for dealing with a change in roles and different supervisory styles. Performance coaching is a necessary element in fostering this advantage.
July 21-30, 2009 Madison	Supervisory/Leadership Series Supervisory Leadership Series Supervision is a key factor to the success of any business that has employees. Often, people have not learned how to supervise and lead in an effective manner because they just learned from experience versus having training and skill development in supervision. This series is designed to offer core supervisory leadership skills development with a minimum time commitment.You may choose individual programs, but participants benefit most from taking the entire series and save 10% over the cost of individual sessions.
July 21 - August 11, 2009 Madison	Small Business Fundamentals Starting a business? Success in small business depends on hard work, good fortune, and business knowledge. Attend this eight-session course to develop your management skills. Experts in law, accounting, banking, insurance, management, and marketing cover the fundamentals of small business management. Gain knowledge about growth stages and problems, marketing, promotion and advertising, legal issues and requirements, record-keeping, accounting and financial management, financing, insurance and risk management, and business plans.
July 23, 2009 Madison	Communication & Delegation Skills Communication and Delegation Skills Session #2 of the Supervisory/Leadership Series Whether you are communicating with your employees, customers, or suppliers your ability to express yourself well and understand is a major factor of your success. You will get feedback on your behavioral and communication style using the DiSC Personal Profile System and use this self-awareness to strengthen your business relationships.
July 23, 2009 Black River Falls	Business Basics 101 This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
July 23, 2009 Madison	BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS A brand is far more than a logo or tag line.  It is the identity, personality, and "essence" that speaks for you and you business.  In this class, you'll learn what branding is, why it is essential for your business or product's success, and specific ways to create a brand strong enough to dominate your niche.
July 29, 2009 Stevens Point	Everything You Need For Your Office is Free! When we say you get what you pay for, we mean it! Office software, video conferencing, data storage ... these are just a few of the things your business can get for free. Microsoft compatible, for Mac or PC... In this session we'll take a look at open source software, what it is, and where to find it. Can you really set up an entire office for free? Can you really carry your entire office around on a Flash Drive? To find out you'll have to come and see for yourself!
July 29, 2009 Madison	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
July 29, 2009 Milwaukee	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
July 30, 2009 Madison	Managing Conflict Managing Conflict Session #3 of the Supervisory/Leadership Series Conflict management is characterized by a number of strategies including problem-solving, compromising, and forcing one’s position.
August 3-4, 2009 Milwaukee	Product Realization: Developing Innovative New Products in an Increasingly Global Economy Learn innovative approaches and design processes for developing new products with multi-disciplinary teams often located worldwide. Study strategies for optimizing multiple phases of the product realization process including: requirements definition, concept generation, concept selection, prototype generation, design for manufacturing, testing and market penetration. Work on actual new product concepts, and take them through each phase of the nonlinear process to produce a working prototype.
August 3, 2009 Monroe	Green County Area Entrepreneurs & Inventors Club Monday, August 3, 2009, 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the NEW GLARUS meeting room in the Mornoe Clinic Hospital, 515 22nd Avenue, MONROE, WI. (Enter through the hospital foyer, take elevator to first floor, exit right and follow the signs.) Speaker: Zach Brandon, Executive Assistant to the WI Secretary of Commerce. Topic: "From Business to Government--My Story, My Resources." The evening is free of charge. Networking is encouraged and expected. Questions? Call 608.328.9452 or email gcdc@tds.net.
August 3, 2009 Madison	The First Step Thinking about going into business? Spend one evening getting a clear picture of what it's really like to run a small business. Assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a business owner. Learn how to analyze the potential for your business. Discover what information you need and where to find it.  This program is designed for people who have not yet started a business.
August 4, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
August 4, 2009 Milwaukee	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a whide range of business topics ssuch as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
August 5, 2009 Milwaukee	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
August 5, 2009 Milwaukee	YOUR SUCCESS IN SALES Business Owners in charge of business development will find useful tools they can find right away.  Learn effective relationship building to help open more doors, consultative selling skills, presenting like a pro, handling objections with ease, moving the sale forward and closing skills that work.
August 5, 2009 Madison	STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS Thinking about starting a business? If you're just exploring attend this session to learn the personal considerations to starting yourown business, where to find an idea, how to conduct market research, and how to judge if the idea is financially feasible. Plus take home a packet of great resources on licensing regulations, and local organizations that provide classes, financing and business assistance.
August 11, 2009 Madison	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
August 11, 2009 Fennimore	Selling to the State of Wisconsin This comprehensive seminar provides a foundation to contracting with the Wisconsin State government.
August 11, 2009 Eau Claire	7 Steps to Starting A Business This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
August 12, 2009 Milwaukee	Budgeting 101 Learn the skills needed to plan and stick to a budget.  This class is for people interested in budgeting for the first time or people who want to review their current budgets.
August 15, 2009 Madison	¿Piensa Comenzar Su Propio Negocio? (Thinking About Starting a Business?)   ¿Piensa Comenzar Su Propio Negocio? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) ¿Alguna vez ha pensado en ser dueño de su propio negocio, pero no sabía como empezar? Ud. aprenderá como evaluar sus habilidades y determinar si está preparado para ser propietario de un negocio. Estas clases serán dadas en español. (This class will be taught in Spanish.)
August 18, 2009 Milwaukee	WI SAVES: BUILD WEALTH NOT DEBT What vehicles are available to save money?  Am I an aggressive investor?  These questions and more will be answered when you attend the Wisconsin Saves workshop.  We will help you determine how and where to start saving your money whether it be for educational costs, retirement, emergency savings or a special occasion.
August 18, 2009 Wautoma	Managing Your Taxes This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of small business tax accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies, including an overview of recordkeeping requirements, resources, and strategies for reducing tax liabilities.
August 19, 2009 Milwaukee	WILL MY BUSINESS IDEA WORK? Will My Business Idea Work? Have you made the decision to go into business?  The next step is to explore the potential of your business idea.  We will focus on examining the feasibility of your business idea, exploring ways to market the product or service, and identifying some next steps & resources for starting your business, including an introduction to the business plan.
August 20, 2009 Fond du Lac	Managing Your Taxes This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of small business tax accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies, including an overview of recordkeeping requirements, resources, and strategies for reducing tax liabilities.
August 21, 2009 Racine	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
August 24, 2009 Cornell	Customer Service Essentials Workshop CCEDC with the assistance and support of Gordy's Supervalu and the Cornell Area Care have teamed up to host a Customer Service Essentials workshop. You will leave this session with a better understanding of sales and service relating to your business success. A must attend event!
August 25, 2009 Fond du Lac	Competitive Strategies for Government Contracts Government contracting: learn how to “sharpen those pencils” and enhance your competitive position.
August 25, 2009 Milwaukee	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
August 25, 2009 Fond du Lac	Create an Offer to a Federal Government Solicitation Create a winning offer to real government solicitations in this interactive workshop.
August 25, 2009 Oshkosh	Managing Your Taxes This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of small business tax accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies, including an overview of recordkeeping requirements, resources, and strategies for reducing tax liabilities.
August 25, 2009 Galesville	Business Basics 101 This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
August 26, 2009 Madison	Tax Expo The Small Business Tax Expo is your chance to learn about federal and state taxes including payroll, unemployment compensation and sales taxes. Created for you by Wisconsin Small Business Development Centers, WI Department of Revenue, Wisconsin Institute of CPAs and Internal Revenue Service, you will learn about the following:    The morning session agenda includes: Introduction to Payroll Taxes Basic Tax Topics, such as: "Employee" vs "Independent Contractor" status How to do quarterly income tax estimates How to use withholding tables Deposit requirements and how to make deposits Tax returns to file Workers compensation Choosing  a form of business, pros and cons of legal business entities: Partnerships and LLC/LLP Sole Proprietorship S-Corp or C-Corp   The afternoon breakout sessions discuss details based on your choice of business entity. The breakout sessions are taught by CPAs and accountants.
August 26, 2009 Madison	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
August 26, 2009 Sheboygan	Managing Your Taxes This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of small business tax accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies, including an overview of recordkeeping requirements, resources, and strategies for reducing tax liabilities.
August 27, 2009 La Crosse	The First Steps to Starting Your Business The Small Business Development Center offers a class for new business owners. In a small group setting, you will review the basics of going into business and identify your next steps.  Instruction time is three hours, including time for questions and answers.
August 27, 2009 West Allis	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
August 27, 2009 Kaukauna	Managing Your Taxes This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of small business tax accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies, including an overview of recordkeeping requirements, resources, and strategies for reducing tax liabilities.
August 31, 2009 Milwaukee	START SMART ORIENTATION Start Smart Orientation* This class will provide a preview of our Start Smart series class which teaches people how to write a business plan.  All Start Smart participants are required to attend an orientation session. We will outline the course format, fees, materials, and review participant expectations.
September 1, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
September 1, 2009 Milwaukee	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a whide range of business topics ssuch as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
September 2, 2009 Madison	E-MAIL MARKETING E-mail is a powerful and cheap marketing resource for businesses.  Learn the best practices in setting up your e-mail marketing strategy by learning where to find the resouces to help, how to maintain and grow your mailing lists, how effective e-mail piece.  Remember it is never too early or too late to improve your marketing skills!  New and practical action plan to help their businesses.
September 2 - November 18, 2009 Madison	SHRM Learning System The UW-Madison Small Business Development Center will be hosting a SHRM Learning System Course. This program is designed to help human resource professionals prepare for the PHR/SPHR certification exams. The UW-Madison course has an average pass rate for the PHR exam of 80% and SPHR of 70% in previous exams.  These are well above the national averages.
September 2, 2009 Madison	STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS Thinking about starting a business? If you're just exploring attend this session to learn the personal considerations to starting yourown business, where to find an idea, how to conduct market research, and how to judge if the idea is financially feasible. Plus take home a packet of great resources on licensing regulations, and local organizations that provide classes, financing and business assistance.
September 3, 2009 West Allis	KEEPING THE BOOKS   Experienced business owners and start-ups alike will learn how to keep accurate business records and will be introduced to basic bookkeeping techniques including QuickBooks™. Learn to recognize patterns in financial records for better planning and management of your business finances in the future.
September 7 - October 21, 2009 Madison	QuickBooks Accounting Series QuickBooks™ Accounting Series  Includes all three programs--SAVE 10%
September 8, 2009 Madison	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
September 8, 2009 Madison	START SMART ORIENTATION Start Smart Orientation* This class will give a brief preview of our business planning class entitiled Start Smart. All Start Smart participants are required to attend an orientation session. We will outline the course format, fees, materials, and review participant expectations.
September 9, 2009 Milwaukee	WILL MY BUSINESS IDEA WORK? Will My Business Idea Work? Have you made the decision to go into business?  The next step is to explore the potential of your business idea.  We will focus on examining the feasibility of your business idea, exploring ways to market the product or service, and identifying some next steps & resources for starting your business, including an introduction to the business plan.
September 9, 2009 Madison	KEEPING THE BOOKS   Experienced business owners and start-ups alike will learn how to keep accurate business records and will be introduced to basic bookkeeping techniques including QuickBooks™. Learn to recognize patterns in financial records for better planning and management of your business finances in the future.
September 10, 2009 Janesville	Wide Area Workflow Learn how to effectively use the DoD's WAWF system.
September 10, 2009 La Crosse	Planning Basics for Business Writing a business plan is more than a document, it is a planning process that will help your business be more successful! This three-hour class gives an introduction to what goes into a business plan, what resources are available, and how to get started. The class includes worksheets and exercises, a discussion of software programs and a look at sample plans.
September 10, 2009 Kenosha	WILL MY BUSINESS IDEA WORK? Will My Business Idea Work? Have you made the decision to go into business?  The next step is to explore the potential of your business idea.  We will focus on examining the feasibility of your business idea, exploring ways to market the product or service, and identifying some next steps & resources for starting your business, including an introduction to the business plan.
September 10, 2009 Milwaukee	QUICKBOOKS 101 QuickBooks™ 101 Do you need QuickBooks to computerize your bookkeeping? Learn how to best utilize this software to track your accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, sales and use tax, and other features in this basic introduction course. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
September 12, 2009 Madison	QUICKBOOKS 101 QuickBooks™ 101 Do you need QuickBooks to computerize your bookkeeping? Learn how to best utilize this software to track your accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, sales and use tax, and other features in this basic introduction course. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
September 12, 2009 Eau Claire	QuickBooks for Your Business At the end of this class, attendees will have set up an individualized file for their company which they will be able to import to their own business computer. Classes will use Premier QuickBooks 2009; files may be imported to any 2009 QuickBooks version including the free download SimpleStart. Please bring a flash drive and business cards for 3 vendors and 3 customers. Laptops will be provided so space is limited--register early.
September 14 - December 21, 2009 Milwaukee	START SMART Start Smart (Business Planning Series)* This series provides in-depth learning for starting and running a small business. Participants can complete a draft business plan through weekly worksheets and exercises. Extensive information will be provided on business financing and ownership, market research, marketing strategies, record keeping, cash flow, business operations and management. Weekly guest speakers will include business professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will tour a business library to begin their research. We also offer a hands-on writing lab in our Computer Resource Center to increase your business-planning success. *Orientation session is required for all Start Smart participants.
September 15 - December 22, 2009 Madison	START SMART Start Smart (Business Planning Series)* This series provides in-depth learning for starting and running a small business. Participants can complete a draft business plan through weekly worksheets and exercises. Extensive information will be provided on business financing and ownership, market research, marketing strategies, record keeping, cash flow, business operations and management. Weekly guest speakers will include business professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will tour a business library to begin their research. We also offer a hands-on writing lab in our Computer Resource Center to increase your business-planning success. *Orientation session is required for all Start Smart participants.
September 15, 2009 Wautoma	Successful Retail Management This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of how to successfully manage a retail business in a competitive environment, including how to develop and implement the product mix, pricing, promotion, location and positioning strategies needed to survive and prosper.
September 15, 2009 West Allis	START SMART ORIENTATION Start Smart Orientation* This class will provide a preview of our Start Smart series class which teaches people how to write a business plan.  All Start Smart participants are required to attend an orientation session. We will outline the course format, fees, materials, and review participant expectations.
September 16, 2009 La Crosse	Economic Indicators: An Update for the 7 Rivers Region Continual regional research builds on a base of information and provides decision makers like you with valuable tools for strategic planning. State Bank of La Crosse, in collaboration with the UW-L College of Business Administration and the La Crosse Tribune, is continuing sponsorship of this program.
September 16, 2009 Kenosha	GSA's Public Building Services (PBS) and More This seminar will highlight the many opportunities for Wisconsin Businesses outside of having a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract.
September 16, 2009 Milwaukee	BUSINESS FINANCING SEMINAR  Learn about a variety of financing options and the steps necessary to apply for a loan. Participants will meet representatives from several traditional and alternative financing agencies to learn which program will best suit their business financing needs.
September 16, 2009 Fond du Lac	Successful Retail Management This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of how to successfully manage a retail business in a competitive environment, including how to develop and implement the product mix, pricing, promotion, location and positioning strategies needed to survive and prosper.
September 16, 2009 Milwaukee	CERTIFICATION FOR WOMEN & MINORITY BUSINESSES Should Your Business Be Certified?  We will discuss benefits of local, state and federal certification programs for your small business. Learn how certification can lead to new customers and more business for you. .
September 16 - November 17, 2009 La Crosse	Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP) Whether your business is expanding or brand-new, writing a business plan is critical to building a profitable venture, especially to attract financing from lenders or investors. We understand the steps to success. So we created ETP—10 efficient sessions to help you develop a plan for a thriving, profitable business. Writing a business plan can be difficult. Staying motivated and following through is even harder. Our structured training, practical advice from business professionals, and trained business counselors will help you stay focused and move ahead step-by-step toward your goal.  The sessions are held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday evenings, March 3 –May 5.
September 17-18, 2009 Eau Claire	Supervisory Management 1 First-line managers need good leadership skills. Often, however, new supervisors are promoted based on their technical abilities, and have had little training in how to constructively manage a work group. In this seminar, we discuss:   The Supervisory Aspect of Management Moving from an operational to a decision-making role Making the transition smoother and less stressful  Understanding Your Leadership Style Six leadership styles—characteristics, advantages and disadvantages Matching appropriate leadership styles to the situation Motivating Employee Performance The managers responsibility for employee performance and productivity Guidelines for understanding employee behavior Dealing with Non-Performance Developing a correcting / coaching model Understand why workers dont do what is expected
September 17, 2009 Kenosha	GSA - Intro to Multiple Award Schedules This course will address many of the challenges you will face when deciding whether pursuing a GSA contract is right for your business.
September 17, 2009 Madison	BUSINESS LOAN INVESTIGATION LUNCH Have you ever wondered what to expect when applying for a business loan?  Meet a loan officer and find out the answers to your questions over an informal lunch.  Find out what loan officers and financial institutions are looking for in a good business plan.  Gain a better understanding for what your strengths and weaknesses are so you can prepare yourself to apply for a loan.  Bring your own lunch and your questions!
September 17, 2009 Kenosha	GSA MAS - Responding to Requirements This seminar focuses on how to complete the GSA solicitation paperwork.
September 17, 2009 La Crosse	Financial Basics for Business Financial statements can help you make key decisions for your business. This three-hour workshop provides an introduction to three basic financial statements used by business owners: income statement, cash flow statement, and the balance sheet.  Not only will you learn how to read these financial statements, but you will also learn how to use them for better management control.
September 17, 2009 Madison	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
September 17, 2009 Racine	BUDGETING FOR A SINGLE INCOME Raising a family with a single income can be difficult.  Learn from this workshop about different spending and savings strategies which can be used to help you and your family stretch your dollar.
September 18, 2009 Racine	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
September 19, 2009 Madison	UNDERSTANDING YOUR CREDIT Your credit history impacts all aspects of your life.  Learn how to read your credit report, how to shop for credit and use it wisely.  Learn what to look for in cred card offers and understand what your obligations are when you apply.
September 21 - December 21, 2009 Racine	SMALL BIZ $mall Biz (Business Planning Series)* This series provides in-depth learning for starting a business. Participants can complete a draft of their business plans through weekly worksheets and exercises. Extensive information will be provided on business financing and ownership, market research, marketing strategies, record keeping, cash flow, business operations and management. Weekly guest speakers will include business professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will tour a business library to begin their research. *Orientation session is required for all $mall Biz participants.
September 22 - December 22, 2009 West Allis	START SMART Start Smart (Business Planning Series)* This series provides in-depth learning for starting and running a small business. Participants can complete a draft business plan through weekly worksheets and exercises. Extensive information will be provided on business financing and ownership, market research, marketing strategies, record keeping, cash flow, business operations and management. Weekly guest speakers will include business professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will tour a business library to begin their research. We also offer a hands-on writing lab in our Computer Resource Center to increase your business-planning success. *Orientation session is required for all Start Smart participants.
September 22-23, 2009 Green Bay	Resolving Organizational Conflict Conflict in the workplace is inevitable.  Learn how to manage it productively and obtain tools and tips you can immediately put in place.
September 22, 2009 Oshkosh	Successful Retail Management This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of how to successfully manage a retail business in a competitive environment, including how to develop and implement the product mix, pricing, promotion, location and positioning strategies needed to survive and prosper.
September 22, 2009 Eau Claire	7 Steps to Starting a Business This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
September 22, 2009 Madison	The First Step Thinking about going into business? Spend one evening getting a clear picture of what it's really like to run a small business. Assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a business owner. Learn how to analyze the potential for your business. Discover what information you need and where to find it.  This program is designed for people who have not yet started a business.
September 23-24, 2009 La Crosse	Professional Communications The key to managing employees is effective communication. Effective managers are good listeners, able to build and maintain productive relationships, work well in teams, and effectively present ideas. Unfortunately, most managers are not effective communicators—the number one reason for employee turnover is working for a manager who is a poor communicator. Poor communication costs organizations in a variety of ways from decreased productivity, to lower employee morale, to increased absenteeism, and decreased customer satisfaction. Simply put, if you are not a good communicator, you probably should not be a supervisor-manager. Fortunately, good communicators are made, not born. In this course you will learn the keys to effectively communicate at work and within personal relationships.
September 23-24, 2009 Eau Claire	Building A Competent Workforce Description Best practices for on-the-job training. Benchmark your skills training against training standards and other companies. Your role includes “trainer” although your title may be “team leader.” Instructional skills are a critical skill in all supervisors’ toolkits. Are you an instructor or facilitator? Do you have a training plan? Learn to fit your approach to the needs of the learner. A four-step training model you can apply to your training. Watch for “chunk size” and discover how to identify when the learner needs to practice. Left brain versus right brain thinking styles affect teaching and learning outcomes. Discover your learner’s favored style, match it with your instructional style, and quickly build confidence and competence. Training tools –check lists, job aids, tracking charts –which ensure consistency and quality. Not all problems are solved by training. Identify why some people do not perform as expected. Learn how to separate training issues from management and motivation problems. Learners’ competency levels challenge all trainers. Explore inherent learning challenges, and ways to avoid self-fulfilling prophecies about ‘difficult students.’ Training styles and learning styles can clash or mesh. Practice adapting to four types of learners. Learn to modify your training to engage each learner’s style.
September 23, 2009 Cleveland	Selling to the State of Wisconsin This comprehensive seminar provides a foundation to contracting with the Wisconsin State government.
September 23, 2009 La Crosse	The First Steps to Starting Your Business The Small Business Development Center offers a class for new business owners. In a small group setting, you will review the basics of going into business and identify your next steps.  Instruction time is three hours, including time for questions and answers.
September 23, 2009 Sheboygan	Successful Retail Management This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of how to successfully manage a retail business in a competitive environment, including how to develop and implement the product mix, pricing, promotion, location and positioning strategies needed to survive and prosper.
September 23, 2009 Milwaukee	DEVELOPING YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS Learn how to effectively formulate, express, and sell your ideas to others and identify how to persuade or recruit the energies of others. In this interactive workshop, you will discover the six dimensions of leadership, assess your current leadership skills, and learn ways to become a better leader.
September 23, 2009 Kenosha	QUICKBOOKS 101 QuickBooks™ 101 Do you need QuickBooks to computerize your bookkeeping? Learn how to best utilize this software to track your accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, sales and use tax, and other features in this basic introduction course. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
September 23 - December 9, 2009 Reedsburg	Small Business Fundamentals: Elements of Your Business Plan Starting a business? Or running one without a current business plan?  Need business financing?  Success in small business depends on hard work, good fortune, and business knowledge. Attend this ten session course to develop your management skills. Experts in law, accounting, banking, insurance, management, and marketing cover the fundamentals of small business management. Gain knowledge about growth stages and problems, marketing, promotion and advertising, legal issues and requirements, record-keeping, accounting and financial management, financing, insurance and risk management, and business plans.  Instructor and NxLevel Entrepreneurs Guide provide what you need to write a successful business plan.
September 24, 2009 La Crosse	Marketing Basics for Business Marketing is the strategic foundation for business success.  Selecting target markets, analyzing the competition, building your promotion calendars and evaluating your marketing results will help keep your business on the right path. Begin to plan your marketing efforts.
September 24, 2009 Kaukauna	Successful Retail Management This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of how to successfully manage a retail business in a competitive environment, including how to develop and implement the product mix, pricing, promotion, location and positioning strategies needed to survive and prosper.
September 24, 2009 Madison	WILL MY BUSINESS IDEA WORK? Will My Business Idea Work? Have you made the decision to go into business?  The next step is to explore the potential of your business idea.  We will focus on examining the feasibility of your business idea, exploring ways to market the product or service, and identifying some next steps & resources for starting your business, including an introduction to the business plan.
September 28 - November 2, 2009 Madison	MAKE YOUR MONEY TALK This 6-session series is designed as a guide to personal money management, covering such topics as creating a personal budget, developing a savings plan that works for you, and dealing with past and future credit. All individuals who complete the full series will receive a $50 savings bond to kick off or add to your savings plan!
September 28, 2009 Milwaukee	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
September 29-30, 2009 La Crosse	Supervisory Management One First-line managers need good leadership skills. Topics include (1) the transition to management, (2) analyzing leadership styles, (3) motivating employee performance, and (4) discipline and work rules. Supervisory Management 1 is an excellent introductory course for new managers facing the challenges of leading a work group.
September 29 - December 16, 2009 Madison	Entrepreneurial Training Program Entrepreneurial Training Program This is a comprehensive combination of courses, individual coaching and business plan development that is designed to help entrepreneurs develop business skills and attract financing. This program is available for start-up ventures or business expansion.    The Wisconsin Department of Commerce  is supporting this series through an Entrepreneurial Training Grant program. To take advantage of the Commerce grant reimbursement, participants must apply through the SBDC prior to starting the coursework.  Applications must be completed at least two weeks prior to the first class session.
September 30, 2009 Madison	Creating a Smart "Web Business Plan" Creating a Smart “Web Business Plan” Session 1 of the Internet Business Series   The single critical factor to a successful Website is solid planning.  This session gets at the roots of how to effectively integrate the Web into the way you do business.  You will find out how to determine what the best Web approach is for your business, how to develop the key components of a Website plan including strategies, objectives, and target audiences –essentially a “Web business plan.”  You will leave this session with a good understanding of the components of a Website plan that is strategically sound.
September 30 - October 28, 2009 Madison	Web Strategy & Marketing Series Understand how the internet can improve your business by taking the series which the sessions below and save 10%. Sessions include: -Creating a Smart “Web Business Plan" -Building an Effective Web Presence -Best Tactics for Promoting Your Website -Web copywriting, branding & persuasion -Search engine marketing & optimization
September 30, 2009 Madison	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
September 30, 2009 Madison	START SMART ORIENTATION Start Smart Orientation* This class will give a brief preview of our business planning class entitiled Start Smart. All Start Smart participants are required to attend an orientation session. We will outline the course format, fees, materials, and review participant expectations.
September 30, 2009 Milwaukee	TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE   Finding & keeping quality customers is key to any growing business.  However, being simply “good” isn’t enough anymore with today’s educated customers.  This interactive workshop will offer creative and cost-effective ways for you to increase your sales,
October 1-2, 2009 Wisconsin Dells	Ideas to Profits Conference The Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) organizes an annual conference targeted to innovative manufacturers, technology entrepreneurs, and independent inventors. The event features experts speaking on IP licensing, innovation,global business entry, government funding, search engine optimization, Wisconsin Angel Network, contract engineering, rapid prototyping, social networks, marketing/public relations, how to launch new product/idea, and many more related topics. Inventors of all ages are invited to enter the 2009 Juried Inventors’ Showcase and Competition. For more information visit the WISC website at http://wisc.uww.edu/ideas-conference.html.
October 1, 2009 Madison	Employment: Hiring and Firing Employment: Hiring and Firing Session #2     of the HR Legal Series       Learn how to use employment references to your advantage. Avoid the pain and potential liability of terminating employees by learning how to evaluate risks, prepare proper documentation, plan termination meetings and conduct exit interviews. Also, review some common mistakes made in managing human resources that may cause problems and legal exposure.
October 1-15, 2009 Madison	Human Resource Legal Series HUMAN RESOURCE LEGAL SERIES You may attend individual sessions but many participants benefit most from attending the entire series.  Register for the entire series and save 10% over the cost of individual sessions. Sessions include: Employment: hiring and firing Writing your employee handbook Top 10 most common HR mistakes and hot topics
October 1, 2009 La Crosse	QuickBooks Essentials  In this program you will learn QuickBooks™ basic features.  Topics include: entering transactions, producing invoices and checks, setting up vendors, customers, jobs and items, reconciling bank and credit card statements, and producing financial statements. This program is best suited for people who want to start using QuickBooks™ 2009 or have recently started using QuickBooks™ 2009. This program is a hands-on workshop in a computer classroom. Required abilities:  Basic computer and keyboarding skills including using Microsoft Windows™.
October 6, 2009 Madison	Organizational Techniques to Increase Productivity Where do I start when my computers (and desk) are a mess? how to get a handle on organizing my files (hard copy and computer files) how will this help me in my job (example of looking for files that are needed to use to create project plan from one that was done a year ago –use person’s names as file folder names in example) creating a functional file system  naming conventions to use  rules of thumb to keep in mind for how long to keep files  backing up files  maintaining files  how can this be used company-wide Hands on section using Windows Explorer:
October 6-7, 2009 Green Bay	Supervisory Leadership I Supervisory Leadership I offers guidance for aspiring or new leaders and pragmatic recommendations for leaders who seek to develop strong teams and drive outstanding results.  Explore different leadership styles and discover your own unique style.  Understand the transition into leadership and how your role and responsibilities are defined.
October 6-7, 2009 La Crosse	How to Influence-Positive Political Skills on the Job Chances are that if you are not actively working at influencing those around you in a positive way you may be generating a negative perception – even if unintentionally. Knowing how to stay visible, while skillfully and positively navigating the landscape of organizational politics is essential to your success. Those who know and practice the fundamentals of influencing without direct authority will always be in a better position to excel. You do not always need formal position power to make a significant impact on those key people with whom you work. It is not always the brightest or most talented who rise to the top. Rather, it is those who know how to inspire, influence, and impact others in a positive way.
October 6, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
October 6, 2009 Milwaukee	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a whide range of business topics ssuch as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
October 6-29, 2009 Madison	Small Business Fundamentals Starting a business? Success in small business depends on hard work, good fortune, and business knowledge. Attend this eight-session course to develop your management skills. Experts in law, accounting, banking, insurance, management, and marketing cover the fundamentals of small business management. Gain knowledge about growth stages and problems, marketing, promotion and advertising, legal issues and requirements, record-keeping, accounting and financial management, financing, insurance and risk management, and business plans.
October 7 - January 7, 2009 La Crosse	UW-La Crosse Project Management Certificate Program The UW-La Crosse Project Management Certificate Program is an innovative and collaborative education opportunity that provides participants with a targeted and unique learning opportunity. Each participant’s program is custom designed to fill the individual skill gaps and designed to work for their planned future career needs. Participants are required to complete 56 hours of learning activities to earn their certificate. Participants will work individually with the instructor to select learning activities in-line with their goals and learning style.
October 7 - December 9, 2009 Madison	START SMART Start Smart (Business Planning Series)* This series provides in-depth learning for starting and running a small business. Participants can complete a draft business plan through weekly worksheets and exercises. Extensive information will be provided on business financing and ownership, market research, marketing strategies, record keeping, cash flow, business operations and management. Weekly guest speakers will include business professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Participants will tour a business library to begin their research. We also offer a hands-on writing lab in our Computer Resource Center to increase your business-planning success. *Orientation session is required for all Start Smart participants.
October 7, 2009 Madison	QuickBooks Getting Started QUICKBOOKS™ ACCOUNTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS Accounting has never been easier for small business. Using the power of your computer and QuickBooks™ software, you can efficiently manage all your financial data and produce reports to help you make good business decisions. In this seminar, you will learn how to apply the software to your business accounting. QuickBooks™ Essentials This program will explain and review basic accounting principles and show you how the software incorporates accounting language and principles.  A basic knowledge of this material is necessary for you to setup and use QuickBooks™ 2009effectively.
October 7, 2009 Madison	Building an Effective Web Presence Building an Effective Web Presence Session 2 of the Internet Business Series      You don’t necessarily need a big budget to create an effective Website for your business.  We will look at cost-effective ways to build a highly successful Web site that magnetizes your customers and is easy to maintain over time.
October 7, 2009 Milwaukee	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
October 7, 2009 Kenosha	QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED QuickBooks™ Advanced Learn how QuickBooks takes all of your company’s information to create reports and maintain your business’ vital information. This workshop is meant to be one step above the QuickBooks 101 workshop. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
October 7-28, 2009 Madison	Commercialization Is it Feasible? If you want to learn how to move your technology or research from the lab to the world of business, this program is the place to start.  Whether you're an inventor in a lab, a researcher at an institution, a product team developing a new idea, or an entrepreneur in your basement, developing clear and compelling answers to these questions is what transforms a good idea into an idea with great potential for commercial­ization. And, it's the ideas with great potential that get business backers saying, "YES."
October 7 - December 16, 2009 Green Bay	Entrepreneurial Training Program Ten efficient sessions designed to help existing business owners and new entrepreneurs develop a comprehensive business plan that results in a thriving, profitable business.
October 7, 2009 Madison	STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS Thinking about starting a business? If you're just exploring attend this session to learn the personal considerations to starting yourown business, where to find an idea, how to conduct market research, and how to judge if the idea is financially feasible. Plus take home a packet of great resources on licensing regulations, and local organizations that provide classes, financing and business assistance.
October 8, 2009 Madison	Writing your Employee Handbook Writing your employee handbook Session #1 of HR Legal Series. Effective personnel policies lead to the consistent treatment of employees, reduce discrimination, and enhance productivity and morale. Personnel issues are becoming more complex each year; avoid common pitfalls and learn how to understand the legal status of employee handbooks, write your handbook, perform a policy analysis for your business, and review your handbook and introduce it to your employees.
October 8, 2009 Madison	Essentials of Leadership & Coaching Essentials of Leadership and Coaching Session #1 of Supervisory/Leadership Series    This module provides insight into aspects of effective leadership, the roles and responsibilities of a successful leader, the strategies needed for dealing with a change in roles and different supervisory styles. Performance coaching is a necessary element in fostering this advantage.
October 8-9, 2009 Eau Claire	Maximizing Performance As a manager, you may have difficulty keeping up with what employees need to do, much less figure out what to tell them to do. Managers can't command an employee's best work - we have to create an environment that fosters our employees desire to do their best work. Are you really rewarding your employees to do the things that you want them to do? Are you spending too much time on your problem employees and not enough on recognizing good performance? Are you inadvertently rewarding A while hoping for B?
October 8-22, 2009 Madison	Supervisory/Leadership Series Supervisory Leadership Series Supervision is a key factor to the success of any business that has employees. Often, people have not learned how to supervise and lead in an effective manner because they just learned from experience versus having training and skill development in supervision. This series is designed to offer core supervisory leadership skills development with a minimum time commitment.You may choose individual programs, but participants benefit most from taking the entire series and save 10% over the cost of individual sessions.
October 10, 2009 Milwaukee	DESIGNING WEBSITES AND ONLINE STRATEGIES FOR YOUR BUSINESS Explore the issues related to designing websites for your small business and discuss business strategies behind the use of websites.  Refreshments provided.
October 12-14, 2009 Madison	QuickBooks Essentials QUICKBOOKS™ ACCOUNTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS Accounting has never been easier for small business. Using the power of your computer and QuickBooks™ software, you can efficiently manage all your financial data and produce reports to help you make good business decisions. In this seminar, you will learn how to apply the software to your business accounting. QuickBooks™ Essentials This program will explain and review basic accounting principles and show you how the software incorporates accounting language and principles.  A basic knowledge of this material is necessary for you to setup and use QuickBooks™ 2009 effectively.
October 13, 2009 Madison	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
October 13, 2009 Eau Claire	7 Steps to Starting a Business This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
October 14, 2009 Madison	Best Tactics for Promoting Your Website Best Tactics for Promoting Your Website Session #3 of the Internet Business Series. Getting people to a site is half the battle.  This session will focus on promoting your site in the online world with direct e-mail, paid listings, and search engine and directory placements.  You will learn about selecting which directories and search engines to target and how to get listed in the right way.  Measuring site traffic and determining success measures are discussed.
October 14, 2009 Kenosha	TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE   Finding & keeping quality customers is key to any growing business.  However, being simply “good” isn’t enough anymore with today’s educated customers.  This interactive workshop will offer creative and cost-effective ways for you to increase your sales,
October 15, 2009 Madison	Top 10 Most Common HR Mistakes Top 10 most common HR mistakes and hot topics Session #3 of HR Legal Series    Learn about the most common legal mistakes that are made regarding human resource management.
October 15, 2009 Green Bay	Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers This program will teach proven techniques to help you confidently interpret financial data and answer relevant questions about your area of responsibility.  Beyond that, you will learn the advantages and disadvantages of different types of financial data and analysis tools, so you will know the right kinds of questions to ask to accomplish your goals.
October 15, 2009 Madison	Communication & Delegation Skills Communication and Delegation Skills Session #2 of the Supervisory/Leadership Series Whether you are communicating with your employees, customers, or suppliers your ability to express yourself well and understand is a major factor of your success. You will get feedback on your behavioral and communication style using the DiSC Personal Profile System and use this self-awareness to strengthen your business relationships.
October 15-16, 2009 Eau Claire	Supervisory Management 2 The second seminar in the overview concentrates on four critical concerns for managers:    Establishing Orientation Policies and Procedures Building upon what the new employee brings to the job How to effectively socialize/orient new employees for loyalty, commitment and long-term productivity Understanding Your Communication Style The role and purpose of communication in the organization Tools of effective communication—perception, listening, feedback   Time Management   Clarifying time management and analyzing time use   Systems for managing your work and your time Empowering Your People Delegation issues and learning processes Guidelines for making effective work assignments This seminar builds on the leadership skills learned in the first seminar.
October 15, 2009 Madison	BUSINESS LOAN INVESTIGATION LUNCH Have you ever wondered what to expect when applying for a business loan?  Meet a loan officer and find out the answers to your questions over an informal lunch.  Find out what loan officers and financial institutions are looking for in a good business plan.  Gain a better understanding for what your strengths and weaknesses are so you can prepare yourself to apply for a loan.  Bring your own lunch and your questions!
October 16, 2009 Racine	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
October 17, 2009 Madison	¿Piensa Comenzar Su Propio Negocio? (Thinking About Starting a Business?)   ¿Piensa Comenzar Su Propio Negocio? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) ¿Alguna vez ha pensado en ser dueño de su propio negocio, pero no sabía como empezar? Ud. aprenderá como evaluar sus habilidades y determinar si está preparado para ser propietario de un negocio. Estas clases serán dadas en español. (This class will be taught in Spanish.)
October 19, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: BANKING 101 How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
October 20, 2009 Madison	Covey's FOCUS Time Management 1 Day Time Management Workshop This is an exciting new program in collaboration with the Small Business Development Centers across the U.S., FranklinCovey.  This one-day seminar is well established as one of the most powerful management development programs in business today and is now available at a special reduced price for small businesses
October 20, 2009 Green Bay	Marketing Basics for Business Learn the basics of selecting target markets, analyzing competitors, building promotion strategies and evaluating results to stay on the right path.
October 20, 2009 Wautoma	Writing a Winning Business Plan This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of writing a plan to start, grow or expand a business, including how to research industry trends, market opportunities, and existing competition. There will also be a discussion of successful marketing, financial and managment plans.
October 21, 2009 Madison	QuickBooks Beyond the Essentials QUICKBOOKS™ ACCOUNTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS To get the most out of an accounting software package, you need to customize it for your business.  In this half day hands-on session you will learn how to customize QuickBooks™ 2009 forms and reports to fit your unique business. You will also learn how to enter estimates and produce progress invoices and track time and materials.
October 21, 2009 Madison	Webcopywriting, Branding,Persuasion Writing promotional and informational copy for the web can be a challenge.  In this session you will learn the best way to use your web site to communicate your message and to stimulate action from customers.  You will see what works and what doesn’t when writing for the web.  Discuss how to use the web to promote your brand and to persuade visitors to act.
October 21, 2009 Milwaukee	BUDGETING FOR A SINGLE FAMILY INCOME Raising a family with a single income can be difficult.  Learn from this workshop about different spending and savings strategies which can be used to help you and your family stretch your dollar.
October 22, 2009 Madison	Managing Conflict Managing Conflict Session #3 of the Supervisory/Leadership Series Conflict management is characterized by a number of strategies including problem-solving, compromising, and forcing one’s position.
October 22, 2009 Fond du Lac	Writing a Winning Business Plan This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of writing a plan to start, grow or expand a business, including how to research industry trends, market opportunities, and existing competition. There will also be a discussion of successful marketing, financial and managment plans.
October 22, 2009 Madison	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
October 24, 2009 Milwaukee	QUICKBOOKS 101 QuickBooks™ 101 Do you need QuickBooks to computerize your bookkeeping? Learn how to best utilize this software to track your accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, sales and use tax, and other features in this basic introduction course. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
October 24, 2009 Green Bay	First Steps to Starting Your Business In a small group setting, you will review the basics of going into business and identify your next steps. This 2 1/2 hour session allows time for questions and answers.
October 24, 2009 Milwaukee	QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED QuickBooks™ Advanced Learn how QuickBooks takes all of your company’s information to create reports and maintain your business’ vital information. This workshop is meant to be one step above the QuickBooks 101 workshop. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
October 26, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: BUDGETING How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
October 26, 2009 Madison	CERTIFICATION FOR WOMEN & MINORITY BUSINESSES Should Your Business Be Certified?  We will discuss benefits of local, state and federal certification programs for your small business. Learn how certification can lead to new customers and more business for you. .
October 27, 2009 La Crosse	Efficient & Effective Search Engine Optimization for Business Owners  Optimizing your Web site’s content will improve your search engine rankings when someone searches on keywords relating to your business. This workshop is ideal for small business owners and managers who want to learn an efficient and effective process for dramatically improving their site’s rankings and doubling monthly unique visitors.   A business owner does not need to know technical skills, like Web programming, to be successful at search engine optimization (SEO). Instead, business owners will rely on their marketing skill and the ability to think like their customers and prospects, versus an ability to write HTML or other form of Web programming. This workshop will teach you how to select keywords that are proven performers, blend the keywords into site content, boost site popularity, and more. More specifically, attendees will learn basic SEO terms, how to use several free SEO tools when selecting the best keywords, how to implement a practical and tactical 15-step process for optimizing site content and building popularity, and how to measure results.  The instructor is Stephen Woessner, author of The Small Business Owner Handbook to Search Engine Optimization: Increase Your Google Rankings, Double Your Site Traffic…In Just 15 Steps. Guaranteed! Each attendee will receive a complimentary copy of the book.
October 27, 2009 Oshkosh	Writing a Winning Business Plan This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of writing a plan to start, grow or expand a business, including how to research industry trends, market opportunities, and existing competition. There will also be a discussion of successful marketing, financial and managment plans.
October 28, 2009 Eau Claire	Building Your Brand Discussion Topics Learning from best practices Power lines, slogans, taglines, mottos and jingles Identifying the “power” in power lines Seven revelations about power lines   Assessing your brand How branding evolved Economic benefits of a strong brand Signs your brand needs an update Feedback on your brand assessment   Building brand equity Assets and liabilities associated with a brand Managing brand loyalty Key components of brand equity Building your personal brand, as well as a business brand   Assembling your branding team Enlisting professional assistance Criteria for excellence   Free consulting bonus! Chuck Tomkovick will offer 60 minutes of individual business marketing consulting to each workshop participant! Presenter is Dr. Chuck Tomkovick Fee $189 per person Includes instruction, materials, refreshments, lunch and CEUs. Transfers / Cancellations: To receive a full refund, you must cancel no later than five (5) business days prior to the start of the program. Cancellations after this time will receive a refund less a $25 administrative fee. Please note, if you "no show" or cancel the day of the program, you are responsible for the full program fee. Substitutes are welcome and may register in your absence. Just call the Continuing Education office (715-836- 3636/toll-free 866-893-2423) and we'll take care of everything. Walk-ins are welcome - please call 24 hours ahead to ensure space availability. Participants will receive CEU hours of instruction for this program from UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education in cooperation with UW-Extension. CEUs are defined as 10 hours of instruction to equal 1.0 unit. Participants will receive 0 .7 CEUs for this program from UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education in cooperation with UW-Extension.
October 28, 2009 Madison	Basics of Financial Management Basics of financial management Session 1 of the Financial Management Series Learn accounting jargon, bookkeeping basics, the three types of financial statements, and how your management decisions affect your firm’s financial future.
October 28, 2009 Madison	Search Engine Marketing & Optimization Optimizing your Web site’s content will improve your search engine rankings when someone searches on keywords relating to your business. These search results are called “organic results” and appear on the left-side of the screen in Google. The sites listed in Google’s organic results did not pay to be ranked #1, #2, #3, etc. The sites are simply using optimized content. This workshop is ideal for small business owners and managers who want to learn an efficient and effective process for dramatically improving their site’s rankings and doubling monthly unique visitors
October 28-29, 2009 Green Bay	Effective Communication Learn how to listen effectively to gain a better understanding in your daily communication.  Learn skills to develop a long-term action plan for improved interpersonal skills.
October 28-29, 2009 La Crosse	Supervisory Management Two Leadership development continues in four key areas (1) orienting people to your work unit, (2) understanding your communication behaviors, (3) managing time, and (4) using delegation as a development tool.  We build on the leadership skills learned in the first seminar and focus on maintaining a productive work group.
October 28 - November 18, 2009 Madison	Financial Management Series FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERIES You may attend individual sessions but many participants benefit most from attending the entire series.  Register for the entire series and save 10% over the cost of individual sessions. Sessions include: Basics of Financial Management Using Finanacial Statements Budgeting and Profit Planning Managing Cash Flow
October 28, 2009 Sheboygan	Writing a Winning Business Plan This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of writing a plan to start, grow or expand a business, including how to research industry trends, market opportunities, and existing competition. There will also be a discussion of successful marketing, financial and managment plans.
October 28, 2009 Madison	START SMART ORIENTATION Start Smart Orientation* This class will give a brief preview of our business planning class entitiled Start Smart. All Start Smart participants are required to attend an orientation session. We will outline the course format, fees, materials, and review participant expectations.
October 29 - December 10, 2009 Madison	MAKE YOUR MONEY TALK This 6-session series is designed as a guide to personal money management, covering such topics as creating a personal budget, developing a savings plan that works for you, and dealing with past and future credit. All individuals who complete the full series will receive a $50 savings bond to kick off or add to your savings plan!
October 29, 2009 Milwaukee	SETTING YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR The New Year is approaching and people all around are setting their New Years resolutions. Goals are a big part in building wealth. Use this workshop to set spending and saving goals to build a customized plan which will help keep more of what you make.
October 29, 2009 Milwaukee	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
October 29, 2009 Kaukauna	Writing a Winning Business Plan This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of writing a plan to start, grow or expand a business, including how to research industry trends, market opportunities, and existing competition. There will also be a discussion of successful marketing, financial and managment plans.
November 2, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: CHECKING IT OUT How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
November 3, 2009 La Crosse	Basics of Selling on eBay This course is taught by a certified eBay instructor. Participants will learn the basics of selling on eBay, including the following topics: safety, creating an account, creating titles and descriptions, determining pricing, shipping, returns, photography, PayPal, collecting payments, selling strategies, following up after the sale, and general eBay navigation. Optional: a copy of The Basics of Selling on eBay can be purchased for $20 when you arrive in the classroom.
November 3, 2009 Green Bay	Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days Distilled from the best-selling "marketing" book series in history (with more than 14 million copies sold worldwide in 39 languages), Guerrilla Marketing In 30 Days encourages busy business professionals and CEO's to hurdle the excuses of time, money, or motivation, and take dynamic strides toward new client acquisition and increased sales by following a successful and proven blueprint.
November 3 - December 3, 2009 Madison	Having Difficult Conversations Having Difficult Conversations Having Difficult Conversations: Models, Tools, and Techniques for Talking with Others When Emotions Run Wild and the Stakes are High Sooner or later we need to have a conversation with someone that we will find difficult and challenging. If just thinking about this conversation gets your heart racing, this workshop is for you. During this highly interactive session, you will learn insights and tools for approaching this challenging conversation with confidence and composure. When emotions run high and there is a lot on the line, you want to be able guide this conversation toward a productive end. Attend this seminar to learn powerful tips for turning these challenging conversations into satisfying ones.
November 3, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
November 3, 2009 Milwaukee	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a whide range of business topics ssuch as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
November 3, 2009 Racine	CERTIFICATION FOR WOMEN & MINORITY BUSINESSES Should Your Business Be Certified?  We will discuss benefits of local, state and federal certification programs for your small business. Learn how certification can lead to new customers and more business for you. .
November 4, 2009 Madison	Using Financial Statements Using financial statements Session 2 of the Financial Management Series Use your financial statements to take advantage of opportunities, improve business performance and discover problem areas.
November 4-5, 2009 La Crosse	People Driven Efficiency This practical and tactical course begins by providing participants with an introduction to process improvement, such as lean design and Six Sigma. The discussion will then shift toward identifying how organizations utilize process improvement to increase employee and customer satisfaction, decrease cost, and increase profit. The course will also focus on identifying how the people within an organization play a vital role in the success of any process improvement including how managing people-driven efficiencies requires tact and skill.  Any process involving people always has emotion and subjectivity, which call for something much more than a book, calculator, and flip charts. Process problems can not be solved without effective employees. Employees must feel that they are valuable and that their contribution is appreciated. An organization cannot effectively improve processes without the buy-in, input, and involvement of those closest to the process. The question is what can be done to increase the likelihood that process improvement efforts are achieved and sustained?
November 4 - December 16, 2009 Madison	Developing Your Business Plan A written business plan helps you control your business rather than letting it control you. Attend this workshop to learn the business planning process and start writing your plan. Discover how to target your market, analyze competitors, and examine your strengths and weaknesses. Learn how to set goals and develop financial projections. At the end of the five sessions, you should have a first draft of your plan. Includes a comprehensive business planning text valued at $20!
November 4, 2009 Madison	STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS Thinking about starting a business? If you're just exploring attend this session to learn the personal considerations to starting yourown business, where to find an idea, how to conduct market research, and how to judge if the idea is financially feasible. Plus take home a packet of great resources on licensing regulations, and local organizations that provide classes, financing and business assistance.
November 5 - October 6, 2009 Eau Claire	Improving Team Communication Description We often find ourselves in situations where productivity requires the cooperation of others, but where we have no formal authority. Providing critical feedback, contributing to creative discussions, or determining task assignments can be challenging when the other team members are our peers. Project groups, task forces, volunteer committees –all require team members to communicate constructively to fulfill the team’s mission. Assess the effectiveness of your “influencing style” Discuss techniques for negotiating while building and maintaining strong relationships Identify blocks which prevent giving feedback Learn to give constructive, behaviorally based feedback Use techniques to promote openness and reduce defensiveness Handle negative input with more comfort Identify ways to manage “emotional traps” in difficult conversations Regardless of your role on the team, improving your communication skills can make a positive impact on the group’s performance. Discover how constructive use of persuasion skills can boost team problem solving. Identify “moments of opportunity” that improve your chances to influence the group’s creativity or decisions. And learn how to manage your response to others to avoid falling into emotional traps that sabotage effectiveness.
November 5 - October 19, 2009 Madison	High Performance Leadership Series Leaders at all levels are continuously learning and growing whether through on-the-job experiences or planned learning opportunities. If you are looking for a way to enhance your skills to help you succeed in the challenging role of the leader in your organization then check out our High Performance Leadership Series. This three program series will help you sharpen the tough skills of influencing and motivating people to perform, grow and thrive during the ever present change we all live with. You may choose individual programs, but participants benefit most from taking the entire series and save
November 5, 2009 Madison	Project Management Essentials Project Management Essentials for Small Business. This session takes the mystery out of how to organize and plan projects, meet deadlines, and keep the budget under control. You’ll benefit by saving time and money through improved plans, schedules, and communications.
November 5, 2009 Madison	Negotiation Skills for Leaders Session #1 of the High Performance Leadership Series Develop skills to create win-win outcomes in both business and personal situations. In today’s world, you are confronted with many competing priorities, resources and values. To lead or supervise people effectively, it is necessary to skillfully handle disputes and conflicts to achieve the best outcomes with the least damage to relationships.
November 5, 2009 La Crosse	Planning Basics for Business Writing a business plan is more than a document, it is a planning process that will help your business be more successful! This three-hour class gives an introduction to what goes into a business plan, what resources are available, and how to get started. The class includes worksheets and exercises, a discussion of software programs and a look at sample plans.
November 5, 2009 Milwaukee	FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERNET MARKETING Learn the keys to building a successful web marketing strategy.  We'll discuss the primary ways that businesses generate qualified website visits, focusing on serch engine marketing.  Also, we will review ways to improve you website to convert more of your web visits into leads and sales.  Whether you already have an online strategy or if you are just getting started, you will leave with actionable information to grow your business.
November 9, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: TO YOUR CREDIT How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
November 9, 2009 Madison	STRETCHING YOUR HOLIDAY BUDGET FOR 2010 Learn different ways of saving and budgeting this holiday season to make the holidays fun without breaking your bank.  Set your budget for 2010 and know you are starting the New Year off on the right foot.  Please come with an idea of your monthly major expenses to get the most out of this class.
November 10, 2009 Madison	Intro to Microsoft Project  You know the basic project management tools but you want to find an efficient way to develop task lists, Gantt charts, timelines and resource allocation.  This introductory-basic level workshop will introduce you to the Microsoft Project software so you can plan projects much more efficiently and professionally. The outputs from Project can also be used as effective communication tools for a project team, management and customers.
November 10-11, 2009 Green Bay	Supervisory Leadership II By learning to build a workplace that is inspired, leaders have the opportunity to create a culture of growth and increase the competitive advantage of employee innovation and production.
November 10, 2009 Milwaukee	WI SAVES: BUILD WEALTH NOT DEBT What vehicles are available to save money?  Am I an aggressive investor?  These questions and more will be answered when you attend the Wisconsin Saves workshop.  We will help you determine how and where to start saving your money whether it be for educational costs, retirement, emergency savings or a special occasion.
November 10, 2009 Wautoma	Bring a New Product to Market This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of bringing new p[roduct ideas to marketing, including how to protect intellectual property rights. There will also be a discussion how to license new product ideas, and ways to raise investor and grant financing for research & development.
November 11, 2009 La Crosse	Create, Manage, and Measure Effective Google AdWords Campaigns Ideal for small business owners and managers who want to learn the basics of search engine marketing (often referred to as pay-per-click or PPC advertising). With PPC, business owners and managers can selectively promote their products and services exclusively to very specific audiences. PPC clients can even define a geographic region: local, national, international, or a small section of these, as well as eliminate tire kicker prospects by using “negative keywords”.  PPC campaigns are powerful because they deliver targeted messages to Internet searchers and a business owner only pays when someone clicks on the ad. Within the PPC industry, Google’s AdWords platform is the leader and delivers measurable results for clients.  This is a practical and tactical workshop that provides attendees with the knowledge they need to be able to create and manage their own Google AdWords campaigns. More specifically, participants will learn basic pay-per-click terminology, how to create a Google AdWords account step-by-step, how to create a Google AdWords campaign step-by-step, and how to use measure return on investment while refining future campaigns.
November 11, 2009 Madison	Budgeting and Profit Planning Budgeting and profit planning Session #3 of the Financial Management Series Learn the steps in the budgeting process.
November 11, 2009 Wauwatosa	PRICING FOR PROFIT Using worksheets provided during this workshop, practice several easy-to-use methods that can help you set prices for profitable levels.  Learn techniques for introducing these new pricing levels to your customers while identifying ways to reduce you own costs to remain competitive.
November 12 - October 12, 2009 Madison	Leader: Coach or Critic Today’s competitive environment demands that you help the people working with you to perform at their highest level.  You must support your stars in growing, and help employees to learn new tasks, adapt to change and develop their abilities for today and the future.  You will improve your power as a coach, helping your people to grow and adapt to today’s dynamic business demands. Proven principles of emotional intelligence, motivation; change and communication will hone your coaching and mentoring abilities. Through better coaching, you’ll enhance your retention, maximize productivity and create a nimble, learning organization.
November 12-13, 2009 Eau Claire	Supervisory Management 3 Communicating clear, specific expectations to your people is critical to operational effectiveness. This third seminar pulls key concepts from the first two seminars and focuses on how to provide meaningful feedback. We discuss:   Managing the Performance Appraisal Process What is performance appraisal? Sources of performance data available Preparing for and Conducting Performance Appraisal Meetings Communicating clear, specific expectations Importance of Ensuring Rater Accuracy Critical Skills in the Coaching Process How coaching differs from supervising Giving feedback constructively Conducting Coaching Conversations Mastering coaching techniques
November 12-19, 2009 Green Bay	7 Habits for Small Business Managers The 7 Habits for Small Business Managers program is on two consecutive Thursdays.  It follows a reinforced learning process that includes:   *A rich, comprehensive participant guidebook   *A Management Essentials book with insights on the role of the manager   *An audio CD with Stephen R. Covey explaining how the 7 Habits apply to managers   *Paper and electronic versions of the tools introduced in the workshop The 7 Habits for Managers workshop is a powerful application of the 7 Habits to the role of the manager.  Learn to write a new story with this powerful workshop from FranklinCovey, the recognized leader in developing effective leaders, effective employees, and effective organizations.
November 12, 2009 La Crosse	Financial Basics for Business Financial statements can help you make key decisions for your business. This three-hour workshop provides an introduction to three basic financial statements used by business owners: income statement, cash flow statement, and the balance sheet.  Not only will you learn how to read these financial statements, but you will also learn how to use them for better management control.
November 12, 2009 Fond du Lac	Bring a New Product to Market This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of bringing new p[roduct ideas to marketing, including how to protect intellectual property rights. There will also be a discussion how to license new product ideas, and ways to raise investor and grant financing for research & development.
November 12, 2009 West Allis	MARKETING IN A TOUGH ECONOMY  This hands-on workshop explores a wide range of marketing strategies and tips used to get the word out about your business, attract and retain new customers, operate in a competitive marketplace, and fuel business growth. Topics include: low-cost promotion ideas, the three steps of a cost-effective marketing plan, and how to obtain free publicity.
November 12, 2009 Lake Geneva	MARKETING IN A TOUGH ECONOMY  This hands-on workshop explores a wide range of marketing strategies and tips used to get the word out about your business, attract and retain new customers, operate in a competitive marketplace, and fuel business growth. Topics include: low-cost promotion ideas, the three steps of a cost-effective marketing plan, and how to obtain free publicity.
November 14, 2009 Kenosha	QUICKBOOKS 101 QuickBooks™ 101 Do you need QuickBooks to computerize your bookkeeping? Learn how to best utilize this software to track your accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, sales and use tax, and other features in this basic introduction course. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
November 14, 2009 Madison	QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED QuickBooks™ Advanced Learn how QuickBooks takes all of your company’s information to create reports and maintain your business’ vital information. This workshop is meant to be one step above the QuickBooks 101 workshop. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
November 14, 2009 Kenosha	QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED QuickBooks™ Advanced Learn how QuickBooks takes all of your company’s information to create reports and maintain your business’ vital information. This workshop is meant to be one step above the QuickBooks 101 workshop. Hands-on opportunity to work with the QuickBooks program; limited space available and pre-payment required.
November 16, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: CONSUMER LOANS How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
November 16, 2009 Burlington	MARKETING IN A TOUGH ECONOMY  This hands-on workshop explores a wide range of marketing strategies and tips used to get the word out about your business, attract and retain new customers, operate in a competitive marketplace, and fuel business growth. Topics include: low-cost promotion ideas, the three steps of a cost-effective marketing plan, and how to obtain free publicity.
November 16, 2009 Madison	The First Step Thinking about going into business? Spend one evening getting a clear picture of what it's really like to run a small business. Assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a business owner. Learn how to analyze the potential for your business. Discover what information you need and where to find it.  This program is designed for people who have not yet started a business.
November 17, 2009 La Crosse	The First Steps to Starting Your Business The Small Business Development Center offers a class for new business owners. In a small group setting, you will review the basics of going into business and identify your next steps.  Instruction time is three hours, including time for questions and answers.
November 17, 2009 Madison	BUSINESS FINANCING SEMINAR  Learn about a variety of financing options and the steps necessary to apply for a loan. Participants will meet representatives from several traditional and alternative financing agencies to learn which program will best suit their business financing needs.
November 17, 2009 Oshkosh	Bring a New Product to Market This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of bringing new p[roduct ideas to marketing, including how to protect intellectual property rights. There will also be a discussion how to license new product ideas, and ways to raise investor and grant financing for research & development.
November 17, 2009 Eau Claire	7 Steps to Starting A Business This training session teaches participants how to start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan. Topics covered include feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure and more.
November 18, 2009 Madison	Managing Cash Flow Managing cash flow Session #4 of the Financial Management Series Forecast and manage cash inflows and outflows to ensure available cash when needed.
November 18, 2009 Eau Claire	Getting BIG Results with Small Ad Budgets This intensive, hands-on training session will enhance your advertising effectiveness. You will learn: How to stretch your ad budget The latest promotional techniques How to communicate with your customers What's hot (and what's not) in advertising today Objectives Getting the Big Picture Selecting your target market Defining promotion objectives Settingpromotion budgets  Developing media plans Using creative strategies  Evaluating results -- was it worth it? Presenter is Dr. Chuck Tomkovick Fee $189 per person Includes instruction, materials, refreshments, lunch and CEUs. Transfers / Cancellations: To receive a full refund, you must cancel no later than five (5) business days prior to the start of the program. Cancellations after this time will receive a refund less a $25 administrative fee. Please note, if you "no show" or cancel the day of the program, you are responsible for the full program fee. Substitutes are welcome and may register in your absence. Just call the Continuing Education office (715-836- 3636/toll-free 866-893-2423) and we'll take care of everything. Walk-ins are welcome - please call 24 hours ahead to ensure space availability. Participants will receive CEU hours of instruction for this program from UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education in cooperation with UW-Extension. CEUs are defined as 10 hours of instruction to equal 1.0 unit. Participants will receive 0 .7 CEUs for this program from UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education in cooperation with UW-Extension. Free consulting bonus! Chuck Tomkovick will offer 60 minutes of individual business marketing consulting to each workshop participant!
November 18-19, 2009 La Crosse	Fundamentals of Project Management During this interactive project management training workshop, participants learn about the benefits of project management, the project management life cycle, and the nine project management knowledge areas. The workshop provides participants with practical hands-on experience and real world examples that they can apply immediately in their projects. We focus on the following learning objectives and competencies: §   Explore the project manager's role and responsibilities §   Establish a common language and understanding of basic project management terms and concepts. §   Explore the project management life cycle to be able to understand the work of the project manager in relation to the project phase. §   Explore the nine Knowledge Areas of Project Management and the processes in each. This workshop establishes a basic knowledge and understanding of the following project management tools and techniques and how and when to use them: §   Project charter §   Project scope statement §   Work breakdown structure §   Responsibility assignment matrix §   Network diagrams and critical path calculations §   Scheduling §   Earned value techniques §   Lessons learned repositories §   Risk identification, quantification, and mitigation tracking This workshop qualifies as an elective in the UW-La Crosse Supervisory Management Certificate Program. Participants do not have to pursue their certificate in order to attend this workshop.
November 18, 2009 West Allis	BUSINESS FINANCING SEMINAR  Learn about a variety of financing options and the steps necessary to apply for a loan. Participants will meet representatives from several traditional and alternative financing agencies to learn which program will best suit their business financing needs.
November 18, 2009 Sheboygan	Bring a New Product to Market This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of bringing new p[roduct ideas to marketing, including how to protect intellectual property rights. There will also be a discussion how to license new product ideas, and ways to raise investor and grant financing for research & development.
November 19, 2009 Madison	Leading for Performance and Accountability At the end of the day, what matters most to your company’s bottom line is whether or not every member of your team contributed to your company’s success. Whether this contribution comes in the form of exceeding customer expectations, meeting a challenging performance goal, or solving quality or productivity problems, sustaining your company’s performance and profitability requires that your employees do the right things. This new SBDC program presents a model for managing employee performance and provides you specific tools you can use for setting performance goals, maintaining communication, managing performance, conducting the performance review, and developing performance improvement plans.
November 19, 2009 Madison	BUSINESS LOAN INVESTIGATION LUNCH Have you ever wondered what to expect when applying for a business loan?  Meet a loan officer and find out the answers to your questions over an informal lunch.  Find out what loan officers and financial institutions are looking for in a good business plan.  Gain a better understanding for what your strengths and weaknesses are so you can prepare yourself to apply for a loan.  Bring your own lunch and your questions!
November 19, 2009 La Crosse	Marketing Basics for Business Marketing is the strategic foundation for business success.  Selecting target markets, analyzing the competition, building your promotion calendars and evaluating your marketing results will help keep your business on the right path. Begin to plan your marketing efforts.
November 19, 2009 Kaukauna	Bring a New Product to Market This two-hour workshop will discuss the basics of bringing new p[roduct ideas to marketing, including how to protect intellectual property rights. There will also be a discussion how to license new product ideas, and ways to raise investor and grant financing for research & development.
November 20, 2009 Racine	ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR? Are You An Entrepreneur? (Thinking About Starting a Business?) Decide if entrepreneurship is right for you. Participants will evaluate their skills and readiness for business ownership and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business.
November 23, 2009 Racine	FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES: CREDIT CARDS How do I clean up my credit?  Where does all of my money go?  I am living check to check, with no end in sight- what do I do?  If these are questions you are asking yourself check out this FREE 6 week course on money management.
November 30, 2009 Milwaukee	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
November 30, 2009 Madison	WWBIC ORIENTATION Are you interested in starting a business or looking to expand your business and on't know where to start?  Attend WWBIC's Orientation session and learn about WWBIC's services which include business & financial education classes as well as ways of which to obtain financing through WWBIC's loan program.
December 1, 2009 Madison	Emotional Intelligence: Master the Other IQ Emotional Intelligence-Mastering the other IQ Research by the Carnegie Institute concluded: "15% of success is technical skills - 85% is people skills."  Emotional Intelligence is all about people skills - how well you know yourself and your emotions and how well you read and interact with others and their emotions. Learn about how the brain, the body and emotions affect each other, and then how to better manage your own emotions and the emotions of others so you can have clearer, more accurate communications that create cooperation and collaboration in the workplace. Each participant will complete an emotional intelligence assessment in class and will receive access to the online version of the assessment to complete in six months to measure their progress.  This assessment reflects ones style or approach to emotions.  Participants will also complete an assessment that will help them determine specific skills areas to develop for a higher EQ.
December 1-8, 2009 Madison	People and Communication Skills Series You may choose from the individual programs listed below, but most participants benefit from taking the entire series of all four sessions and save 10% over the cost of individual sessions. Emotional Intelligence: Master teh othe IQ  Having Difficult Conversations Managing Change & Innovation High Impact Communication Using Majors PTI
December 1, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
December 1, 2009 Kenosha	SMALL BUSINESS DISCUSSION CIRCLES Talk with a WWBIC representative in an informal group setting about business classes, assistance programs, and information exchange.  Explore a wide range of business topics such as business idea feasibility, marketing research ideas, and business planning.
December 1, 2009 Green Bay	Financial Basics For Business Learn to read and use income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets for better management control.
December 2-16, 2009 La Crosse	Your Career - Your Life This two session workshop is designed to enhance the career potential of women within the 7 Rivers Region. Participants will consider the “big picture” of the working lives of professional women while learning practical how-to strategies designed to help align their long-term goals with day-to-day activities. These thought provoking sessions consists of five core topics: 1) women’s strengths and challenges in today’s workplace, 2) expanding effectiveness and influence, 3) work-life balance, 4) mentoring and finding mentoring, and 5) stages of effectiveness and career development.
December 2, 2009 Madison	STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS Thinking about starting a business? If you're just exploring attend this session to learn the personal considerations to starting yourown business, where to find an idea, how to conduct market research, and how to judge if the idea is financially feasible. Plus take home a packet of great resources on licensing regulations, and local organizations that provide classes, financing and business assistance.
December 3-4, 2009 Eau Claire	Supervisory Management 1 First-line managers need good leadership skills. Often, however, new supervisors are promoted based on their technical abilities, and have had little training in how to constructively manage a work group. In this seminar, we discuss:   The Supervisory Aspect of Management Moving from an operational to a decision-making role Making the transition smoother and less stressful  Understanding Your Leadership Style Six leadership styles—characteristics, advantages and disadvantages Matching appropriate leadership styles to the situation Motivating Employee Performance The managers responsibility for employee performance and productivity Guid