Small Business Center

This fast-paced, three-day virtual education program will provide a comprehensive understanding of government certifications and contracting. If you’re a small, women-owned or minority business seeking to get in or amp up your government contracting game, this program is for you!

Take your knowledge to the next level when it comes to government certifications and contracts by learning:

• Certification options, the benefits of certification, and the steps to become certified
• The purpose of a capability statement and how to market your business to the government
• How to pitch to land your first or next local government contract, including components of a successful bid, the bid process and types of contract awards

To be accepted: 

• Complete an application for a small business certification
• Complete a capability statement questionnaire and begin drafting your capability statement
• Receive templates, resources, and contacts at local and state agencies

In addition to training hours, all participants will have an opportunity to receive one-on-one business counseling targeted to the needs of their business.

Program Schedule:

Please check back for upcoming dates. 

Speaker:

LaPronda I. Spann is the principal and chief visionary architect of Lain Consulting LLC, an award-winning, certified minority owned-business enterprise and full-service consulting firm specializing in diversity certification support services, supplier growth planning, program development, and government contracting. Since 2012, LaPronda has been responsible for the successful procurement of $2.3 million in grants and contracts from public and private foundations and local and state governments.

Food trucks offer a dynamic and flexible alternative to a traditional restaurant and can also serve as a stepping stone to restaurant ownership. Discover how to develop your business from scratch, gain know-how on regulatory requirements, build a strong brand identity, cultivate a loyal following of customers, and earn revenue.

Do you have an idea? Are you ready to take action to turn that idea into a business venture?

Launch Unison is a program to help individuals in Anson and Union counties start a small business. During the program, early-stage entrepreneurs will learn how to define products and services, identify core customers, create financial models, develop marketing strategies, and more.

Don’t let the uncertainty of what’s involved in starting a business stop you!  Discover hands-on techniques and procedures for planning and opening a small business, including the personal qualities needed for entrepreneurship. Develop a peer network with others seeking to launch their own business and connect with guest experts and business counselors who can help you achieve your goals.

Is this program for you?

This program is for:

• Those that have a specific business idea and a strong desire to start a business within the next year or have recently launched a business
• Those seeking to learn the fundamentals of owning and operating a business.
• Those interested in developing a business model and learning about sources of capital and bootstrapping their idea

Program Instructor:

Julie Bee is the founder of a BeeSmart Social Media and The Julie Bee, a consulting practice. She is also a professional speaker, a leader of leaders, and a podcast host. She’s a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program (10ksb) and a proud alumnus of West Virginia University.Today, Julie focuses most of her time on helping business owners overcome their challenges so that they can fulfill their vision. She does this through coaching, consulting and speaking engagements. In 2020, Julie began podcasting, and she is now an award-winning podcaster. She’s the host of They Don’t Teach This In Business School, a podcast that shares lessons learned on the business ownership journey.

Calling all existing business owners.  Are you looking to take your business to the next level? The Level Up program is designed to help you develop a growth strategy that will make way for increased revenues and job creation through targeted training and coaching.

Is this program for you?

Our ideal candidates will meet the below eligibility requirements and are ready to work on their business and not just in their business!  This program is for:

• Owners and CEOs of small businesses (those operating in Anson and Union counties are preferred)
• Businesses that have been operating for at least two years
• Businesses with one other employee besides the owner
• Businesses with $125,000+ in annual revenue
• Those committed to growing their business, actively participating, and can adhere to the program attendance policy

Program Instructor:

Matt Villmer is a lawyer and the managing partner of Villmer Caudill, a law firm in Charlotte.  Matt’s legal practice focuses on new business startup and business law, mediation, and litigation and arbitration. Over the last 13 years, thousands of business owners have sought Matt’s guidance in forming, growing, and selling their businesses. In addition to the practice of law, Matt loves to help passionate entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level through education and professional growth. 

Matt is a regular guest speaker at industry conferences around the U.S., where he teaches others about the use of customer agreements, the importance of having a written contract between co-owners of a business, and other similar topics.  Matt also teaches other attorneys throughout the country about advanced litigation techniques and strategies to prevail in high-stakes lawsuits.  Matt also teaches the next generation of professionals at various undergraduate and graduate institutions.

Local and national media regularly seek Matt’s input on matters of national importance, such as the PPP and EIDL loan programs, class action lawsuits against multi-national businesses committing fraud and environmental harm, and claims against state and local governments for violation of constitutional rights.  Matt is a previous graduate of the SBA’s Emerging Leaders program and the Goldman Sachs/Babson College 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Program Consultants:

Sherese Duncan – Efficio, Inc.

Sherese Duncan is president and CEO of Effició, Incorporated, a strategic development firm, and has served as an advocate of entrepreneurship for over two decades, providing entrepreneurial education and training for entrepreneurs, professionals, and business owners around the world. Duncan’s expertise extends to research on entrepreneurial cognition and behavior, innovative marketing, economic intelligence, and power relationships, in addition to three other business ventures. Duncan received her bachelor’s from Kansas State University and her MBA from Keller Graduate School. To further her contribution to intellectual rigor in entrepreneurship, Duncan is currently pursuing her PhD at the Luleå University of Technologyy in Luleå, Sweden. Duncan has established herself as one of the leading and most comprehensive small business resources today that can mobilize entrepreneurs to exceed their definition of success. As the visionary leader of Efficio, Inc., Duncan and her companies are all about execution and results. Simply put, her business approach works.

Wilmenia Gripper – W.E.G. Consulting & Training Corp.

Wilmenia Gripper is a visionary, socialpreneur, innovator, and “tech tools/marketing” strategist who understands the need for businesses to stay abreast of the latest technology to keep a competitive edge. As a trainer and consultant, she is on a mission to help mobilize leaders by leveraging the power of technology, using digital strategies and smart automated marketing systems to increase their revenue and impact.

Tara McAlister – Insperity

Tara McAlister is a business performance specialist with Insperity. With almost 20 years in human resources and a certification from SHRM, Tara enjoys sharing her passion and energy for helping companies make the most of their greatest assets – their employees. She enjoys using her HR expertise and strategic thinking to help small to mid-size businesses manage their people strategy to help to attract and retain top talent.

A graduate of Elon University, Tara lives in Indian Trail with her family and enjoys working with Claire’s Army and Porter Ridge Athletic Booster Club.

David Worrell – Fuse Financial Partners

David Worrell is the CFO and founder of Fuse Financial Partners. As an accomplished entrepreneur, analyst and author, David specializes in helping small businesses grow rapidly by employing powerful financial and business development strategies. David’s success as CFO is built on his experience as a business owner. Prior to starting Fuse Financial Partners, which offers part-time CFO services, financial consulting and more, he founded, ran, and sold three companies. He has been recognized four times as a “Fast 50” award recipient for business growth. Additionally, in 2014, Intuit named David to its prestigious list of 100 Global Influencers in Accounting and Finance.

Within the region, David has advised students and entrepreneurs through the Entrepreneur-In-Residence Program and the Entrepreneur Leadership Circle at Queens University in Charlotte. He also taught International Business Planning with the top 10-ranked MBA program at the MIIS Graduate School of International Business in Monterey, California. As an author, David has contributed regularly to Entrepreneur Magazine, AllBusiness Experts, AMEX OPEN, and other small business finance media, in print and online. In 2014, David completed his first commercial textbook, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Statements

The QuickBooks Boot Camp program is an exclusive, virtual education program that will provide a comprehensive understanding of managing accounting with QuickBooks. As a small business owner, keeping track of your finances is critical for success. Haphazard spreadsheets and unorganized piles of receipts aren’t the way. Automate your accounting with QuickBooks Online to save time, money, and simplify the management of your taxes. Discover how to use reports to monitor and track the financial health of your business and avoid unexpected surprises.

In this program, participants will learn how to:

• Set up a new QuickBooks Online company file
• Enter day-to-day transactions, such as accounts receivable invoices, accounts payable vendor bills, and other transactions
• Simplify and maintain their chart of accounts
• Process bank reconciliations
• Use other powerful overlooked features in QuickBooks Online

If you’re a small business owner located in Anson or Union county who is looking to automate and streamline your accounting process with QuickBooks Online, this program is for you!

Session Time / Dates:

Please check back for upcoming dates. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Participants must be a North Carolina business owner. Preference is given to those operating in Anson or Union county. 
• Participants must have basic computer skills and a laptop or desktop computer with internet access.
• Participants MUST be able to attend all sessions.

Those accepted will be enrolled into the program at no cost. The tuition fee, a $199 value, will be sponsored and supported by the Small Business Center. Those accepted will be responsible for purchasing the textbook for the program.

Instructor:

Christine A. Cook Carlini, CPA is a Certified Public Accountant in Lake Park and a former corporate vice president and chief financial officer. Well-versed in her field, she holds additional certifications in bookkeeping and tax preparation, and she is a member of the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association.

As a former director of administration and financial services, Christine served as a local college’s chief financial officer and oversaw budgets, forecasting, departmental expenditures and student financial services. She also served as a member of the college’s executive committee.

Christine, a native of Sacramento, California, attended California State University–Sacramento and earned her Bachelor of Science of Business from the University of North Carolina–Charlotte. She was the Charlotte branch office manager for Bourne & Company, an investment banking firm, and accounting manager for both Collins & Aikman and London Bridge Software Systems before joining Bank of America in 2001. At Bank of America, in addition to working with regulatory reporting, Christine served as vice president and senior financial analyst in the finance, consumer real estate finance and global corporate investment banking departments. Experienced in organizing and supervising accounting processes and in forecasting as well as in supervisory management, she won a Bank of America Team award for performance on the bank’s 2003 Regulatory Reporting Platform Project and a Medallion Award for review activities performed on the 2001 Annual Report.

Christine belongs to and is involved in:•  North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (NCACPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

The Small Business Center’s Resource Center offers lending and use of books, guides, and internet-connected computer workstations to help you research, plan, and develop your business. Staff can also provide referrals to state and local agencies that can assist you throughout your entrepreneurial journey.

Have you always wanted to start your own trucking company? Trucking Pro is for you if you have a desire to start your own long-haul, courier, or local delivery trucking company. 

This program is pre-paid with tax dollars and is offered at no cost for those who are accepted. This virtual education program will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the transportation industry and the requirements and steps to get your trucking business rolling.

More information, including the upcoming schedule, is available here.