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 who 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 schedule: Sessions meet in-person on Mondays from 6 to 8:45 p.m., except for the first session, which meets virtually for one hour.

Session dates:

• Jan. 29 (virtual kickoff)
• Feb. 2, 9, 23
• March 2, 9, 23, 30
• April 13, 20, 27
  
  

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.

Program Update

The Level Up Business Accelerator Program has transitioned from the Small Business Center to Ascend704.

Level Up will continue to support established business owners who are ready to scale their companies, increase revenue, strengthen operations, and create sustainable growth. While the program is no longer administered through the Small Business Center, entrepreneurs can continue to access the program and future opportunities through Ascend704.

About Level Up

Level Up is designed for existing business owners who are committed to taking their businesses to the next level. Through targeted training, expert guidance, and strategic planning, participants develop growth-focused strategies that help position their businesses for long-term success.

Learn More

For current program information, eligibility requirements, upcoming cohorts, and application details, please visit the Ascend704 website.

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.