The Women’s Business Center at Community First Fund offers one-on-one counseling to clients as well as numerous classes aimed at educating prospective and current entrepreneurs. 

Summer/Fall 2008 Training Class Schedule

ENROLLMENT

Participants must contact the Women’s Business Center at Community First Fund for an initial screening and to register. To register for courses please contact Jamie Frey at jfrey@commfirstfund.org or at 717-393-2351.  Please refer to the class name and location when registering.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Core Four®

The Core Four Business Planning Course lasts six weeks and details each area of the core business model: market and need assessment, operation and management, marketing and promotion, understanding financing, financial literacy. Some course highlights include: characteristics of a successful business owner; financial planning and record keeping; key steps to understanding and building your business plan.  Upon completion of the course participants should have all the necessary tools to  build a comprehensive business plan.

State and Federal Procurement

Community First Fund and the Women’s Business Center offer classes on state and federal procurement, detailing how small business can become government contractors and how to become state certified as a woman-owned or minority-owned business. Additionally, the training provides information on state and federal purchasing procedures, which state and/or federal agencies need what you sell and how to market your business directly to them, and where to locate bid opportunities online.

Business 101

This two-hour seminar sets the stage for understanding the fundamentals of what it takes to be an ideal entrepreneur. This seminar will help you: Weigh considerations in starting a business; Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in starting a business; Understand and adapt your life experience (skills) to the business arena; Understand the need of developing the business idea through sound research and development.

Technology Basics

Newly expanded and revamped in 2008, this three-week course will focus on QuickBooks accounting software and offer a brief overview of websites – understanding how your business can benefit from a web presence and learning about easy to use design programs.

Marketing and Networking

New for 2008, this seminar is an overview of general marketing definitions and concepts, offers examples of cost effective means of boosting your business, and typical pitfalls to avoid. Time will also be spent learning about and developing an “elevator speech†–-a 30 second definition of your business– and conclude with networking amongst class members.

Computer Usage

Community First Fund and the Women’s Business Center provide computers for use during training classes. Additionally, Community First Fund and the Women’s Business Center have four computer labs which are available for use. The labs, located in the Lancaster, Reading, York, and Harrisburg offices, feature two to three state-of-the-art computers, all of which have Internet access. The labs also include printers, some of which have the capability to scan and copy. We request that first-time users of the labs make an initial appointment to ensure that individuals are able to fully utilize this technology and understand lab policies.