Starting a business can be overwhelming, especially when you don?t know what you don?t know.
Whether you?re just starting to brainstorm your idea or ready to turn your passion into a profitable venture, this class will give you a roadmap to success. You?ll learn what you need to start a business in Georgia, from assessing the feasibility of your idea to marketing, finding financing, building a team, and operating legally. You?ll leave with actionable steps, essential tools, and resources to start your business on a strong foundation. Small businesses are the backbone of America; this class will help you start yours.
LEARN HOW TO:
Determine the feasibility of your business idea using market research and competitive analysis
Estimate start-up expenses for your business and identify requirements for pursuing start-up financing options
Differentiate between different legal structure options for business formation
Identify who you should include on your team when making plans and executing business formation
Navigate the steps to start your business in the State of Georgia How Small Business Owners Are Using AI to Save Hours Every Week
Small business owners wear many hats. You?re the CEO, the marketer, and the customer service representative ?all at the same time.
Because of this, many entrepreneurs spend more time working in their business instead of on it, losing valuable hours each week to tasks like writing emails, creating social media posts, researching competitors, and searching for new customers.
What if you could do it all faster?
In this Live Online Workshop, you'll discover how small business owners are using free and low-cost AI tools to work faster, market smarter, and grow their business without hiring a team.
During this workshop, you'll receive instruction on how to:
Research competitors, identify market opportunities, and target customers in less than 10 minutes using AI
Quickly find and build a list of potential leads instead of hours of manual searching
Turn one idea into a full week of social media posts, complete with captions and hashtags
Write emails, follow-ups, and sales messages that sound natural and engaging
Train AI to sound like your brand and voice
No technical background required?just bring your business idea and leave with practical tools you can use immediately.
You'll also receive a ready-to-use AI Prompt Guide so you can continue using these tools long after the workshop ends. SBDC StartSmart provides the resources, support, and motivation to put your dream within reach.
StartSmart is tailored to be held virtually to facilitate virtual discussion, class engagement, & mastery of content. Participation in StartSmart will also allow access to LivePlan, an online business planning software. The program is facilitated by specially trained SBDC consultants and a long-term relationship with the SBDC and follow-up consulting is available and encouraged following the program.
Whether you are a new business (in business 2 years or less), or are still in the planning phase, building a business takes the right tools?and a lot of hard work. SBDC StartSmart will equip you to be successful!
SBDC StartSmart helps attendees to:
Evaluate & refine your business concept
Improve your knowledge of business concepts
Research markets and competition
Develop a financial forecast to improve chances of success
Develop a thorough, practical business plan
SBDC StartSmart includes 16 hours of instruction delivered over a period of 4 weeks. Sessions will be held twice a week for 2 hours.
LEARN HOW TO:
Evaluate your concept and develop plans to move forward.
Improve knowledge of business fundamentals.
Build an infrastructure for business operations and processes.
SBDC StartSmart graduates acquire:
An actionable business plan and access to business planning software
Access to financial and business resources.
A network of entrepreneurial peers and professionals
Eight modules cover critical issues for new businesses:
MODULE 1: Business Success ? How do we get there?
MODULE 2: Opportunity & Solutions
MODULE 3: Marketing for Success
MODULE 4: Digital Marketing & Online Strategies
MODULE 5: Navigating Human Resources
MODULE 6: Operations & Managing by the Numbers
MODULE 7: Management with a Plan
MODULE 8: Plan, Run, Review, Revise This webinar dives deep into the higher-level mechanics that separate thriving businesses from those simply surviving.
We will explore how to build true financial resilience by strategically applying The Vault, Drip and other advanced allocation tools that fine-tune your system and create steady, predictable results. Through practical explanations and real-world examples, you will learn how to manage timing, control cash velocity and make the Profit First framework work even harder for you. By the end of this session, you?ll walk away with a customized approach to your own cash flow habit builder. Your approach will support consistent profitability, relieve money stress and achieve financial success.
LEARN HOW TO:
Apply The Vault strategy to safeguard reserves and eliminate temptation spending.
Use Drip Accounts to smooth out cash flow and support consistent owner?s pay.
Strengthen your bank accounts and allocation habits to anticipate needs and prevent cash crunches.
Optimize your Profit First system for sustainable growth and peace of mind. It's time to show off your business' unique personality!
More than just a logo, in today's competitive business environment, a powerful brand is your secret weapon to get noticed and connect with your customers. This class will empower you with tools to create and communicate a brand that truly represents you and resonates with your audience. You'll uncover your authentic ''why,'' develop a magnetic brand personality that reflects your core values, and learn tactics to design a head-turning brand identity. You'll also learn how to craft a unique value proposition that tells your story and sets you apart.
LEARN HOW TO:
Hone your ''why'' and core values
Develop your business' brand personality
Design a strong brand identity that emotionally connects
Build a unique value proposition to stand out
Get people on board with your brand The DeKalb Chamber Executive Committee meets to discuss the important issues impacting the Chamber and the business community as well as approve upcoming business.
Workshop - How to Start a Business in Georgia
Workshop - How Small Business Owners Are Using AI to Get Their Time Back
Workshop - StartSmart (8-class series)
Workshop - Profit First - Advanced Cash Flow Techniques
Workshop - Turn Heads in Your Direction with Powerful Branding
DeKalb Chamber Executive Committee Meeting
