Information Session for 10,000 Small Businesses!

Small Business Saturday is November 25!

Shop small and support your local businesses this Saturday!

Small Business Owners: Want to grow your business??

A common question: Why do I need a business plan?

                                       

5 reasons why a business plan is critical:

1.       Grow your existing business

2.       Secure funding

3.       Create a new business

4.       Map the future

5.       Develop and communicate business objectives with your management team and employees

(From 15 Reasons You Need a Business Plan,  https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/83818#)

Need help with preparing your own?  Check out Customize Your Business Plan October 17 and 24, evenings, at CCBC Owings Mills. Come learn from an expert!

How do I convert my idea into a viable business?

10,000 Small Businesses-Baltimore

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL: LEVERAGE THE POWER OF A CONSORTIUM OF LEADING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND A SUPPORTIVE PEER NETWORK

Are you a Greater Baltimore area Entrepreneur looking to accelerate your business growth?  Are you looking to network with other passionate entrepreneurs and business leaders to drive your topline business results? 

In business for 2+ years / have 2 + employees / have $100k in annual revenue?


Please join Community College of Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins University, and Morgan State University as we host an Information Session for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program in Baltimore.  Hear from program alumni who will share how 10,000 Small Businesses helped them create a roadmap to growing their business.

Date:              Thursday, September 7

Time:              4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Location:       Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville

                        Center for Arts Lounge

                        800 S. Rolling Road, Catonsville, MD 21228

 Please register for the event by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/Sept-7-Info-Session

Apply: https://www.10ksbapply.com/baltimore | Twitter: @GS10KSmallBiz

Fun For Kids!

CCBC is not just for adults-we have youth classes as well.  Here are our Young Investors--kids learning how to save, budget, and invest their money!

How can social media help grow your business?

Join us Tuesday evenings August 15 & 22 at CCBC Randallstown to learn from an experienced professional! Start now to help your business grow and succeed!

For more information, go to www.ccbcmd.edu/flexreg and enter CRN 70418, or call 443-840-4700.

Let's go! Get started!

What are you waiting for?  We have a class just for you, beginning next Saturday, August 12 at the Randallstown Center: How To Start and Manage Your own Small Business, taught by an experienced professional. Learn valuable information as you begin your journey!




For more information and to register, call 443-840-4700 or click here!

Want to conquer your fear of public speaking, or improve the skills you already have in order to make even better presentations? Join us! For more information and to register, click here or call 443-840-4700.

What is glossophobia??

An estimated 74% of people have a fear of public speaking (glossophobia) and want to improve their abilities and conquer their anxieties.  Some tips--focus on the content, keep in mind that you do know what you are talking about, and it's normal not to be perfect!

For more practice and tips, join us for Speaking in Public, Monday evenings from June 12 through June 26, at CCBC Hunt Valley. 

For more information, click here.

Need help with public speaking?

We all would like to be better speakers.  Part of this includes being a better speech writer.  Why not find someone who does this well, and emulate them?  I read an interesting article, How to Write a Speech Like Abe Lincoln Did. Abe knew that a speech did not have to be long to be effective--just take a look at the Gettysburg Address-it was less than 300 hundred words. Sometimes it's best to keep it short in order to keep your audience's attention.

Another option is to take a class. Learn to develop skills that can be used to make presentations with confidence, poise, and enthusiasm at our Speaking in Public class. The next class will be held Monday evenings June 12-26, at the Hunt Valley Center (CRN 41044). To register, click here.

It's National Small Business Week!

Hats off to all you entrepreneurs and small business owners!  Did you know that 2 out of 3 new jobs in the US are created by small businesses, and that more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business? There are lots of resources available for entrepreneurs and small business owners--and CCBC is one of them.  Check out our summer class offerings, and help grow and expand your business (or, get started!) and help grow your local community!

How can LinkedIn help you grow your business?

There are over 400 million people in the LinkedIn network.  Learn how making connections with relevant people can help your business grow, and how to integrate the site into your marketing strategy. Our next class meets in the evenings at CCBC Hunt Valley on April 27 and May 4. For more information, click here.

Spring Start-Up!

According to the Small Business Administration, companies with less than 5 employees make up 62% of all businesses in the U.S. Why not be one of them?? 

Now is a great time to jump start your business! Wondering how to get started? Join us for “How to Start and Manage Your Own Small Business,” meeting Wednesday evenings at the Hunt Valley Center, 4/26-5/17. Lean from an experienced entrepreneur what steps you need to take to get things going! 


                                                                                 For more information, click here.

Thinking about taking part in the gig economy?

We know that jobs and the labor market are changing, with more people doing temp positions, working as freelancers and contractors instead of in a permanent job. Here are 10 jobs with the largest growth projections that can be done part-time, on a freelance basis, as found on MSN money:

1. Interpreter/translator
2. Web developer
3. Occupational therapist
4. Delivery truck driver
5. Multimedia artist
6. Carpenter
7. Broadcast and sound engineer technician
8. Accountant
9. Management analyst
10. Software developer

How to market St. Patrick's Day...beyond the green beer

St. Patrick's Day gets a lot of media attention and is very popular, so why not take advantage of a great marketing moment? Here are some ways to take advantage of the holiday:

1. Share information about the holiday with your customers.
2. Add some green to your displays.
3. Offer sales, discounts, or specials for people wearing green.
4. Hold a "lucky" contest, and create your own "luck o'the Irish."
5. Use St. Patty hashtags.

Click here for Candeo's full list of ideas!   

Erin go bragh!

Dr. Seuss and Sales. Huh?

Thursday, March 2 is the birthday of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss.  Consider reading the classic "Green Eggs and Ham" as a way to guide your business and sales...

1. Be persistent
2. What does your customer want?
3. It's not personal
4.  Be flexible to shifting goals
5. Confidence is key

For the complete article , Leader Time: 5 lessons Dr. Seuss can teach you a out sales, click here.

Working in Retirement?

Did you know that more than 70 percent of workers over the age of 50 say that their ideal retirement now includes working? Wondering what you might do as an entrepreneur or small business owner?  Here are some ideas to get you thinking...and dreaming....and know that we offer classes to help you learn the ropes! Click here for the spring catalog of classes--small business begins on page 17. 

The business of love...

It's Fun Fact Friday, and I came across these Valentine's Day Fun Facts, courtesy of WalletHub. Click here for the complete post.

• Valentine's Day is the third largest consumer holiday in the U.S., with an expected $18.2 million to be spent this year (down from $19.7 billion last year). That's about $137 per person. 
• Top purchase? Candy. 
• Those clever folks at Hallmark have created over 1500 types of greeting cards for the big day.
• Inspired by love? Match.com reports a 20% increase in profiles the week after Valentine's Day.

Need some inspiration...?

Best Business Advice Ever?

Check out this list of top tips form Shark Tank. What's your favorite? What compels you to keep going?

Be confident.  Be bold.

New Year, New Business?

If you are thinking about starting your own business, here is a good article from MSN Money.  Need more support?  Check out what CCBC Small Business & Entrepreneurship classes have to offer. Why go it alone, when there are supports available? Click here for the link for the spring online catalog--Small Business & Entrepreneurship classes begin on page 17.