February 16, 2011
Entrepreneurship seminars planned in Chester
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Residents of Randolph County and surrounding areas who are interested in entrepreneurship or starting their own business won’t want to miss the chance to participate in free informational workshops right in their own back yard.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is sponsoring three different seminars on Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Randolph County Courthouse in Chester and it’s not too late to sign up. You can attend all three seminars at no cost.
The opportunities begin with the workshop “Starting a Business in Illinois” from 9 to 11 a.m. This seminar gives the basic requirements and necessities for starting a business in Illinois, including setting up the legal structure, start-up requirements, acquiring financing and the basics of business planning. Participants can purchase an optional business start-up kit for $15. The kit, available in both electronic and print formats, includes a business start-up checklist, workshop presentation slides, a financing question and answer packet, a sample business plan, federal and state tax identification number applications and more.
Following at 11 a.m. is the two-hour workshop “Intro to Government Contracting.” The session highlights the basic requirements for securing state and federal contracts and includes discussion of the local requirements and what certifications business owners can seek based upon their location, ethnicity and gender.
The final seminar for the day is “International Trade: Current Trends in Exporting” from 1 to 2 p.m. This session offers information about the current trends with regard to exporting and issues companies face today when involved in international trade. This seminar’s focus is on companies that are already exporting or those that want to learn about how to begin exporting.
You must pre-register to attend any of the three free workshop sessions. To sign up, or for more information, call 618/536-2424, e-mail sbdc@siu.edu, or visit the website at www.siusbdc.com.
SIUC hosts the Illinois Small Business Development Center, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, as a service to Illinois small businesses.