GBBCC Workshop Schedule 2013
The GBBCC Workshop Series was designed to give Chamber members essential information, resources and tools to enhance their business growth. The seminars are led by industry professionals with proven subject expertise and results based management.
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Date
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Topic
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Presenter
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January 17, 2013
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Maryland Legislation
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Barbara Robinson
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February 6, 2013
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Positioning Your Business
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Curtis Funderburk
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March 6, 2013
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Communications
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Karyne Henry
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April 3, 2013
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Technology:
Website Development
Navigating the GBBCC Website
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Curtis Funderburk
Evelyn Marshall Gaines
Monique Jones
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May 1, 2013
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Proposal/Grant Writing
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Sheila Lee
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June 5, 2013
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Collaboration:
Networking and Professional Associations
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Ed Taylor
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July 3, 2013
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Leadership; Human Resource Development
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Kevin Williams
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August 4, 2013
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Workshop Roundtables:
Q & A
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Karyne Henry
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September 4, 2013
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Marketing; Targets, Website, Social Networking
Website PowerPoint
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Monique Jones
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October 2, 2013
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Financial & Strategic Planning
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Curtis Funderburk
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November 6, 2013
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Developing Your Business;
5 Stages of Growth
(Business Plan)
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Karyne Henry
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December 20, 2013
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Holiday Reception
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Chamber Membership
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GBBCC Workshop Descriptions
Navigating the GBBCC Website
This course will lead participants through a live presentation of how to best utilize the GBBCC website.
As this tool is a main resource for promoting and sharing information about the Chamber we want to ensure that every member is comfortable with the knowledge of how to best access the information provided there. Main menus and sub topics will be explored as participants are afforded a live demonstration about what information the Chamber offers to the general public and what information is password protected regarding building your business , current events and hot topics.
Learning Objectives:
- Demonstrate the wealth of information provided on the GBBCC website
- Identify the key areas members and non members can access
- Discuss information that should be shared on the GBBCC website
Handouts: Suggestion Cards
Speakers: N/A
CERTIFICATIONS
The workshop will explore the Federal, State, Local and Private Sector certifications available to leverage your business in today’s market. We will discuss different certifications and what you have to do and the costs associated to get them, keep them, and use them. For different target market participants, better known as “sellers,” will learn how to determine what Procurement Offices, better known as “buyers”, are looking for and how your certifications can help you to win the contract award.
By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:
- 1. Write a capability statement
- 2. Properly evaluate the value of being certified
- 3. Manage the certification process(es)
Handouts: Sample Capability Statement, Business Licensing Log
Guest Speaker; Zenita Hurley
Financial Plan Seminar Series
1 - Cash & Cash Flow – Getting a grasp on planning and managing the impact of cash decisions. Creating a cash flow plan that you can use to operating your business and work with investors.
2 - Financial Statements – Moving into the world of “accrual accounting” from cash. Why it’s an important step in tracking the value(s) that actually flow through your business. How, as a business person, to read and use a balance sheet, and income statement, and a cash flow statement, as well as how they all relate to each other.
3 - Capital Structure – What are the different kinds of money that you can use to fund your business. How do they work and how they can make or break you.
4 - Financial Projections – Accrual based forecasting that ties together everything you know about cash, financial statements and capital structure.
5 - Business Planning – Using the tools of financial analysis to make day-to-day business management choices, and using projections to tell your story, manage “what’s so” and create what’s really possible for your business.
6 - Value Creation – Measuring what your business is really worth in dollars and “sense.” Using financial analysis to make the tough calls. Getting clear on when to “hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em and when to run.”
Guest Speakers: Hakim Dyer, Dyer, Bermingham and Associates.
LEGISLATION 101
The session is designed to educate GBBCC members on the Legislative process and how they need to get and stay involved with Bill hearings and other activities to ensure that as business owners they can best leverage their lobbying opportunities with elected officials.
Learning Objectives:
· Discuss the State Legislative process
· Identify key Committee Leaders in Annapolis
· Understand how legislative matters impact Baltimore business owners
· How to lobby to have their voices heard regarding issues, concerns and areas of support
COMMUNICATIONS: ELEVATOR PITCH
The workshop will address the essential communications tool: The Elevator Pitch. This exercise
will help to developing a brief, razor-sharp description of who you are and what your business does
(what you have to offer). These skills will be useful to Chamber members at professional business
meetings, networking events and one on one pitches to prospective clients.
This workshop will teach participants to avoid the tendency to go on at length about themselves,
their project, or their businesses. Participants will be encouraged to develop and practice a 30-second
(or less) “Elevator Pitch” that could be given at a moment’s noticeundefinedor in the time it would
take to ride from the ground floor to the top floor of an office building or hotel.
Learning Objectives:
· Understanding the difference between a lengthy presentation and concise pitch.
· Understanding what’s important to convey about self and business
· Ability to present a 30-second (or less) concise and informative “Elevator Pitch”
· Identify sub categories of the “Pitch” (What’s next, when they want more)
Hand outs: Communicating Your Business Effectively, Elevator Pitch Outline/Worksheet,
MARKETING; TARGETS, WEBSITE, SOCIAL NETWORKING
Positioning Your Business For Success
This course will teach you how to optimize and position your business so that it is successful. The answer to a few questions can determine how successful you are. Do you want prospects to seek you out? Do you want people to pay you more? Do you want to stand head and shoulders above your competition? Hopefully you answered to all of those questions. You will know how to put your business in the proper position for success after this workshop.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will see the value and importance of positioning, in determining the success of their business.
- Introduce a step by step process to improve the visibility of your company.
Developing Your Business
The workshop though this basic concept summary, will guide Chamber members through building a Business Plan Concept Outline. The Outline will help participants move towards producing a comprehensive business plan.
The Concept outline will include: Industries, Products, Potential Customers, Basic Marketing & Sales Strategy, Competition, Competitive Advantages, and Added Value
By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:
1. Write a Business Plan Concept Outline
2. Understand the important elements of their Business Plan
3. Complete a SWOT analysis
Handouts:
Sample Concept Outline, Developing a Business Plan Concept Outline Worksheet,
SWOT Worksheet
Guest Speaker: Paul Taylor, SBA (Invitation Pending)
Technology Seminar Series
This course will deliver the fundamentals of Computer Network Technologies for the Small Business Owner. It is an introduction to a discussion around Building, Connecting, Storing, and Protecting Information Technology resources.
Along with the fundamentals of technology, this course outlines how Information Technology solutions can impact key business drivers that grow revenue and control costs, while meeting technical performance and capabilities requirements that ultimately increase employee productivity and retain customers.
Personal Computer Basic
Understanding computer specifications to aid in Personal Computer buying decisions for your business.
Network Basics
Understanding the language of networking (geek speak)
OSI – Seven Layer Model, TCP/IP
Components of a Network
LANs and WANs
Network Foundation Technologies
Routing & Switching
Security
Wireless Local Area Network Technology
Wireless Network Components
Voice Technologies
Introduction to Voice over IP
Website Development / Marketing Tools
eResponder, List Builder & Contact Manager
Video & Conferencing Systems
Key Business Drivers
A discussion of how technology impacts key business drivers;
Increase Revenue & Controlling Cost
- Employee Productivity & Customer Retention
PROPOSAL/GRANT WRITING
The workshop will unlock the mystery of writing a winning proposal in response to a Request for Information (RFI), Request for Quotes (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Grant application. Participants will review documents to assess whether to “Bid” or “No Bid” and how to ensure that their response addresses all of the evaluation criteria as well as the document format requirements.
By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:
- 1. Assess organizational familiarity
- 2. Identify objectives and direction of the Statement of Work (SOW)
- 3. Review “Tips and Pointers” and Orwell’s 6 Rules of Good Writing
Handouts: Sample SOW, Sample Evaluation Criteria
Guest Speaker; Felicia Gaston, FM Gaston & Associates, (Invitation Pending)
Networking And Professional Associations
Collaboration is a joint effort of multiple individuals or work groups to accomplish task or project. The different companies come together to build new relationships and generate business for each other. Although each company is its own separate entity, it’s as though everyone is coming together to form a large partnership. This type of environment is conducive for business growth and accountability. The various strategies, goals and results should be measurable for each partner.
Learning Objectives:
- * Participants will learn to cultivate new relationships to increase business for everyone.
- * Members will see that the practice of accountability is beneficial to all.
Leadership & Human Resource Development
The workshop will examine how vital leadership is to the prosperity of your business and
identify the importance of human capital. How the absence of leadership has crumbled industries in today’s market. We will discuss why you are the first person that needs to improve and why it is the important to put personnel in a position to succeed.
“The development of personnel will set the sail, but the leader must chart the course”.
By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:
1. Identify leadership qualities and the company’s most valuable resource
2. Evaluate what your business needs from its leader(s)
3. Establish self-improvement as a way of life (law of the lid)
Handouts: leadership matrix, Free Leadership Resources.
Guest Speaker; Dr. John C. Maxwell, Dr. Napoleon Hill (via books)
Workshop Roundtable
This session is designed to give members an opportunity to meet with the subject matter experts who delivered a workshop during the course of the year. Each table will be identified with a different topic and a different person (all topics may not be offered) and in 15 minute intervals members can rotate from one table to another to ask questions and talk more intimately with the workshop presenter and others with the same level of interest.
Learning Objectives:
- · Discuss specific details of the subject matter
- · Ask individual questions regarding the subject matter
- · Determine if additional knowledge is required on the topic and where to get
