Published February 2005

Seeking small-business
training is simply smart

Dear BizBest: There are so many things to know about building a successful small business — from marketing and tax issues to technology, finance and lots more — that I just don’t see how anyone does it all! My goal this year is to better educate myself — maybe attend some workshops, seminars or courses. Can you plug me into what’s tops in small-biz training? — Untrained

Dear Untrained: America is increasingly entrepreneurial-minded these days, and individuals interested in starting or expanding a business have been tapping into training programs at a record pace. It comes down to this: Money is no longer the top priority among many business owners and startups. Learning opportunities and training programs are becoming the new venture capital.

The figures back it up. During 2004, a record 2.5 million people sought help from one of many U.S. Small Business Administration training and assistance programs.

Seeking help is simply smart. As you say, no business owner can be adept at every aspect of operating successfully. Plus, conditions change, especially as a business grows. Marketing channels open and close, financial needs shift and, of course, technology moves ahead, like it or not. Keeping yourself informed is vital to long-term success.

The single most popular program in America is probably the SBA Small Business Training Network/E-Business Institute, which registered nearly a million users at its Web site in 2004. The Small Business Training Network is a Web-based conglomerate that can link you to online courses, workshops, publications, learning tools, information resources and access to electronic counseling and other types of technical help. Most of the offerings are free and are self-paced.

Here are the major training choices available through the network:

• Free online courses are offered on about 75 topics in areas such as business startup, growing your business, home-based business and re-engineering your skills. Sample titles include: “Growth Strategies,” “Analyzing Profitability,” “Building Your Brand” and “Understanding Business Insurance.”
• Local SBA-sponsored training events are offered nationwide. These range from breakfast talks on local economic conditions to brown-bag networking lunches, loan seminars, startup workshops and free business assessments. Click your state on the Web site map for a calendar listing dates and event details in your area.
• The library section houses hundreds of SBA publications, links to thousands of outside small-business resources and even an “Entrepreneur Hour” radio show.
• Dozens of top colleges and universities offer business training courses you can take online. Most of these require a fee.

For details on the Small Business Training Network, go to the main SBA Web site, www.sba.gov, and click on “Training” at the left side of the page.

Another option to consider is FastTrac, a national, hands-on training program designed to help business owners hone the skills needed to create, manage and grow a successful business. Unlike generalized “cookie cutter” training, the FastTrac program lets you work on the specifics of your own business throughout the course, helping you move to new levels of growth.

FastTrac isn’t just a single class, but more like a series of educational experiences, products and services that have helped over 100,000 business owners across the country. Specialty areas include:

• FastTrac NewVenture: Help for startup-stage entrepreneurs.
• FastTrac Planning: Strategies for improving an existing business.
• FastTrac Tech: Training for technology entrepreneurs.
• FastTrac Manufacturing: Helping entrepreneurs streamline manufacturing processes and plan for future growth.

You’ll find complete details at www.fasttrac.org.

Yet another outstanding small-business training resource is My Own Business Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers free online training courses on starting and operating a successful business. More advanced training courses also are offered for a fee. Visit www.myownbusiness.org.

Daniel Kehrer (dan@bizbest.com) is founder of BizBest (www.bizbest.com), which publishes “The 100 Best Resources for Small Business.”

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