Students at Weber State University who are interested in learning about managing small businesses are being offered courses that will teach the essentials of what it takes to get started.
The Small Business Development Center at WSU is conducting a series of courses called Small Business Essentials. The courses are held Thursday evenings from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Wattis Business Building Library, Room 218.
“Students should come. Their taxes are already paying for it,” said Jared Van Orden, SBDC instructor.
The four upcoming courses will cover topics that include management and financial planning, with emphasis on selling, managing employees, operating and basic accounting.
“These courses help you be a little more accountable,” said John Sears from Refreshing Designs Jewelry in Ogden. “The one-on-one sessions have helped out very much. I plan on coming back again.”
Van Orden said students are welcome to come in and chat about their ideas.
“The best place to start would be to think of ways to start next week or next month,” Van Orden said. “You can’t wait for that $50,000 check to get started.”
The SBDC offers assistance through training programs, one-on-one counseling and referrals to other business resource programs. It also offers counseling for small businesses or high-growth companies free of charge, and provides training for little or no charge.
Maygan Layson, a former WSU student with a degree in biological composites, has attended the past two courses, and said she plans on finishing out the session.
“The most valuable part has been having a serious conversation about what my target market is,” Layson said.
Students can meet with Van Orden or other staff members to go over ideas for their future businesses.
“In the beginning, it was hard for me to share my ideas with a stranger,” Van Orden said. “We are here to help in any way we can.”
The SBDC office serves the Weber, Davis, Morgan and Box Elder counties, and is partially funded by the Utah State Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The SBDC offers other courses at least twice a month.
“I’d say 10-20 percent of our clients are students,” Van Orden said. “The rest come from our community.”
Most courses offered at the SBDC are free or at a low price. The Small Business Essentials course is $10 per class or $50 for the series.
To register for an upcoming course, prospective students can contact Beverly King at 801-626-7232 or [email protected]. Other upcoming courses with the SBDC are listed at http://community.weber.edu/sbdc/training/schedule.html.
