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SBDC holds free workshops on how to start a business
Nicole Babauta of the Small Business Development Center, standing, gives an introduction to participants on what to expect in the workshops.(Bea Cabrera)
The Small Business Development Center held a three-day small business development workshop last May 8-11, 2017, to help aspiring entrepreneurs how to start their own business and maintain them.
Nicole Babauta, the center’s new head, said, “I started last March in this new position and my goal is to be able to host trainings monthly.”
The center has been doing free workshops on different business topics, empowering entrepreneurs by giving them information, knowledge, and trainings that add value to a budding entrepreneur’s hopes and dreams.
“I am reaching out to groups such as the Society for Human Resource Management to be able to partner with different organizations about different types of trainings,” Babauta said.
Last week’s three-day workshop addressed the basic needs of an aspiring businessman: How to write a business plan, how to create a marketing plan, coming up with a financial plan, and credit.
Denise Mendiola, Guam SBDC senior business adviser, led the trainings. “One of the satisfying things of working at SBDC is being able to interact with people, especially when they are aspiring entrepreneurs. We see how passionate they are so we feed that drive with knowledge and they are the people we like to connect with.”
The free workshops are open to the public.
The center does not only gives seminars and workshops; it also becomes a partner for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“After the workshops, we still keep in touch. Even though they are in business and they’ve started, they still run through challenges and so we are there with them. Every time that they have a challenge, they can call or email us and we will help them solve that problem. We stay with them all the way until the end,” Mendiola added.
Aside from seminars and workshops, offering courses on technical skills is in the horizon.
“It is a program that I am looking to grow,” Babauta said.
The center does not only help start a business but helps create jobs.
“ We do one-on-one advisement for individuals who are looking to start a business and as a result, I hope that can retain and create jobs in the community,” Babauta added.
For more information on upcoming workshops, go to www.pacificsbdc.com.
