Virtual Event: Budgeting and Projecting
2021-01-12 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | ONLINE
Budgets, financial documents and projecting are the last thing on any entrepreneur’s mind. Rather than avoiding them, learn the power in each document, how to create them and ways to use them to increase your profit and lower your bottom line.
Presenters: Sara Orellana-Paape, 3Raptor Consulting
Workshop Provided by: REI Women’s Business Center
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Business Financials
2021-01-13 13:00 - 14:30
From checking the viability of your new business model to calculating your break-even point, join for a session on financial management.

About this Event

Future Proof is a program that assists businesses with identifying new markets, pivoting their business model, and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. Join via Zoom link below.

Understanding your financials gives you the confidence you need to make sure you’re always making the decision that’s right for you and your business. It takes the unpredictability out of running a business, allows you to learn from the past, and to plan for the future. And it doesn’t have to be hard.

In this interactive online Q&A session, we’ll cover the financials you need to know as a business owner and how to calculate your break-even point. You’ll get a unique opportunity to get simple and direct answers from experts about your most pressing financial questions.

Join us for a short presentation on:
● How to check the viability of your new business model.
● How to calculate your new break-even point.
● Financial management strategies to grow your businesses.

Followed by a Q&A:
● We’ll discuss some of the unique challenges small business owners are facing and how to deal with them
● You will get the opportunity to have your questions answered by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges you’re going through

Sign up today to secure your spot and start growing your business.

Please register and complete the survey questions upon checkout. Please note that this session will be recorded. Join via Zoom here at 2pm.

Virtual Event: Telling Your Business Story
2021-01-13 13:30 - 15:30
Looking to build a meaningful connection with your current and potential customers? Join us for, “Telling Your Business Story”. We’ll complete activities to help you clearly explain why you became an entrepreneur, and why it’s a great choice to do business with you. From determining who is most likely to buy your products/services, to creating a clear and concise story of your business, you’ll gain the ability to better connect with the right people, in the right place.
This workshop will help you:

Define Your Target Audience
Simplify Your Brand
Craft A Message That Relates To Those You Serve
Cultivate a Stronger Brand Position Within The Marketplace

Presenters: Kelby Owens, REI Oklahoma
Workshop provided by REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823. Registration fees are non-refundable. You will be given a credit for a future training should this event be cancelled.

SEO Simplified in 30 Minutes
2021-01-14 01:00 - 02:00
Search engine optimization (SEO) has been made to appear way more complicated than it is. Mike Corso, of Roovio Digital Marketing, maintains that 80% of good SEO habits come down to just four words, “They ask, You Answer”, and in this eye-opening presentation will explain what this means to your business and how to apply it.
Join Mike as he unpacks the essence of SEO in just 30 minutes that will enable you to take immediate action and see results.
You’ll learn:

The important steps that you can take to evolve your website optimization and achieve greater online visibility
How successfully ranked websites leverage the strong backbone of their existing site and are adding a lot more value (content!) on top
Mike’s favorite tools for keyword and content research, social media, and more

Presented by: Mike Corso
Mike grew up in Roslyn, Long island (NY) with a great family (3 older siblings), cats and dreams of either pitching for the Mets or performing trumpet solos at Madison Square Garden. The baseball dream is over but music never dies @ http://jacktoad.com. Recreational time is also spent jogging, biking, playing tennis, sailing a hobie cat, cooking and reading. Otherwise, Mike is very happily married to his 8th grade sweetheart and has 3 sons. Mike also hates the fact that he has not been to Italy.

Professionally, Mike was the first person to promote music on the Internet for the major record labels in the US (pre Web!). Since then, he has worked in all areas of digital marketing with expertise in lead generation (social media, search engine marketing/PPC, paid social media), UX, and search engine optimization (SEO).

Virtual Event: How To Write A Business Plan
2021-01-14 10:00 - 11:30
This workshop will take you through the step-by-step process of developing a business plan. While each business needs a unique plan, the basic elements are the same. You will receive a template to work from, and REI WBC representatives will be available to review your plan and make suggestions during the ongoing process.
Brought to you by REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

How to Create a Marketing Message So Customers Will Listen
2021-01-19 11:00 - 13:00
About

Clarify your marketing message to connect with customers and increase sales.
Most business leaders lost thousands of dollars when COVID-19 hit because they weren’t prepared to sell online. Bricks-To-Clicks® provides marketing workshops to help small businesses clarify their marketing message to connect with customers so sales increase.
The Missouri SBDC is offering three online courses to help business owners clarify their message to connect with customers and boost cash flow. Each course will be two hours in length and delivered online via Zoom.
Most companies waste an enormous amount of money on marketing. This course explains the Storybrand marketing framework. The instructor helps business owners create a one-liner to connect with customers to boost sales. A How to Create a One-Liner handout will be given to participants.

How to Find and Get a Small Business Grant
2021-01-19 12:00 - 13:00
Small business grants are an entrepreneur’s dream, because they offer money that does not have to be repaid. But finding, applying for and winning small business grants can be daunting.
In this webinar, presented by Education Director of Nav Gerri Detweiler, you’ll learn:

The main sources of grants, including both private and federal grants
Tools for researching small business grants
Application tips to increase your chances of being successful
Is there really free money to start a business?
The current state of COVID-19 small business grants

Presented by Gerri Detweiler
Gerri Detweiler has more than twenty years of experience guiding individuals through the confusing world of credit, and has earned a reputation as a reliable and independent resource
Gerri serves as Education Director for Nav, the first site to give business owners free personal and business credit scores and tools to build financially healthy companies. There she develops educational programs and content for small business owners, and works on advocacy initiatives.
Sponsored by Nav

How to Use Email Marketing to Grow Your Business
2021-01-19 13:00 - 14:30
Join us for an interactive online Q&A session that’ll teach you how to start, grow, or scale your email marketing to make more profit.

About this Event

Future Proof is a program that assists businesses with identifying new markets, pivoting their business model, and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. Join via Zoom link below.

Email is one of the oldest and easiest ways to make money in e-commerce for businesses of any size. Today, whether you’re selling online or in person, effective email marketing can create a steady flow of predictable and consistent sales that can become a major source of income for any business.

Email may seem intimidating, but it’s incredibly easy to start, maintain, and grow an email list that converts for any small business.

Join us for an interactive online Q&A session that’ll teach you how to start, grow, or scale your email marketing to make more profit.

Join us for a short presentation on
● How any business can start using email today to generate sales
● Tools and tricks that make email marketing almost automatic
● How to grow your email list and drive sales online

Followed by a Q&A session where
● We’ll discuss some of the unique challenges small business owners are facing and how to deal with them
● You will get the opportunity to have your questions answered by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges you’re going through

Sign up today to secure your spot and start growing your business.

Please register and complete the survey questions upon checkout. Please note that this session will be recorded. Join via Zoom here at 2pm.

Virtual Training: Quick Books Desktop: All About Transactions
2021-01-20 13:00 - 15:30
Join us to hear from a certified QuickBooks pro advisor and learn all about Transactions:

Writing a check or using a debit card
Reconciling accounts
Invoicing your customer
Recording payments
Creating a purchase order
Paying bills and Banking
Assets & Depreciation
Managing Liabilities

There will be plenty of time for discussion with the expert and an addition “tips and shortcuts” sheet provided at the conclusion of the virtual session.
Presenter: MJ Brienen, QuickBooks Pro Advisor
MJ Brienen is a seasoned professional focused on helping businesses in many stages of development to set-up, maintain, or fix their QuickBooks systems. She works to help uncover the secrets to QuickBooks® and how the program can be used most effectively by businesses. Brienen has a background in banking, sales, project management, and working with websites.
Workshop Provided by: Back Office Success and REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

BUSINESS SMART WORKSHOP
2021-01-21 09:00 - 11:00
Topic: Business Basics

Business Smart workshop will focus on successful ways for starting and operating a business. Topics to be covered include business planning, marketing, budgeting and financing options. After the seminar attendees will continue to receive counseling on an individual basis to address specific needs.
Speaker(s): OKSBDC
Co-Sponsor(s): OKSBDC
For questions or inquiries, contact James Arati – Tel: 405 321 4774

Fee: No Cost

Virtual Event: Understand SBA's 8(a) Certification
2021-01-21 10:00 - 11:00
If you’re interested in selling supplies or services to federal agencies and think you might qualify as a small disadvantaged business, this session is for you. The federal government’s goal is to award at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses each year as part of the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program. Joining the 8(a) program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts and helps provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities.
In this online session, presenter Lesa Steele with REI Native American Business Center will discuss:

Benefits of SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program
Qualifications and Eligibility
How to begin the certification process

We’ll have plenty of time for Q&A with the presenter at the end of the session, so come ready with your questions!
Presenter: Lesa Steel, REI Native American Business Center Coordinator
Workshop Provided by: REI Women’s Business Center
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

What's New with PPP and Other Relief Options for Small Businesses
2021-01-21 12:00 - 13:00
After months of waiting for much-needed relief, small businesses are finally getting renewed support from the federal government. The new stimulus package approved by Congress comprises $900 billion in virus relief funds, including $284.5 billion to reopen and strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for first time and second time borrowers.
Join this webinar, presented by Small Business Majority’s Brian Pifer, to learn more about what’s in the new relief package and ask questions about what this could mean for your small business.
Topics include:

PPP reauthorization and important changes
Advance grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program
SBA Debt Relief Program
Additional policies and resources for small businesses

Presented by: Brian Pifer

Brian oversees Small Business Majority’s Entrepreneurship Program and Venturize.org platform, which deliver key education and resources to entrepreneurs seeking to start and grow their business.
He builds partnerships with organizations that serve small business owners, evaluates the program’s activities and impact, and oversees the development of Venturize to ensure it is the one-stop hub for the nation’s entrepreneurs. He manages the website’s MatchFinder tool, which connects entrepreneurs to mission-driven lending partners.

How to Raise Money to Grow Your Business
2021-01-21 13:00 - 14:30
Join us for an interactive online Q&A session that’ll teach you how to raise money, whether you should, and how to do so effectively.

About this Event

Future Proof is a program that assists businesses with identifying new markets, pivoting their business model, and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. Join via Zoom link below.

In order to scale, your business needs money. Whether it’s for equipment, personnel, or marketing, the path to real growth is sometimes paved with capital your business just doesn’t have.

Getting the money, you need to grow your business isn’t an easy process or decision. How to convince people to give you money, who you should and shouldn’t take money from, and the terms of the loan or investment are all big and important questions that have massive implications on your business’ ability to thrive and survive.

Join us for an interactive online Q&A session that’ll teach you how to raise money, whether you should, and how to do so effectively.

Join us for a short presentation on
● How to raise money for your business
● Sources of money to look for and avoid
● How to calculate how much money you need

Followed by a Q&A session where:
● We’ll discuss some of the unique challenges small business owners are facing and how to deal with them
● You will get the opportunity to have your cash flow questions answered by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges you’re going through

Presented by Andrew Patricio, Owner at Bizlaunch

Sign up today to secure your spot and start growing your business.
Please register and complete the survey questions upon checkout. Please note that this session will be recorded. Join via Zoom here at 2pm.

Virtual Training: Make Better Business Decisions with Analytics
2021-01-25 14:00 - 15:00
Date/Time:
January 25th, 2021
Start Time: 2:00 pm
End Time: 3:00 pm

Learn best practices and analyze trends about how customers engage with your business online, then turn these insights into well-informed, actionable decisions.
IN THIS SESSION, WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO

Identifying business goals and how you plan to use your online presence to achieve them
Incorporating data into your marketing plan
Selecting tools to help you find the answers you need

Presenter: Maria Elena Duron, Grow With Google Professional Trainer
Workshop provided by REI Women’s Business Center
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Creating Your Operational Budget
2021-01-26 13:00 - 14:00
Join us to learn how to create a simple operational budget for your business. An operating budget helps you strategize for a profitable business and allows you to plan for low earning or high spending months. A budget guides your spending decisions and motivates you to stay on track with your revenue goals. Also, if you are applying for small business grants, funders may require you to submit an operating budget with your application.
In this webinar, we’ll discuss the budgeting process and use IDRS’ Cash Flow projection tool to develop a budget that you can use to manage your business. You will learn how to estimate sales and expenses and where you can go to get information that you can use in creating your budget. And because creating a budget is an important planning tool for both business and the family, the principles in this workshop will be helpful for creating a family budget too.
This workshop is FREE and OPEN to ALL community members. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, January 26th at 11:00 am Pacific / 12:00 pm Mountain / 1:00 pm Central. This workshop will be delivered online utilizing the Zoom platform. The workshop can be taken on computers and smartphones.
About our presenter:
Mark Thompson serves the Executive Director of Indian Dispute Resolution Services. He also guides the IDRS Acorn Project, IDRS’ microenterprise development program, where he provides entrepreneurial training and technical assistance to Native American entrepreneurs and works with businesses operated by Native American tribes to conduct feasibility studies, develop business plans, establish internal accounting procedures and secure grant funding to further economic development through the creation of small businesses in Indian Country.
Outside of his work for IDRS, Mark has formally been involved in several small businesses including a real estate company, a restaurant, and a mobile disc jockey service. Mr. Thompson received his BS in Business from University of California, Berkeley and completed the Juris Doctorate degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. He lives outside Sacramento, California where he and his wife Mandi operate a small horse boarding facility and are raising two children, Zane and Marina.
This workshop is being funded in part by the USDA Rural Development, the Small Business Administration, and the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

Virtual Training: The Perfect Customer: How to Identify Your Target Audience
2021-01-26 13:30 - 15:00
Date/Time:
January 26th, 2021
Start Time: 1:30 pm
End Time: 3:00 pm

As a small business, you want to ensure that the efforts you put into marketing and advertising are working. Join us for an interactive workshop that will help you identify your target audience and “work smarter” to align your marketing efforts to reach the ideal customer.
Presenter: Jessie Phillips, Kiamichi Technology Center District Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Workshop provided by Kiamichi Technology Center and REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Virtual Training: Protect Your Business From Fraud
2021-01-27 10:00 - 11:00
Join us to receive the latest information about fraud from a Certified Fraud Examiner. Learn to prevent, deter and detect fraud, ranging from general business to everyday life.
Presenter: Autumn Thurman, REI Senior Accountant
Workshop provided by REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

2021 Social Media Planning
2021-01-27 11:00 - 12:00
Are you stuck every week wondering what to post on social media for your business? Get to the end of the week and realize you forgot to post at all? Or are you continually missing fun post opportunities because you realized a social media “holiday” or another opportune digital moment has passed and you’re too late to capitalize on it?
In this 60 minute webinar, we will cover how to create a content calendar so you never miss another important date for your business again. Join social media expert, Roxanne Best, as she helps you plan for holidays, product launches and special events in advance!
The workshop will take place on Wednesday, January, 27th at 9:00 am Pacific / 10:00 am Mountain / 11:00 am Central. This workshop will be delivered online utilizing the Zoom platform. The workshop can be taken on computers and smartphones.
All Native entrepreneurs and community members are welcome. If you know of anybody that would be interested or could benefit from this webinar, please share it with them!
Roxanne Best (Colville) is a multi-talented and multi-disciplinary entrepreneur. Roxanne is a photographer and operates Roxtography in Omak, WA. She specializes in lifestyle portraits, special events, and business imagery. She is also a yoga instructor, culinary artist, storyteller, and small business consultant. She can be found at roxtography.com.
This workshop is being funded in part by the USDA Rural Development, the Small Business Administration, and the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

Business Operations
2021-01-27 13:00 - 14:30
From developing business systems to train and motivate staff, join for a session on business operations.

About this Event

Future Proof is a program that assists businesses with identifying new markets, pivoting their business model, and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. Join via Zoom link below.

Efficiency is the key to profitability and scalability. As a small business owner, it’s easy to become a bottleneck to the success of your business when, in reality, the best businesses are the ones that can run without you.

Streamlining operations allows your business to run more efficiently – creating more revenue with less effort. In this online interactive Q&A, we’ll discuss systems you can use to manage your business and how to train, motivate, and protect staff.

Join us for a short presentation on:
● How to develop systems to better manage your business
● How to protect your business and staff.
● How to train and motivate people

Followed by a Q&A
● We’ll discuss some of the unique challenges small business owners are facing and how to deal with them
● You will get the opportunity to have your questions answered by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges you’re going through

Sign up today to secure your spot and start growing your business.

Please register and complete the survey questions upon checkout. Please note that this session will be recorded. Join via Zoom here at 2pm.

Data Privacy - Why it Should be a Top Priority for Your Small to Medium-Size Business
2021-01-28 13:00 - 14:00
Small to medium-size businesses (SMBs) need to make Data Privacy a higher priority in today’s increasingly interconnected digital ecosystem.
Join Cybercrime Support Network (CSN) CEO & Founder Kristin Judge and Keeper Security CEO & Co-Founder Darren Guccione, as they discuss issues regarding cybersecurity, privacy, data governance and digital ethics.
In this webinar, you will learn:

What some of the data privacy regulations that are affecting SMBs today
The responsibilities and potential liabilities created by these regulations
How SMBs can take proactive steps to comply with complex regulations

Presented by Kristin Judge

After serving as an elected official, Kristin founded the nonprofit Cybercrime Support Network to serve individuals and SMBs impacted by cybercrime. She’s been called on by technology publications like SC Magazine and Government Technology, to share online safety tips.
Kristin was named SC Media “Women in IT Security Influencer” and “Woman of Influence” by the Executive Women’s Forum. At MS-ISAC and National Cyber Security Alliance she worked as a “technology interpreter” helping nontechnical people understand security.
Presented by Darren Guccione

Darren Guccione is the CEO and Co-Founder of Keeper Security, Inc., the creator of Keeper, the world’s most popular password manager and secure digital vault. Keeper software is used globally by millions of people and thousands of businesses.
Prior to Keeper, Darren served as an advisor to NinthDecimal (f/k/a JiWire), the leading media and technology service provider for the Wi-Fi industry. Prior to that, Darren was the CFO and Co-founder of Apollo Solutions, Inc., which was acquired by CNET Networks (now CBS Interactive).

Sponsored by: Cybercrime Support Network

Sponsored by: Keeper Security, LLC

Virtual Training: Getting Registered As A Federal Contractor
2021-01-28 13:00 - 14:30
This workshop will discuss registration processes and marketing for small businesses selling to federal agencies. As a small business you need opportunities for growth, the potential to pay good wages and keep quality employees. Have you considered governmental agencies as an additional revenue source? This session will discuss how to get started, and tips on marketing as a federal contractor.
Presenter: Ron DeGiacomo, OkPTAC Coordinator
Workshop provided by: Kiamichi Technolocy Center and REI Women’s Business Center
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Virtual Training: Learn The Basics of Google Ads
2021-01-29 14:00 - 15:00
Date/Time:
January 29th, 2021
Start Time: 2:00 pm
End Time: 3:00 pm

DESCRIPTION
In this workshop you will learn how to reach more customers and grow your business with Google Ads.
IN THIS SESSION, WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO
How to create an account and set up an ad campaign
How to write great ads, refine keywords, and include ad extensions
How to measure success
Presenter: Maria Elena Duron, Grow With Google Professional Trainer
Workshop is provided by REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823

Virtual Training: Business Basics: Financial Management
2021-02-02 08:30 - 10:30
Date/Time:
February 2nd, 2021
Start Time: 8:30 am
End Time: 10:30 am

Creating a sound financial foundation is essential to the longevity of a business. Discover what your balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow really mean. This Financial Management workshop will take the mystery out of creating a budget, setting up a financial dashboard, and will show you how to set up a healthy financial system. Both new and existing small business owners will benefit from this workshop.
Speakers from Francis Tuttle Launch Pad, Moore Norman Technology Center, Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma, OKSBDC and REI Women’s Business Center.
Partners: Francis Tuttle Launch Pad, Moore Norman Technology Center, Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma, OKSBDC and REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Shipping as a Small-Business Growth Strategy - Here’s What You Need to Know
2021-02-02 12:00 - 13:30
Small businesses have faced many challenges and hurdles since the pandemic began, but e-commerce continues to thrive. The rise in online shopping is likely to continue, making it more important than ever to offer shipping for your products.
Join this session where Jamie Mason, FedEx Sales Director, will share expert advice on getting started with shipping, how to save time and money, and insight on how small businesses can make the most of this opportunity for growth.
You’ll learn about:

How to make shipping part of your long-term growth strategy
Saving time and money with the right shipping services
Simplified shipping with online tools, creating an account, ordering supplies and more
Shipping specialty items like perishables, electronics and dangerous goods

Presented by Jamie R. Mason

Jamie Mason is a Managing Director of Field Sales for FedEx Services in Southern California, responsible for strategic direction, vision and execution in growing market share within the small to medium business segment.
Her passion for consultative selling stems from growing up with FedEx over the last 34 years while watching the company quickly adapt to change in the marketplace through innovation and technology.
Jamie’s first-hand experience allows her to help her customers use shipping to adapt, grow and stay competitive even in uncertain times.

Sponsored by

10 Ways to Successfully Market Your Business on a Shoestring Budget
2021-02-02 13:00 - 14:30
In this interactive Q&A, we’ll cover 10 ways that you can market your business so that you can market with intention and confidence.

About this Event

Future Proof is a program that assists businesses with identifying new markets, pivoting their business model, and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. Join via Zoom link below.

Everyone knows that they need to market their business, but not everyone knows how to do so in a way that makes money instead of wasting it. With all the tools available to modern marketers, it’s hard for small businesses to know where to invest their time and money with marketing, and how to tell whether it’s working or not.

Marketing, if done right, can help ramp up sales, generate masses of new customers, and create an entirely new revenue stream for your business. If done well, it can become a painful and embarrassing waste of time and money that leads to a lot of frustration and very few results.

In this interactive Q&A, we’ll cover 10 ways that you can market your business, so that you can market with intention and confidence.

Join us for a short presentation on
● Low cost and no cost marketing ideas any business can use
● How to know which marketing platform is right for you
● How to track, measure and tweak your marketing to save money and time

Followed by a Q&A session where
● We’ll discuss some of the unique challenges small business owners are facing and how to deal with them
● You will get the opportunity to have your questions answered by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges you’re going through

Presenter Marco Patricio
Marco Patricio is a storyteller, copywriter, and marketer that helps businesses create content and marketing that connects with their customers and drives sales. Marco has worked with businesses of all sizes to better tell their stories, from established brands like Shopify and Mozilla to small businesses of all sorts across every industry.

Sign up today to secure your spot and start growing your business.
Please register and complete the survey questions upon checkout. Please note that this session will be recorded. Join via Zoom here at 2pm.

Etsy Entrepreneurship
2021-02-02 13:00 - 15:00, 2021-02-03 13:00 - 15:00
About The Course
The IDRS Acorn Project and participating partners are hosting a series of free live online courses for artists and craftsmen who are interested in learning how to sell their goods through the world’s largest marketplace for handcrafted items.
The Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship class will help artists and craftsmen launch their own shops on Etsy to create pathways for supplemental income. Participants will learn the fundamentals of starting an online business and learn how to sell their products to new markets which is often a challenge for rural entrepreneurs. The course covers topics such as marketing, branding, pricing, product photography and the technical process of opening an Etsy store.
The live virtual Etsy class takes place over four 2-hour sessions for a total of 8 hours of instruction. As a participant in the class, you will receive a workbook that contains worksheets to help you gather and organize the information you will need to properly set up your store and create an effective marketing strategy. You will also receive access to a recording walking you step-by-step through the technical aspects of opening an e-commerce account on Etsy.
The next course will take place at the following times and dates.
11:00 – 1:00 PT | 12:00 – 2:00 MT | 1:00 – 3:00 CT | 2:00 – 4:00 ET
Tuesday, February 2nd
Wednesday, February 3rd
Thursday, February 4th
Friday, February 5th
Due to the high demand for this free course, space is limited and only 40 participants will be accepted. Please Click Here if you would like to apply for the Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship course. You will be notified of your acceptance by Friday, January 29th.
About the Instructor

The course is taught by award-winning Cherokee artist, MaryBeth Timothy. MaryBeth and her husband operate MoonHawk Art LLC, an art business located in Muskogee, Oklahoma which specializes in Native American and wildlife art.
MaryBeth creates new original art and offers her and her husband’s images on a variety of items, such as ceramic decorative tiles, coffee mugs, cuff bracelets and t-shirts. While MaryBeth primarily sells through venues such as gift shops, art markets, and powwows, she has been able to expand and reach a worldwide market through her MoonHawkArt Esty store.

Participating Partners

Virtual Training: Excel ~ Data Entry and Formatting
2021-02-03 10:00 - 11:30
Date/Time:
February 3rd, 2021
Start Time: 10:00 am
End Time: 11:30 am

This session introduces beginners to the basics of working with spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. We’ll cover basic terminology, strategies for efficient data entry, and simple spreadsheet formatting for improved use of your data. The presenter will create a simple worksheet and show some basic formatting options so participants can learn from a live demonstration.
We’ll have plenty of time for Q&A with the presenter at the end of the session!
Presenter: Chris Hennes, Pioneer Library System
Workshop provided by Pioneer Library System and REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Virtual Training: Quick Books Desktop: All About Reports
2021-02-03 13:00 - 15:30
Join us to hear from a certified QuickBooks pro advisor and learn all about Reports:

Reports in the Customer and Vendor Center
Sales Tax Liability Report
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets Reports
Creating Customized Reports
Filtering & Memorizing Reports
Sending Reports to Excel

There will be plenty of time for discussion with the expert and an addition “tips and shortcuts” sheet provided at the conclusion of the virtual session.
Presenter: MJ Brienen, QuickBooks Pro Advisor
MJ Brienen is a seasoned professional focused on helping businesses in many stages of development to set-up, maintain, or fix their QuickBooks systems. She works to help uncover the secrets to QuickBooks® and how the program can be used most effectively by businesses. Brienen has a background in banking, sales, project management, and working with websites.
Workshop Provided by: Back Office Success and REI Women’s Business Center.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. WBC and 7j programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services for clients with limited English proficiency will be provided if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Lori Smith, WBC Assistant at PO Box 1335, Durant, OK 74702 or call 800-658-2823.

Native AG Producer | Taxes and Finance Toolkit Series
2021-02-03 14:00 - 15:00
As tax season approaches do you want to learn more about how Native agriculture producers can prepare and complete forms like the Schedule F?
Join this series of webinars to learn how to be well prepared for lender meetings, thus cultivating a positive borrower relationship. We will cover preparing a balance sheet to convey your financial position; understanding the Sch. F tax form to share farm profitability; and telling your story to your lender, preparing a cash flow plan and other business planning tools.

Topic: Balance Sheets –
Speakers: Denny Everson and Pauline Van Nurden
Watch Here

Date: February 3rd 2pm CT
Topic: Taxes – Schedule F
Speakers: Rob Holcombe

Date: February 10th 2pm CT
Topic: Telling my story to a lender & modeling cashflow
Speakers: Denny Everson and Pauline Van Nurden
Hosted by the Mvskoke Fund
Delivered by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Farm Financial Management
Partners include Native360 Loan Fund
Sponsored by the Native American Agriculture Fund

You can join for all three events here!
