Montana District
Trainings & Workshops
May 2022
Note: There are many offerings this month (listed by date) so be sure to scroll all the way through to find the trainings your small business needs!
The Small Business Webinar Series: Mom-preneurs - You're Legit!
Date: 5/5/22
Time: 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM (MDT)
Registration Deadline: 5/5/22 11:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: No Fee
Point of Contact: Jason Nitschke (406) 750-0314
Program Format: Online Meeting (Live)
Training Topics: Managing a Business
Description:
To join the webinar, click here:
https://www.montana.edu/extensionecon/smallbusiness/
Topic:
As we lead into Mother's Day, we will take this opportunity to celebrate and mothers who operate businesses while also being moms. Whether you're a full-time founder or a home-based maker and side hustler, this webinar will celebrate your challenges and provide guidance on how to take your business to the next level. We will explore the research as to why parents make great entrepreneurs and tell share stories about how other moms make it work.
Open to non-moms, dads, and nonparents as well!
This is a 30-minute webinar from 11-11:30am Mountain Time.
Presenter: Presenter: Marguerite Thordarson, Business Advisor, Accelerate Montana - Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership Lab (W.E.L.L.) Women's Business Center (WBC)
Presenter Bio:
Marguerite is an Accounting graduate from the Gallagher School of Business at the University of Montana, specializing in managerial accounting, operations management, and financial analysis. She has an extensive background working with small business, consulting in the area of business finance, strategic development, manufacturing accounting, human resources, and bookkeeping best practices. She is the Business Advisor for the Women's Business Center in Missoula, a new program from Accelerate MT, also partnering with the Great Falls Development Authority and the Montana Native Growth Fund.
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To join the webinar, click here:
https://www.montana.edu/extensionecon/smallbusiness/
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Accelerate: Your Startup
Date/Time:
Module #1 5/6/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Module #2 5/13/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Module #3 5/26/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Module #4 6/3/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 6 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/5/22 4:00 PM (MDT)
Fee: $50.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Jason Nitschke (406) 750-0314
Location: 405 3rd St NW, Suite 203 Great Falls Development Authority, Great Falls MT 59404-4115
Program Format: Multi-session Course
Training Topics: Business Plan, Business Start-up/Preplanning
Description:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Accelerate: Your Startup is a four-session, 12-hour, business pre-accelerator workshop for pre-venture and early stage entrepreneurs using the GrowthWheel platform to help identify areas of focus, make decisions, and take action.
Each of the four modules will step through action-oriented tools in the following areas:
Business Concept
Customer Relations
Operations
Organization
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GROWTHWEEL PLATFORM:
https://www.growthwheel.com/whatisgrowthwheel
COHORT APPROACH:
The cohort approach will create a team of like-minded entrepreneurs with the same goals. Participants will establish relationships with others experiencing the same challenges of starting and stabilizing a business.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Pre-venture entrepreneurs are potential business owners in the early stage of identifying their business ideas, determining their products and services, and who want to add structure to their planning prior to actually launching their business.
Early stage businesses are generally within the first three years of operations, but are in the process of trying to navigate the challenges young companies face. Those challenges often include identifying consistent customers, learning which marketing channels work and which don't, creating policies and procedures within the operation, and are figuring out how to be profitable.
COST TO PARTICIPATE:
$50 per person for the entire four-week (5/6, 5/13, 5/26, & 6/3) session, culminating in the graduation "Pitch & Pints" event tentatively planned for Wednesday, June 8th from 6-8pm.
WHAT YOU'LL HAVE WHEN THE COURSE IS DONE:
This course will provide actionable tasks to flush out and help define your customers, sales and marketing strategies, organizational structures that are best suited for your business in this market, and financial management abilities that you may not have picked up through previous life experience or formal education. In essence, you'll have a lean and actionable business plan that is ready to use.
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Power Up - May 10, 17, 24
Date/Time:
Session #1 5/10/22 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM (MDT)
Session #2 5/17/22 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM (MDT)
Session #3 5/24/22 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 10 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/10/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fees:
Non-Member $375.00
Prospera Member $300.00
2nd Company Representative $175.00
Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Shayna Blaser (406) 587-3113
Location: Prospera Business Center 865 Technology Blvd Suite 1, Bozeman MT 59718
Training Topics: Business Start-up/Preplanning
Description:
Instructor/Presenter: Karen Lum
Event Description:
This 3 session course has been specifically designed for individuals who are brand new to business, wanting to start a business, and new business owners or individuals looking to start a second business.
What you will learn:
- Clarity and fresh perspective about starting a new business
- Solid first draft of your Business Plan - In-depth understanding of your industry and competition
- Documented sales projections and marketing strategy based on industry research & geography
- Projected cash flow for one year
- Shared experience with other local entrepreneurs and subject matter experts
- Valuable resources and processes that support your business planning journey
PROSPERA CLASSES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Scholarships may be available for this course. Apply here: https://www.prosperamt.org/scholarship-requests
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Social Media Master Class | May 10th, 17th, 24th
Date/Time:
Session #1 5/10/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Session #2 5/17/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Session #3 5/24/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 1 place remains
Registration Deadline: 5/9/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fees:
Non-Member $375.00
Prospera Member $300.00 * Must be owner/employee of current Prospera Member business.
Second Company Representative $175.00
Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Shayna Blaser (406) 587-3113
Location: Prospera Business Center 865 Technology Blvd. Suite A, Bozeman MT 59718
Program Format: Multi-session Course
Training Topics: Marketing/Sales
Description:
Instructor/Presenter: Karen Lum of K Lum Consulting, Tessa Witmer of Lightbox & Hattie Rex, and Karoline Rose of KRose Company
Take your Google Business, Instagram, and Facebook Pages to the Next Level
This 3-session course will give you time with the experts to take what you have learned and implement it that day.
In this course, you will :
Identify your target audience well before you spend time and money
Get real about the resources you actually have to spend on marketing
Have interactive group discussions about each business’ target & approach
Learn why you need a content calendar and how to build one
Tessa Witmer from HattieRex and Lightbox Business will teach you about the social components of your Google Business page, including:
Using Google Business Posts to reach your ideal customers
Promoting products, events, and offers through Google Business Posts
Identifying keywords to speak your customers' language
Creating social proof by getting Google reviews
Utilizing best practices for responding to Google reviews
Karoline Rose from KRose Marketing and Consulting will teach you about Facebook, including:
Reaching beyond engagement to build a community on your page
Strategies for your monthly content calendar- working ahead
How to navigate Facebook Ad's manager
The correct way to set up an effective Facebook ad to lower your ad cost
When to run a FB ad and when NOT TO
Karen Lum from K Lum Consulting will facilitate the course and teach you about Instagram, including:
Why engagement is so critical to business success
Types of engagement
Useful tools to save time and stay on brand
Utilizing video / Why it matters / Ways to get started or expand your efforts
Trends and stats to determine where you spend your time
Don't miss this value-packed course. Seats are limited. Sign up today.
This class qualifies for Incumbent Worker's Training Funds. You can apply for the funds at this link: https://wsd.dli.mt.gov/employers/incumbent-worker-training-program/
If you would like an approved letter to upload for your IWT applications please email Shayna at sblaser@prosperamt.org and she will provide one for you at no charge.
*Scholarships may be available for this course. Apply here: https://www.prosperamt.org/scholarship-requests
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Phone Photography For Your Business
Date: 5/11/22
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Postponed
Registration Deadline: 5/11/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: $15.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Quincy Walter (406) 650-2524
Location: 54250 Us Highway 2, Wolf Point MT 59210
Training Topics: Internet/Web Training, Marketing/Sales, Social Media, Technology
Description:
Are you struggling to create share-worthy images of your products? Struggling to tell your story and to post it on social media?
Then look no further than our Phone Photography Class for Business Owners, Bloggers, and Influencers, hosted by Diana Proemm of Your Adventure Rx!
Join us on May 11th, 2022, from 9:00-3:00 in Glasgow at the Cottonwood Inn to learn how to take excellent environmental branding photos that show off your products! We encourage you to bring products that are easy to take outside with you to take pictures for your business.
This class is for real estate to boutiques to farm and ranch life. We want to help you take quality photos from the start that showcase your business and brand to help customers understand your story. The class will focus on iPhone/Android phone photography and the basic rules of photography (and when to break them), how to tell a story with your images, and lots more!
You will then combine these skills and put them into post-production to prepare the images for the masses. You may even walk away with a usable image for social media for that day!
The fee is $15 for lunch, so register today!
*We reserve the right to cancel a class if minimum enrollments are not met.
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Cybersecurity Basics for You and Your Business
Date: 5/11/22
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 18 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/11/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: $20.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Josh Bennett (406) 447-6944
Program Format: Online Meeting (Live)
Training Topics: Disaster Planning, Disaster Recovery, Internet/Web Training, Other, Tech Based Business Planning, Technology
Description:
You've heard about Cybersecurity, ransomware, and bad actors, but did you know that small businesses account for 43% of cyber attacks? Or how cyber attacks cost small businesses millions of dollars each year? Fortunately, you can quickly and easily implement strategies to help safeguard your information and business. Join an expert in the Cybersecurity field who will proved five security practices individuals should follow and five practices that you should institute for your business. No insider tech-talk, just straightforward information on how you can help protect yourself.
Jessica Ritchie is a founding member of the Digital Investigative Group (the DIG) which is a Montana-based Managed Security Services Provider. She is a certified project manager and has earned several cybersecurity-focused certifications. Jessica’s area of focus is compliance which was developed while she was an information security auditor and analyst for the Montana Department of Justice.
Instructions:
A link to the event will be sent out on May 9th.
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Website Bootcamp - Website in a Day - Great Falls!
Date: 5/11/22
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Full - the wait list is empty
Registration Deadline: 5/10/22 4:00 PM (MDT)
Fee: No Fee
Point of Contact: Rich Gannon (406) 836-2078
Location: Great Falls Development Authority 405 3rd St NW, Great Falls, MT 5940, Great Falls MT 59404
Training Topics: COVID-19 General Support, eCommerce
Description:
Does your business need a website? Are you intimidated or confused by the process? Would you like to learn how to create and manage your own business website?
Join us for an in-depth, one day training course, the Website Boot Camp - Website in a Day. This one day course will teach participants how to create, build and maintain a business website from start to finish including the creation of an online store. Small Business Development Center (SBDC) business advisor Rich Gannon will teach users how to create websites using the Wix design platform. Wix is a powerful, all-inclusive website design tool that is easy to use and requires no coding skills.
The course will be taught, in person, at the Great Falls Development Authority office. This is an all day training. You will be required to supply your own laptop.
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be eligible to receive one free year of Wix website hosting, a $275 value for free. The Wix hosting license will be available to boot camp participants who become active clients of the Great Falls area SBDC with additional one-on-one assistance available. Eligible users must also be eligible for services provided by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Resource Partner program which include startups and in-business for-profit entities.
Funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Montana Department of Commerce (MDOC), and Great Falls Development Authority, and is funded through the CARES Act.
Instructions:
Prior to class please have digital assets for your company available to access via the cloud. Email yourself your company logo, images and graphics you want to use...or upload them to Dropbox, Google Drive or some other cloud based tool so you can access them during the class.
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Constructive Conflict--3 steps to Productive Workplace Conflict
LIVE EVENT (IN PERSON) LOCATION: Bozeman, MT
DATE & TIME: May 12, 2022, 12:00pm MDT FEE: $20.00 EVENT LANGUAGE: English
SHARE THIS:
Register Now
Address:
Montana Manufacturing Extension Center
2310 University Way
Building 2, Suite 1
Bozeman, MT, 59717
Dean Hampton and Mary Hampton of Hampton Resources will present an in-person workshop on Constructive Conflict--3 steps to Productive Workplace Conflict
It’s estimated that American companies lose $359 BILLION a year due to the effects of conflicts because of diminished work performance, low employee morale, and loss of revenue Learn about your dominant engagement style and those of your co-workers or team members. Learn to separate the people from the problem and get on the same side of the table. Recognizing the difference between your interests and your position is key to getting to a resolution that works for everyone involved.
Understand the 5 primary conflict styles (learn yours and how it intersects with others).
Separate the people from the problem--get people on the same side.
Separate your interests from your position.
KEY TOPICS
Human Resources
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Quickbooks Desktop Workshop
Date/Time:
General Session 5/17/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Session #2 5/18/22 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 12 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/16/22 4:00 PM (MDT)
Fee: $25.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Josh Bennett (406) 447-6944
Location: Helena College Room 002-003. , Helena MT 59601
Training Topics: Accounting/Budget, COVID-19 General Support
Description:
If you are interested in using QuickBooks for your business, or if you already do and would like to learn some new tricks, join QuickBooks ProAdvisor Wendy Weissman for a two day workshop May 17th and 18th in Helena. Wendy will take you through the foundations of QuickBooks as well as reporting, invoicing, tax tips, and other functionality.
The course is split into two sessions and one-on-one meetings.
The first session will be May 17th from 9:00-12:00 and will discuss the basics of QuickBooks and accounting terminology.
The second session will be May 18th from 9:00-12:00 and will cover more advanced functions such as reporting.
Each day from 12:30-4:30 Wendy will be holding one-on-one sessions with attendees to allow for a questions on unique QuickBooks issues. Wendy will schedule these meetings at the beginning of the first day.
Shannon Hahn from the Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program will also be available in the afternoon of both days to discuss business certifications.
Please note that this is the desktop version of QuickBooks, not the online version.
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Startup Roadmap
Date: 5/17/22
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 22 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/17/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: No Fee
Point of Contact: Kayla Vokral (406) 254-6014
Location: 222 N 32nd St Yellowstone Conference Room, Billings MT 59101
Training Topics: Business Start-up/Preplanning
Description:
Designed for individuals who would like to start their own business. This is a great overview of things to know about start-up costs, financing options, and business planning. A wealth of information and resources are provided free of charge.
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QuickBooks Desktop - Lewistown
Date: 5/19/22
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 16 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/19/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: $50.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Jason Nitschke (406) 750-0314
Location: 507 W Main St, Lewistown MT 59457-2603
Training Topics: Accounting/Budget, Cash Flow Management
Description:
For those new to bookkeeping and experienced folks alike!
This QuickBooks Desktop course is designed to help entrepreneurs and business managers understand how to best manage their money. And isn't it all about maximizing your profit?
QuickBooks Pro Advisor Wendy Weissman, owner of Wendy J Weissman, CPA PC in Great Falls, will take you through the basic elements of QuickBooks Desktop so you're more efficient in entering revenue and expenses, better able to run reports, and better able to communicate with your accountant come tax time.
The first part of the class will include an introduction to accounting. The second part will walk us through getting started in the program. And the remaining half day will go into more detail on reporting and additional functionality.
Small Business Development Center Director Jason Nitschke will also help you understand how to use reports to analyze the performance of your business.
Presented in partnership with Huffine McMillan Arntzen & Ruckman PLLP of Lewistown, the Montana Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, and the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce.
PLEASE NOTE: Organizers have access to 20 computers with the QuickBooks Desktop program loaded. If you choose to bring your own device, it must have QuickBooks Desktop loaded on it, not QuickBooks Online. We will not be able to provide QuickBooks Desktop licenses the day of the event.
Instructions:
Twenty computers will be available for use with versions of QuickBooks Desktop loaded. This course will not be addressing the QuickBooks Online platform.
This course if presented through a collaboration with Huffine McMillan Arntzen & Ruckman PLLP, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program at the Montana Department of Transportation, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce, and the Great Falls regional Small Business Development Center.
The class will run from 9-4pm with instructors available from 4-5pm for additional questions.
PLEASE NOTE: Organizers have access to 20 computers with the QuickBooks Desktop program loaded. If you choose to bring your own device, it must have QuickBooks Desktop loaded on it, not QuickBooks Online. We will not be able to provide QuickBooks Desktop licenses the day of the event.
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QuickBooks Desktop Payroll - Lewistown
Date: 5/20/22
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 19 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/20/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: $35.00 Registration Policies
Point of Contact: Jason Nitschke (406) 750-0314
Location: 507 West Main Street Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, Lewistown MT 59457-2603
Training Topics: Accounting/Budget
Description:
This QuickBooks course will train users of the Desktop platform how the program's Payroll functions work.
QuickBooks Pro Advisor Wendy Weissman, owner of Wendy J Weissman, CPA PC in Great Falls, will get into the nitty gritty of withholdings and processing payroll for your company.
Presented in partnership with Huffine McMillan Arntzen & Rickman PLLP of Lewistown, the Montana Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, and the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce.
Instructions:
Space is limited to 20 attendees, but a waiting list is being maintained. We may relocate the event if interest exceeds 20 and participants are able to utilize their own devices. If you would like to use your own device, it will need to have QuickBooks Desktop loaded. We will not have licenses available for use the day of the event. $35 price includes use of computers.
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Business Basics 2
Date/Time:
General Session 5/24/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Session #2 5/31/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Session #3 6/7/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Session #4 6/14/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Session #5 6/21/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Session #6 6/28/22 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 100 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/20/22 11:00 PM (MDT)
Point of Contact: Ashley Metesh-McCoy (406) 451-0101
Location: Online - at your own pace, Links and class info to be provided after registration., Missoula MT 59812-0001
Program Format: Multi-session Course
Training Topics: Accounting/Budget, Business Financing, Business Plan, Business Start-up/Preplanning, Cash Flow Management, Customer Relations, Managing a Business, Market Research, Marketing/Sales, Other, Woman-owned Businesses
Description:
Gain a high-level understanding of the second half of the process to start or progress a small business. This will include learning about; financial modeling and accounting principles, the daily operations of a business, financing a start-up, how to market, promote, and sell your product or service, and the intricacies of understanding your customer and use persuasion. Designed to women but open to all! This course empowers women with a vision to take actionable steps to move their idea forward. This course content is based on principles of lean startup and design-thinking methods.
Course Benefits
Gain a basic understanding of financial modeling and accounting.
Understand the ways that one can finance a start-up and what resources are available.
Learn how to market, promote and sell your product or service, understand your customer and use persuasion.
Get practice presenting and sharing your ideas.
Learn about what constitutes the daily operations of a business, key activities, and resources.
Develop skills to assess the success of your new product or service idea.
Explore the career choice of being an entrepreneur through the materials and also with your peers.
Provide information to decide if you might like to continue your education in graduate studies such as a focus or degree in Business Administration.
If you are already working in a company, learn how to be an intrapreneur and bring innovation and revenue opportunities to a business at any level.
Starts Tuesday May 24th, 2022, and ends Friday July 1st, 2022.
Online: work is done independently and autonomously to meet deadlines
Tuesday evening labs from 6:00-7:00 for questions, occasional guest speakers, and virtual relationship building with classmates (can also watch recordings of live sessions on your own time).
Spots Available: 100 (first-come, first-served)
Pre-requisites: while we recommend taking the original Pursue Your Passions course first to learn introductions to frameworks and gather validation, you can still take this course first if you want to jump in full force.
One month free in our Mighty Network online community that includes group business coaching and an open space to collaborate with other like-minded women
Instructions:
Register and pay at https://wellwbc.org/courses
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Value Proposition
Date: 5/26/22
Time: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM (MDT)
Status: Open - 8 places remaining
Registration Deadline: 5/26/22 8:00 AM (MDT)
Fee: No Fee
Point of Contact: Kayla Vokral (406) 254-6014
Location: 222 N 32nd St Yellowstone Conference Room , Billings MT 59101
Training Topics: Business Plan
Description:
Your Value Proposition is the reason why customers turn to your company over another. It solves your customer’s problem or satisfies your customer’s need. In this workshop you will work on discovering your company’s value proposition by answering these questions.
What value do you deliver to the customer?
Which one of our customer's problems are you helping to solve?
Which job are you helping the customer get done?
Which customer needs are you satisfying?
What bundles of products and services are you offering to each Customer Segment?
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