Small Business Workshops 

For more information about the Small Business Development Program contact Gene Talsky at 413-586-5855 ext. 23 or grt@valleycdc.com.

Valley CDC's Small Business Development program provides comprehensive pro-active support for entrepreneurs planning to launch their own businesses, and for owners of existing small businesses.  Valley CDC helps:

• Small business owners
• Entrepreneurs with an idea or planning to launch a business
• Creative artists and artisans
• People who want to turn their avocation into a vocation
  

Our services include one-on-one counseling, workshops and seminars, and credit counseling for both entrepreneurs and small business owners.

One-on-One Counseling helps entrepreneurs:

• Establish your personal and business objectives
• Research and analyze your markets and competition
• Structure your products and services, and establish pricing
• Determine the best marketing and distribution methods
• Lease retail/office location
• Web site E-commerce
• Wholesale to distributors, retailers and other re-sellers
  
• Develop a realistic business plan
• Develop financial and cash flow projections - likely, blue sky, worst case
• Prepare documentation for obtaining financing from financial institutions
• Provide credit counseling when appropriate
  
• Comply with federal, state and local regulatory requirements
• Develop cost effective marketing materials and marketing campaigns

One-on-One Counseling helps small business owners:

• Better understand your markets, and how well your products and services meet the needs of your customers/clients/prospects
• Get a better handle on managing the financial aspects of your business
• Cash flow projections
• Bookkeeping/accounting tools and procedures
  
• More effectively manage employees and contractors
• Prepare documentation for obtaining financing from financial institutions
• Provide credit counseling when appropriate
  
• Develop/update your business plan and financial projections based upon actual market reality

Workshops and Seminars include:
Valley CDC conducts series of business and technology workshops several times each year. To see what we currently offer please see our training page.

Valley CDC's workshops are conducted by professional instructors and by Valley CDC staff. Typically they are conducted in the early evening, Monday through Thursday, and run for approximately 3 hours.  Some 6 and 12 hour workshops are conducted over several weeks. You can learn more about our workshops, including schedules, on the Valley CDC Business Development Training page.

Financing and Credit Counseling
Valley CDC does not manage its own loan fund.  We help our clients obtain loans and lines of credit by introducing them to commercial lending officers, and by assisting in the preparation of loan applications.  When appropriate, we refer clients to our in-house credit counselor, should they need help strengthening their credit standing before applying for credit.  We work closely with local, regional and national banks, and with community loan funds.