By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Those in business and those wanting to start a business are welcome to free small business workshops being held in south St. Joseph every Wednesday this month.
The South St. Joseph Development Corporation and the Center for Entrepreneurship at Missouri Western State University sponsor the workshops, which cover a separate subject each Wednesday.
Center for Entrepreneurship Director Annette Weeks says business owners always need to keep in mind the tripod of business.
“It’s product, marketing, and financial management,” Weeks tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “So, all three of those need to be strong for a business. Each business should be analyzing all three of those regularly for the strength of their business. Most of the workshops are around that.”
The workshops will be held each Wednesday evening in October, beginning at 6:30. There will be held at the InterServe Community Center. The cover subjects such as financing and the use of social media. Though held in south St. Joseph, they are open to everyone in the region.
Weeks says interest in starting a business has been on the upswing of late, beginning with the lockdown during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“During the pandemic, people had time to think about their businesses,” Weeks says, adding the time at home provided many with the opportunity evaluate their life. “So, many people had been dreaming about having their own business. So, we at the Center for Entrepreneurship; our numbers are high right now of people wanting to start businesses and write business plans and get all of that going.”
Weeks cautions potential business owners that they will need more than just their passion.
“There are many people who can be passionate about it, but putting the plan in place is many times a challenge. And, then, sustaining the plan,” according to Weeks. “Many of them enjoy starting it and they’re going off of that adrenaline rush for the first six months to a year, but eventually it becomes just implementing your plan and figuring it out that way, too. So, you want to make sure that you realize that have that and have it all in place before you invest your money and your time in launching a business.”
South St. Joseph Development Corporation Director Martha Clark says the workshops provide a perfect opportunity for those thinking about starting a business.
“There’s always an indication that I’m not sure that I should be doing this, but it’s what I really want to do and I always tell them well, you’re doing the right thing by checking it out with these workshops,” Clark says.
Click here for more information about the workshops.