Central Arkansas Area

ASBTDC Lead Center

To register for any of the following programs, contact the ASBTDC Lead Center at 1-800-862-2040 or 501-683-7700 or click on the Register Now button to register online.

Seminar Highlights: The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center presents "Starting a Business in Arkansas." This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect the success of your business, and discusses start-up requirements and common pitfalls that you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Business Guide and Feasibility Workbook!

Speaker: SCORE Representative & Metropolitan National Bank Representative

Cosponsor: Metropolitan National Bank & SCORE

Seminar Highlights: The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center presents "How to Write a Business Plan." No matter how large or small, all businesses must have a business plan! A business plan will help you define your concept, evaluate your competition, determine risks, and estimate your costs. This seminar will explain and illustrate the business plan format.

Speaker: ASBTDC Representative, SCORE Representative, and Metropolitan National Bank

Cosponsor: Metropolitan National Bank & SCORE

Seminar Highlights: Not sure where to begin with social media or why you should bother? Businesses of all sizes are using online tools like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to connect with customers. We'll show you five low-cost ways social media can bolster your current marketing efforts, and you'll leave with your own social media marketing plan. Learn which social media are a good fit for you, where your target customers are looking online, and what it could mean for your business if you aren't involved in social networking.

Seminar Highlights: Small businesses receive more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts each year through the SBIR and STTR programs. The Phase I Proposal Writing Workshop being offered by Arkansas Small Business an Technology Development Center can help your business move from SBIR applicant to awardee.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program provides federal funding for business and product strategies that meet federal research and development needs. Covering all 11 agencies that participate in SBIR and STTR (a sister program), the eight-hour workshop is for early-stage, first-time or unsuccessful writers of SBIR Phase I proposals. The event will be held at ASU ABI Building at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Instructor Sharon Ballard will focus on two areas key to winning SBIR funding: the work plan and the commercialization plan. Ballard will explain how to integrate knowledge of the state-of-the-art with the work plan, and how to master requirements unique to different federal agencies. Participants will receive guidance in researching government organizations, topics and financial and administrative requirements and will explore some specific steps to attract commercialization partners, even at the Phase I stage of the SBIR Program.

In addition, the workshop will offer tips for approaching and structuring working arrangements with large corporations on government contracts.

In contrast to informational seminars, this is an interactive, hands-on workshop, with in-class exercises using tools and techniques that help in writing more successful proposals. Proposal outlines from various agencies will be used, and each major proposal section will be considered in detail, with methods and techniques for covering each section. You will walk away with the essential elements of your Phase I proposal outlined.

Speaker: Sharon C. Ballard, President/CEO of EnableVentures, Inc.

Cosponsor: EnableVentures, Inc.