SCL Biz: Everything Business in Sonoma County

“In this workshop, you’ll laugh as you learn where your time is actually going, how your personality style can drive your decisions about how your time is spent, and perhaps most importantly, learn how to prioritize that to-do list once and for all! If you live with that sinking feeling that the pile is too high and time is too short- this workshop is for you!” Presented by Redwood Empire SBDC Instructor Karin Iwata.

November 20, 2008 • 1:00 - 5:00pm
Redwood Empire SBDC, 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa

Information & Reservations or call 1-707-524-1776

NorthBay biz, the monthly magazine for business in Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties has a great new service for local businesses: you can post your press release online, you can also sign up for notifications of press releases in your industry, and you can browse all of the online press releases or search by keyword, industry, city or county.

Check out Biz News

“Creating a plan has never been easier than using the One Page Business Plan system. This concise process will bring new energy to your business and you’ll find that the greatest value is developing a one year action plan that guides your business decisions and focuses your limited resources where they will be most productive. Any business owner who needs a written business plan will benefit from this workshop.”  Presented by Redwood Empire SBDC Instructor Cynthia Riggs.

November 17, 2008 • 9:00am - 1:00pm
Redwood Empire SBDC, 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa

Information & Reservations or call 1-707-524-1776

“The number one reason people leave their jobs is because of their supervisor. This interactive class will help you to be a better supervisor by helping you be more user-friendly to those you supervise. You will learn three key practices that will lower turnover in your organization, improve morale and increase productivity. The three keys are deceptively simple but produce extraordinary results: Key One: Relationships The foundation of all good supervision. Learn the why and how of building relationships with those you supervise and the danger areas to avoid. Key Two: Clear Expectations This key that will save time and trouble. Learn how to be clear about expectations from day one and beyond. Key Three: Effective Feedback This key ties it all together. Learn how to address what is working and what is not working. ” Presented by Rita Sever, MA.

November 15, 2008 • 9:30am - 12:30pm
2702 Maggini Hall, Santa Rosa Campus

Information & Reservations

Hosted by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board: Back by popular demand, register today to hear Dr. Christopher Thornberg’s state and local economic forecasts. This leading analyst will discuss the future of California’s economy, the real estate market, and how your business may be affected in 2009.

November 14, 2008 • 7:00 -9:00 am
Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel, 170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa

Information and Reservations (Reservation Deadline November 7)

“In this lively and interactive workshop, you will define what customer service means to you and assess how your business is currently doing on the 5 key dimensions of quality service that customers want to experience most. Using those 5 key qualities you will devise simple, powerful and customized strategies you can implement immediately to not just meet your customer’s expectations but to exceed them!” Presented by Redwood Empire SBDC Instructor Karin Iwata.

November 13, 2008 • 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Redwood Empire SBDC, 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Information & Reservations or call 1-707-524-1776

The North Bay Business Journal is presenting this conference on the latest health care trends impacting you, your company, your employees, and your community. Dr. David Greenberg, a professor and vice president of special research for the Buck Institute for Age Research, is the keynote speaker and there will also be two panel discussions: “New Approaches That Work” and “Meeting Employers’ Needs.”

November 12, 2008 • 8:00 - 11:30am
Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel & Spa, 170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa

Information & Reservations

“Learn to develop your invention, product, idea or service and get it to market. Research and protection of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks and copyrights.”  Presented by Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center Instructor, Steve Schneider.

The workshop is repeated on four dates:
November 12, 2008 • 9:00am - Noon
January 14, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon
February 11, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon
March 11, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon

Participants MUST ATTEND Success Through Invention Workshop Prior to Attending Product Development for Inventors. It is repeated on these three dates:

November 26, 2008 • 9:00am - Noon
January 28, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon
February 25, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon
March 25, 2009 • 9:00am - Noon

Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center
606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa

Information and Reservations or call 1-888-346-SBDC

Presented by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and the City of Santa Rosa, the Fifth North Bay Growth & Innovation Forum in Santa Rosa, will not only showcase selected companies [see SCL Biz], they will have all day events for everyone:

RAPID ROUNDTABLES:  The 30-minute table-top discussion sessions are designed to quickly deliver immediately usable information for business owners coping with today’s challenging economic climate. Attendees will choose to sit in on three separate table discussion sessions on:

• Guerilla Marketing – Five Ways to Drive Sales
• Creative Financing – It May Be Easier Than You Think
• Crisis Management – There is a Good Solution When It Hits the Fan
• Smart Pitch to Banks, Angels, Venture Capitalists or Other Investors
• Business Planning to Get Fast Results
• A Dollar Saved is a Dollar Earned – Tips to Trim Costs
• Increasing Productivity by Developing Your Human Capital.

The  event starts at 9:00 am with a discussion by SSU Business School Dean Bill Silver and North Bay Business Journal editor Brad Bollinger on “How Can the Entrepreneur Take Advantage of the Down Market.”

November 13, 2008  • 9:00am - 7:00pm
Hilton Sonoma Wine Country Inn,  3555 Round Barn Boulevard, Santa Rosa

Information & Registration

“Are you new to operating on the Internet or looking for ways to improve traffic to your website? This basic e-marketing class will teach you how to use your website as a marketing tool. Topics include:

• how to create high impact, high response websites
• how to increase popularity and average viewing time
• how to work with the Internet as a whole in your marketing plan
• how to achieve higher rankings in search engines
• how to do online advertising with AdWords and Pay-per-Click
• how to encourage viewers to return
• how to determine how well your website strategy is working”

Presented by Cathy Balach.

November 8, 2008 • 9:00am - 1:00pm
2702 Maggini Hall, Santa Rosa Campus

Information & Reservations

“In this fun and interactive workshop, participants will complete a self-assessment to identify their dominant personality style and its inherent strengths and weaknesses. Using this information, you will come to understand how four personality styles influence team dynamics and ways you can use that information to optimize the strengths of each team member and the team as a whole.”  Presented by Redwood Empire SBDC Instructor Karin Iwata.

November 6, 2008 • 9am - Noon
Redwood Empire SBDC, 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Information & Reservations or call 1-707-524-1776

“Every business needs to grow and prosper even in changing environments.This interactive workshop goes beyond customer service to help you focus on understanding customer loyalty, building business and personality skills, building telephone skills, master lost customer recovery skills practice active listening, building a quality assurance program and much more!”  Presented by Redwood Empire SBDC Instructor John DeGaetano.

November 4, 2008 • 1:00-4:00pm
Redwood Empire SBDC, 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa

Information & Reservations or call  1-707-524-1776

The Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center offers these three low-cost workshops for everyone considering their own business venture:

Pre-Venture training is a series of training sessions on business fundamentals for people who have developed a business concept, and initiated the planning process to start their business. Upon completion of modules I,II,III and completion of a business plan, the attendee will be assigned a core counselor.

Upcoming dates:

Module 1: Planning and What to Consider When Starting a Business & Legal Aspects of Starting Your Business
November 3, 2008 • 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Module 2: Marketing & Financing Your Business
November 10, 2008 • 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Module 3: Developing Your Business Plan
November 17, 2008 • 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center, Conference Room
421 Tenth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
1-888-346-SBDC

Online Reservations Reservations Required!