Wednesday, October 10, 2001

Classes offered for Fayette's small businesses

Clayton College & State university's Division of Continuing Education's Small Business Development Center is now offering "Fayette Small Business Success Series" at the Fayette County Development Authority.

This series is designed to help small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The seminars are 1.5-hour monthly seminars that are targeted to help local residents interested in starting businesses, to help existing small business owners grow and expand, and to provide support for established industry.

Attendees will learn basic management skills and practical information for start-ups and existing businesses.

Topics will cover updating skills in certain management, marketing and financial areas.

The complete series of class is suggested for pre-start-up or early stage companies. Each class is $49, or $240 for all six classes.

Classes are scheduled every other Monday evening through Nov. 19 on the third floor of the historic Fayette County Courthouse, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Topics include how to start your own business, writing a business plan, financing your small business, marketing on a shoe string budget, understanding financial statements and income taxes for small businesses.

Marketing on a shoestring budget, the fourth seminar taught Oct. 22, will enable attendees to learn how to get a bigger bang for their marketing buck by using their brains instead of their wallets.

Attendees will also learn effective, low cost and no-cost strategies to improve sales and build the bottom line.

The Nov. 5 seminar is on understanding financial statements a plain-English approach to the "language of business."

Attendees will learn to read and understand basic financial statements including the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.

Attendees will also learn to use financial statements to improve the profitability of their small businesses.

This course is designed for small business start-ups and owners or managers who want to take the mystery out of accounting.

The final seminar, to be taught Nov. 19, is income taxes for the small businesses. This will cover the ins and outs of both federal and state income taxes.

Attendees will learn how their business forms; sole partnership, S Corp, etc. affect how much tax one pays and which form is best for their business.

Attendees will also be able to get a plain English explanation of all required tax forms, deductible expenses, estimated taxes, tax deadline, and tax reduction strategies. This seminar is to be led by an experienced CPA.

For information phone Henrietta Cowan at 770-961-3440.

Clayton College & State University, a state university of the University System of Georgia, is in Morrow, in Atlanta's Southern Crescent.

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