SPCC offers entrepreneurship programs

February 5, 2010
CWN Staff

Entrepreneurship seminars for people who want to start home businesses and for displaced workers who’re thinking about starting their own companies are being offered by South Piedmont Community College in Monroe in February and March.

The college’s Small Business Center will offer the award-winning FastTrac ­NewVenture program free to displaced workers beginning Feb. 15. The program is a practical, hands-on business development series that helps budding entrepreneurs create business ideas and plan critical steps to a successful business launch, including how to identify and reach target markets, plan and man operations, set financial goals, fund the startup and more. Successful entrepreneurs will share tips and students will be coached by business-startup specialists.

FastTrac will be offered Mondays and Wednesdays, Feb. 15 through March 24, 4-7 p.m. in Monroe, 4209 Old Charlotte Highway. To apply online, visit www.fasttrac.org, click on “Program Locator – Get Started” and enter your ZIP code. Choose ­Charlotte Region Programs for Displaced Workers and follow the link for the SPCC location. The application deadline is Feb. 11.

Real Entrepreneurship through Action Learning classes for home businesses run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. for six weeks from March 2 to April 8 and 4-7 p.m. from June 8 to July 22 at SPCC’s Continuing Education Center in Monroe. This small-business course is free to qualified dislocated workers and will cover credit, home businesses, bookkeeping, pricing and cost management to prepare students to start a business. It includes topics such as marketing, research, financials, operations and writing a business plan. REAL also is offered as a credit course.

SPCC reports REAL graduates have an 87 percent success rate with their own businesses, compared to less than 25 percent nationally. REAL registration is $105, including materials. Seminars are $5 each. Visit www.ncreal.org for more information. For a detailed schedule, visit www.spcc.edu and click “small business centers.”

For more information on either program, call Vince Holloman at 704-290-5222.