Mountain BizWorks, a non-profit organization that helps small businesses in Polk County and other Western North Carolina areas start, grow and create jobs, will hold information sessions about its services at the Mountain BizWorks Hendersonville office at 508 N. Grove Street on the following dates:
• Monday, Feb. 20, 6-7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 28, noon-1 p.m.
These sessions are free and open to everyone. Attendees will receive an overview of services, and have an opportunity to ask questions.
As a non-profit community development financial institution, Mountain BizWorks (MBW) offers small business loans when bank financing is out of reach. Mountain BizWorks also provides a continuum of services to help businesses in Western North Carolina grow from pre-launch ideas to durable small businesses that create jobs. Services are designed to meet individual needs and can include business courses as well as one-on-one business coaching.
One of the most popular courses is Foundations, an eight-week business-training course that walks participants through the business-planning process and builds business. Clients evaluate and estimate start-up and overhead costs, determine profit goals, project cash flow, develop marketing plans and learn about necessary licensing and record keeping. At the end of the course, participants present and submit a business plan to the class and instructor. In the end-of-course evaluations, entrepreneurs have reported that their business skills have grown, leaving them better prepared to respond to and plan for the issues and challenges they will face in their businesses.
The next Foundations class will begin on March 5, from 6-9 p.m. (eight-week sessions) and will be held at the Hendersonville office. This course is open to all aspiring and existing business owners. Agriculture-related businesses will receive a special packet of relevant information and gain access to other resources.
For more information, contact Adriana Chavela at adriana@mountainbizworks.org  or 828-692-5826.
– article submitted by Joann Miksa-Blackwell