Pathways Into Business…Creating Your Successful Business Plan

Planning is an essential task to launch and grow your business. While many businesses have been created without creating a business plan, almost all businesses do some sort of planning, even if on the back of a napkin. The Pathways Into Business workshop will introduce you to business planning and walk you through the components of a business plan so that you will know what questions you should be answering as you begin your business journey.

Join us on Wednesday, January 5th at 5:30 pm Pacific for the first of four sessions on the business planning process. In this workshop series we’ll:
* Identify the components of the business plan and which are the most important answers you need to start your business
* Describe your products and services and learn the importance of emphasizing benefits to your customers
* Test the feasibility of your business and explore your potential customers and competitors
* Learn about different methods to finance your business

The workshop series consists of four sessions:
Session 1 (Planning) – Wednesday, January 5th at 5:30 PM Pacific.
Session 2 (Products) – Wednesday, January 12th at 5:30 PM Pacific.
Session 3 (Market Research) – Wednesday, January 19th at 5:30 PM Pacific
Session 4 (Financing) – Wednesday, January 25th at 5:30 PM Pacific

This workshop will be delivered online utilizing the Zoom platform. The workshop can be taken on computers and smartphones.

Registration is open to participants of the Owens Valley Career Development Programs.  Please contact Amara Keller at akeller@ovcdc.com for registration information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

About Your Presenters:

Lynn Wilson (Cherokee) serves as the Microenterprise Development Specialist for the IDRS Acorn Project. She has championed small businesses and entrepreneurs for 16 years working with tribal communities across Indian Country. Lynn’s work has focused on entrepreneurial training, business counseling, economic and demographic and social research related to economic development. For nine years she taught part-time for the School of Business and Technology at Rogers State University and she most recently joined the staff at IAIA teaching Advanced Entrepreneurship under the Business and Entrepreneurship certificate program. Lynn received her M.B.A and Professional Certification in Entrepreneurship from Cameron University and is a certified market research specialist through the National Center for Economic Gardening. She lives in Claremore, OK with her husband Clint (also a citizen of Cherokee Nation) and their two sons, Chandler and Quinton.

Mark Thompson serves the Executive Director of Indian Dispute Resolution Services.  He also guides the IDRS Acorn Project, IDRS’ microenterprise development program, where he provides entrepreneurial training and technical assistance to Native American entrepreneurs and works with businesses operated by Native American tribes to conduct feasibility studies, develop business plans, establish internal accounting procedures and secure grant funding to further economic development through the creation of small businesses in Indian Country.

Outside of his work for IDRS, Mark has formally been involved in several small businesses including a real estate company, a restaurant, and a mobile disc jockey service.  Mr. Thompson received his BS in Business from University of California, Berkeley and completed the Juris Doctorate degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. He lives outside Sacramento, California where he and his wife Mandi operate a small horse boarding facility and are raising two children, Zane and Marina.

This workshop is being funded in part by the USDA Rural Development, the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, and MUFG Union Bank Foundation.