My friend Kate Madden, President of Fresh Start Resumes LLC (www.freshstartresumes.com), recently attended one of the Small Business Courses offered by the Wharton School of Business.
So I asked Kate if she would be so kind as to write up a summary of the course for those interested in this course so they could get an “insider’s” look into what it’s all about.
So here it is….thanks for the feedback Kate!
I attended the First Step: Starting A Small Business workshop hosted by the Wharton Small Business Development Center in August 2010. We met for two evening sessions with a wonderful instructor/facilitator who has ‘been through the trenches’ of several successful start-ups.
It was a collaborative, round-table discussion for the most part - everyone participated, volunteered their business ideas and brainstormed improvements & strategies. We discussed all the issues that affect new businesses…from concept to completion.
Our instructor covered topics including: funding/financing, target market identification, personal dilemmas, mission statements, regulations, and support organizations (just to name a few).
We even had a guest speaker who attended a previous workshop (2009). James Hammarhead was in the final stage of opening up his own custom motorcycle shop and accessory line by the name of Hammarhead Industries (HHI) in downtown Philadelphia. It was exciting to hear his story and see how far he had come since sitting in our seats just a year earlier. http://hammarhead.com/manifesto/mission/.
As a new small business owner (Fresh Start Resumes LLC), I found it helpful to talk with other people in similar situations and hear from the experts. I was officially in business when I attended the workshop, so I had already experienced a lot of what was covered. However, I’m looking to expand into other areas outside of resume writing (ie. consulting/staffing) so it was still very helpful to me and got me thinking of things that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Wharton Small Business Development Center also offers a follow up Strategic Business Planning course that delves into the business plan development process. This 5-session workshop meets weekly and covers the Financial Model, the Business Model and the Action Plan. I haven’t signed up yet, but hope to soon.
Anyway, the cost for First Steps was reasonable ($50) and the motivation level was high. I started on my business plan for expansion immediately after the course. I’m 25 pages deep and counting.
I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to start their own business!
Kate Madden (President/Owner) - Fresh Start Resumes LLC
