THE MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS LAUNCH CENTER
SPRING 2023 TRAINING COHORT

Developed and Administered by 
the VSU Center for Entrepreneurship

ENROLL HERE

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS TRAINING PROGRAM

Enroll

To enroll, simply click the enroll button and fill out the enrollment form. Training materials will be sent to the business address you provide post your completion of at least 50% of the cohort training webinars. These materials include
1. Get Prepared to Launch Your Dreams -Business Launchpad workbook that accompanies the self-paced certification, and the following timeless entrepreneurship books. 
2. The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups From Their Founding Entrepreneurs by David Kidder.
3. Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?: How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion-Dollar Business Empire by Reginald F. Lewis & Blair S. Walker.

Live & Recorded Webinars

You will have access to recorded and live training webinars during the cohort to help you grow your business on topics ranging from developing your business model to raising capital. 

Enrollees must register to access each of the live OR recorded courses. This enables us to track your progress.

Enrollees must complete at least 50% of the cohort training webinars (6) in order to earn a Certificate of Completion for this program.

Self-Paced Certification Program & Workbook

In addition to the live training courses, enrollees will have access to the "Get Prepared to Launch Your Dream - Business Launchpad," a self-paced certification workbook and online program that takes entrepreneur executives through:
-an assessment of the personal and managerial skills they possess to launch and operate a successful firm,
-business model/idea validation,
-personal net worth assessment,
-developing product descriptions and prices, target market identification,
-cost of goods sold calculation,
-operating expenses and profit and loss statement development. 

Participants can optionally earn an additional certification for completion of the Launch Your Dreams workbook and online program. This would qualify them for an application for seed investment grants and participation in pitch competitions through Virginia State University's VSU Center for Entrepreneurship and its Minority Small Business Launch if they are Virginia-based businesses.

Visit www.minoritysmallbusinesslaunchcenter.com, click on the Certifications tab, and select VSU Business Launchpad for more information or to enroll separately. 

Final Program Survey (Required)

Post completion of all sessions, complete the final survey here on how the program benefitted you, and how it can improve.

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Grow your business based on what you learned!

LIVE TRAINING WEBINARS

SPRING 2023

Small Business eVA Registration and SWAM & Micro Certification Day
Randy Brown, Business Services Manager,
Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity (SBSD) 
(Online and In-person Drop-in session at the VSU Center for Entrepreneurship)

Tuesday, February 28th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Via Zoom
10 AM - 3 PM Drop-In, Rm 102 
VSU Singleton Hall


Zoom Link To Join Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Free All Day Small Business Legal Counseling Sessions with
Attorney Doris L. Edmonds 


Tuesday, March 7th, 10-3 PM
(All Day Zoom Drop-In
Session)
Zoom Link To Join Live Session

Funding for University & Small Tech Firms via Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants - Robert Brooke, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)


Tuesday, March 21st 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Zoom Link To Join Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Small Business Human Resources Management Strategies with
Sachiko Wooten, Assistant Professor of Human Resources and Former Director for Academic Faculty Recruiting and HR
Programs at VSU

(Live Session)

Friday, March 24th 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Zoom Link To Join Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Creating and Understanding Small Business Financial Statements with Arthur Wharton, Ph.D., VSU
Associate Professor of Accounting 


Tuesday, March 28th 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM


Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 
(PLEASE NOTE: This previously scheduled live session has been converted to a recorded session. Access the recording for this session at the link above.)

Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap: Creating Your Corporate Exit Strategy Webinar" with Danielle Graves, Leadership Coach with The Aramint Group

Thursday, March 30th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Zoom Link to Join Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Free All Day Small Business Legal Counseling Sessions with
Attorney Doris L. Edmonds 


Tuesday, April 4, 10-3 PM
(All Day Zoom Drop-In
Session)

Zoom Link Recorded Session

How to Register to Do Business with the Federal Government
on SAM.GOV
with Michelle A. Wilson, President of Rock Creek Business Systems


Thurs., April 6, 2023,
11 AM-12 PM
 
Zoom Link Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Cohort Wrap-Up and Certificate Award Ceremony

Tuesday, April 18th
1:00-3:00 PM
In Person
Gateway Event Center
Virginia State University
2804 Martin Luther King Dr, Colonial Heights, VA 23834

RSVP HERE

ON DEMAND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING WEBINARS

SPRING 2023

Introduction to the VSU Minority Small Business Launch Center Program at Virginia State University

On Demand

Click Here To Register To View Prerecorded Session
(Available after live session date)

Business Models, Feasibility and Business Planning 101
with Patrice Perry-Rivers, Ph.D., Director of VSU's Center for Entrepreneurship


On Demand
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

How to Select Your
Ideal Business Legal Form
with Attorney Doris L. Edmonds


On Demand
(Click Here To Register To View the Prerecorded Session) 

How to Identify, Quantify, & Reach
Your Target Customers

On Demand

Zoom Link Recorded Session

Unique Strategies for Raising Capital

On Demand
Zoom Link Recorded Session

Intellectual Property Protection for Small Business: Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights
with Attorney Cheryl Black

On Demand

(Click Here to Register to View the Prerecorded Session)

Preparing Pitches to Investors, Competition Judges, & Banks

On Demand
Zoom Link Recorded Session

How to Do Business with the State of Virginia, Maryland, and the Federal Government 
with Randy Brown,
Virginia Department of Supplier and Small Business Diversity (SBSD), William Pocan & Giorgio Rashadd, III of the SBA

On Demand
Zoom Link Recorded Session

Recession and Disaster Management Strategies: Inflation, COVID, Supply Chain Management,
and the Unforeseen with
Simeon Harris, Senior VP of Commercial Lending for Towne Bank

On Demand
Zoom Link Recorded Session

Small Business Human Resources Management Strategies

(Supplement to Live Session; Prerecorded Session*)

On Demand
(Click Here To Register To View the Prerecorded Session)


PITCH COMPETITIONS & BAZAARS

SPRING 2023

Bring Your "A" Game Pitch Competition and Vendor Fair in Partnership with the Metropolitan Business League

Thursday, March 9th 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

VSU In Person Session
Gateway Dining & Event Center
at VSU

VSU Center for Entrepreneurship Student and Tri-Cities Community Pitch Prep (Virtual)


Wednesday, April 5th 3:30-4:30 PM
Zoom Link to Join Live Session
Zoom Link Recorded Session
(Available after live session date)

VSU Center for Entrepreneurship Student and Community In-Person Pitch Prep


Wednesday, April 12th 3:00-4:00 PM
VSU In Person Session
Location To Be Announced

VSU Center for Entrepreneurship Student and Tri-Cities Community Pitch Competition

Tuesday, April 18th 4:00-6:00 PM


VSU In Person Session
Location To Be Announced

Self-Paced Certification Program

Business Launchpad Certification

Completion of this certification training in addition to the live and on demand courses offered as part of the Minority Small Business Launch Center Program Cohort will earn you an additional certificate, provide you with access to a pitch deck, and qualify you to apply for seed investment funding offered through the Minority Small Business Launch Center at Virginia State University's VSU Center for Entrepreneurship. To access this training, visit the Certifications tab and select VSU Business Launchpad Certification at www.minoritysmallbusinesslaunchcenter.com .

WANT MORE RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT & GROW YOUR BUSINESS?
Visit the Minority Small Business Launch Center's site.

Contact Us:
VSU Center for Entrepreneurship
1 Hayden Drive
Singleton Hall, Rm 102
Virginia State University, VA 23806
Email: vsucenterforentrepreneurship@VAState365.onmicrosoft.com

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