START-UP USA Self-Employment Webcast Series Sponsored by: Start-Up-USA, funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor Virginia Commonwealth University Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC February 27, 2008 -- Community Small Business Development Resources Presenter: Cary Griffin, START-UP / USA, Co-Director of Technical Assistance March 5, 2008 -- Community Rehabilitation Providers and Creative Funding for Self-Employment Presenters: Beth Durkee, Allegan County Community Mental Health, & Dave Hammis, START-UP / USA Co-Director of Technical Assistance March 26, 2008 -- Family Support and Self-Employment Presenters: Dusty & Dale Dutton, Dusty's Puppets April 16, 2008 -- Medicaid Waivers: A Tool for Self-Employment Presenter: Molly Sullivan, Training & Technical Assistant Consultant START-UP / USA May 14, 2008 -- Small Business Development Center -- Business Planning and Implementation Presenter: Bill Wersell, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) July 9, 2008 -- Microloans and Small Business Loans Presenter: Patti Lind, The Abilities Fund Self-Employment Webcast Series The webcasts allow you to connect to live video presentations using your computer. Each presentation will take place on the specified day at 2:00 pm ET to 2:45 pm ET. Following the webcast, you will be able to ask questions to the presenters in an online chatroom. Each webcast is captioned. You will need a computer with Internet connection and RealPlayer (free software). Tech support is available through phone and email. For more information please contact: Teri Blankenship, tcblanke@vcu.edu, or (804) 828-2197. February 27, 2008 - Community Small Business Development Resources Cary Griffin One of the challenges facing potential entrepreneurs with disabilities is identifying the myriad of technical and monetary resources, agencies, experts, and opportunities available across the United States. This live webcast will outline many of the most common and important sources of support for business developers and owners and suggest strategies for partnering and leveraging opportunities for mutual gain. Progressive strategies for integrating rehabilitation capacity within the generic system will be presented, thereby avoiding the fiscal and societal costs of erecting parallel systems. Presenter: Cary Griffin, START-UP / USA, Co-Director of Technical Assistance March 5, 2008 - Community Rehabilitation Providers and Creative Funding for Self-Employment Dave Hammis Beth Durkee Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) and board members serve millions of people with disabilities daily in communities across the country. CRPs are constantly engaged in financial successes and frustrations in accessing, developing, maintaining and creating funding to provide the best possible services and choices to each person they serve. Self-employment often requires unique "creative funding" skills, social capital leveraging, and leadership of CRP employees and board members. This session addresses the ongoing experiences, successes and frustrations of Allegan, a CRP that is an early adopter of self-employment as choice for individuals with disabilities. Presenters: Beth Durkee, Allegan County Community Mental Health, & Dave Hammis, START-UP / USA Co-Director of Technical Assistance March 26, 2008 - Family Support and Self-Employment Dusty & Dale Dutton Now in the third year of her start-up business plan, Dusty Dutton can look back on the growth and development of Dusty's Puppets and see how valuable the early planning was to the current success. Dusty also understands the importance of the dedicated support from her Business Circle as well as her local service provider. As her business moves forward toward more self-sufficiency and stability, these on-going resources will remain critical to her continued success. This webcast will review the initial plan and progress to date, describe the development of her business income streams, and her vision of the future as Dusty's Puppets. Dusty hopes that her experiences will assist and inspire others who are interested in following their dreams as successful entrepreneurs! Presenters: Dusty & Dale Dutton, Dusty's Puppets April 16, 2008 - Medicaid Waivers: A Tool for Self-Employment Molly Sullivan A critical step in the business planning process is identifying the support services that business owners will need to assure success in implementing and maintaining their businesses. For people who are enrolled in and using the services provided through a Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver, there are unique opportunities for funding some of the disability specific support services. This live webcast will provide some examples of how waivers can and cannot be used in supporting a business owner with a disability. Tips for how to incorporate waiver services in the business resource plan will be provided as well as tips on how to learn more about the specific waiver programs in each participant's state. Presenter: Molly Sullivan, Training & Technical Assistant Consultant START-UP / USA May 14, 2008 - Small Business Development Center -- Business Planning and Implementation Bill Wersell A local Small Business Development Counselor can be a great assistant in the planning and implementation of a business plan. Because running a small business is a large challenge, a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can help a business owner or potential owner assess their skills and weaknesses, and then build a team of support that will allow the owner to focus on his or her skills and obtain assistance on weaknesses. This basic understanding is vital to the success and longevity of a small business. In this webcast, the focus will be on the level of service that can be expected by a person with a disability from the SBDC and the information that is needed from a SBDC counselor. Although face-to-face services are available throughout the country, there is limited access in some areas, and therefore information also will be provided on working online with the SBDC program. Presenter: Bill Wersell, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) July 9, 2008 - Microloans and Small Business Loans Patti Lind Planning for a business start-up is one thing, but finding funding for business start-up is yet another. Often, great business ideas are not implemented, because financial feasibility is not a focus during the business planning process. This webcast will review the components of financial feasibility during the business planning process, including adequate capitalization for business success. Micro and small business loan products will be discussed including local and national resources. Discussion points will address who is likely to qualify for a loan and what to do if an entrepreneur is not able to get a loan. Presenter: Patti Lind, The Abilities Fund Registration and Payment Information If you are a person with a disability and are interested in starting a business, please contact us for available scholarships to participate. Registration Options: 1. Register and pay online using Visa, Mastercard, AMX, Discover, or Purchase Order, go to http://www.start-up-usa.biz/training/webcasts.cfm. 2. Mail the registration form with your check made payable to VCU-RRTC. Attention: Teri Blankenship, VCU-RRTC, PO Box 842011, Richmond, VA 23284-2011. 3. Fax the registration form and P.O. to (804) 828-2193. We must have a copy of the P.O. to process your request. Be sure to include names and e-mail addresses of all participants. 4. Scholarships are available for individuals with disabilities. Contact Teri Blankenship at (804) 828-2197 or email: tcblanke@vcu.edu. For subscriptions, send a list of all individuals and e-mail addresses who are included in this payment. We must receive these names and e-mail addresses for registration. We also require the billing contact's name and address. Check the appropriate box below. Place a check by your selected option. ____Individual Subscription (Includes 6 webcasts & archives) $150.00 ____Agency Subscription (Includes 6 webcasts & archives for 5 computers) $550.00 at a single location For additional subscription options contact: Teri Blankenship at (804) 828-2197 or tcblanke@vcu.edu Individual Access to Single Webcast -- $50.00 each ___ Feb. 27 Community Small Business Development Resources ___ March 5 Community Rehabilitation Providers and Creative Funding for Self-Employment ___ March 26 Family Support and Self-Employment ___ April 16 Medicaid Waivers: A Tool for Self-Employment ___ May 14 Small Business Development Center -- Business Planning and Implementation ___ July 9 Microloans and Small Business Loans Agency Access to Single Webcast -- $175.00 each ___ Feb. 27 Community Small Business Development Resources ___ March 5 Community Rehabilitation Providers and Creative Funding for Self-Employment ___ March 26 Family Support and Self-Employment ___ April 16 Medicaid Waivers: A Tool for Self-Employment ___ May 14 Small Business Development Center -- Business Planning and Implementation ___ July 9 Microloans and Small Business Loans Contact Person: Agency: Billing Address: Phone Number: E-mail Address: Amount Enclosed: Be sure to provide the names and e-mail addresses for all participants. If you are a person with a disability and are interested in starting a business, please contact us for available scholarships to participate. This product was developed by Start-Up-USA, funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (Number E-9-4-6-0111). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position of policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products,or organizations imply the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Labor. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, political affiliation, or disability. If special accommodations or language translation are needed contact Katherine Inge at: kinge@vcu.edu or Voice (804) 828-1851 | TTY (804) 828-2494.