Homer Alaska - Business

The deadline to register for those events is at 5 p.m. today.

Bryan Zak, director of the South West Region Alaska Small Business Development Center, will conduct a "Business Start-Up Workshop." The workshop will help participants identify skills they need, as well as information and resources required to start a business in Seldovia. Zak will walk participants through the basic process to help launch new businesses in the right direction.

The workshop is free. It will be from 1-3:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Seldovia Village Tribe conference room.

Zak will lead a "Everyone Needs a Business Plan" workshop from 3:45-6 p.m. Sept. 27 also at the SVT conference room. It also is free.

Zak will show participants how to strengthen their business plan by creating meaningful narratives that describe their business goals, establish budgets, plan strategies for marketing and evaluate successes and failures.

On Sept. 28 and Sept. 29, Zak will present the "Profit Mastery Seminar." This 16-hour, DVD-based course is designed to help participants chart a course for the future of their business and leave with a process to access their business performance and a strategy to implement change. The course includes quizzes, discussion, guided practice and real-life application.

The first part of the class includes overcoming common business problems; learning the seven steps to fiscal fitness; understanding the key drivers of success and failure in business; understanding one's financial position; using tools to take control; and identifying the key areas that need management action.

The second part of the class covers evaluating the financial performance of a business, using financial information to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities; and creating a scorecard using ratios and industry benchmarks.

Cost is $395. Registration is encouraged as soon as possible.

For more information about the classes, call (907)-260-5629 or e-mail inblk@uaa.alaska.edu.