THE EDUCATION SERIES
Education Series
The Entrepreneur and Small Business Education Series is a partnership between the Downtown Long Beach Alliance and Long Beach State University’s Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The education series is focused on providing the tools and skills needed to start and run a successful business. The Entrepreneur and Small Business Education Series is an eight-week program. Long Beach State University will provide a certificate of accomplishment to those who complete the entire program, as well as the opportunity to apply for 3 months of business development services through MKCircle CEO Institute.
Sponsors
Curriculum schedule
The series is focused on providing the tools and skills needed to start and run a successful business.
Week 1 (January 20, 2024): The Value of a Business Plan
Mitch McNicol
- Structure of a BMC / Pitch deck
- Defining your Value Proposition
- Who is your customer
- Generating Revenue
- “Producing” your product or service
- Cost projections
- Elements of a business plan
- Organizational plan
- Elevator Pitch basics
- Putting it all together
Week 2 (January 27, 2024): All Things Accounting
Sabrina Lando
- Financial Literacy
- Basic accounting principles
- Types of accounting platforms
- Financial statements
Week 3 (February 3, 2024): Digital Marketing 101 + Finding Funding
Aleks Lason
- Design and construct your website
- Types of social and digital media
- Email marketing
Week 4 (February 10, 2024): Writing a Marketing Plan
Ali Kowsari
- Who are my target customers?
- How do I reach them?
- What channels do I use to reach them?
- How do I price my products/services?
- The 4 P’s (promotion, place, price, product)
- Putting it all together
Week 5 (February 17, 2024): HR Basics & Putting it All Together
Jeff Bentley
- When to hire your first employee
- Basics on rules & regulations when onboarding an employee
- Hiring a diverse team vs. a clone of yourself
- How to interview applicants – what to say/ask and not to say/ask
- Writing a position description
- Writing a training protocol that can eventually become a training manual
Week 6 (February 24, 2024): Where to Locate & Lease Negotiations
Austin Metoyer & Karie Armstrong
- Appropriately zoned site for your business
- Foot traffic and parking requirements
- Office specific requirements / suggestions
- Retail specific requirements / suggestions
- Restaurant specific requirements / suggestions
- Putting it all together
- Understand lease options
- Do I need a broker?
- Who pays for tenant improvements
- What can I negotiate
- Research the area prior to lease negotiations
- Putting it all together
Week 7 (March 2, 2024): How to Get Funding
David Ochi
- Traditional types of funding opportunities
- Non-traditional types of funding opportunities
- Applying for funding
- How to choose the right bank
- Access to Capital
- Resource: Expert panel on funding sources
Week 8 (March 9, 2024): Building Your Strategic Plan
Kenji Klein
- Setting 1 to 5 year goals
- Acquiring partners & customers
- Aligning with your value proposition
- Alignment with target marketing and value proposition
- What happens when there is a shock to the economy (e.g., Covid)
- Managing a good/stable cash flow
- Understand what happens if…
Week 9 (March 16, 2024): PitchMania
Participants present their business model at this end of workshop series celebratory event.
Sponsored by: 
Register for the Education Series
Date: January 20 – March 16, 2024
Time: Saturday mornings (in-person) 9:00 to 11:30 with an optional instructor and attendees Q&A until 12:00pm.
Location: Studio One Eleven (245 E. 3rd Street, Long Beach CA 90802)
Cost to Attend: FREE to attend for Existing and Potential Downtown Business Owners and CSULB Students (Value of $1,350)