The African Leadership Group’s Business and Economic Opportunity Initiative will soon launch a six-week, intensive entrepreneurship workshop for current and aspiring business owners.
There will be two workshop cohorts of about 25 participants each, the first starting in April, the second in June. They are sponsored by Amazon.
Each workshop consists of 12 two-hour sessions spread over six weeks – on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
There is a $50 application fee and other than that, the workshop is free to participants. Anyone who needs help with the application fee should contact ALG.
People who are interested can apply by following this link.
Dr. Jamal Bowen, a Business and Economic Initiative member and a successful entrepreneur and business professor, will lead the workshops.
“The goal of this workshop is for individuals to know the importance of building your business and also knowing how to conduct a business in the right way,” Dr. Bowen said.
“There’s more to being successful in business than just doing business. You need a plan in place to guide you through and also to help you receive the funding that you need. So many of us create businesses and we never really have a clear plan. This workshop is a great opportunity for individuals to create that plan and put it into action.”
The workshop will cover the following topics:
- Orientation – covers introduction, provides participants with a roadmap to successfully complete the course.
- The Entrepreneur – covers Characteristics of the Entrepreneur, Self-Assessments, Business Opportunities, & Risks/Benefits of Being an Entrepreneur.
- Opportunity Recognition – covers Types of Opportunities, Demand, Customers, & Value Proposition.
- Starting a Business – covers Business Planning, Legal Structures, Getting Started, Licenses and Regulations, Start-Up Funding, Support, Ethics, and Social Responsibility, & Exit Strategies.
- Business Operations – covers Personnel, Division of Labor, Taxes, Intellectual Property, Standard Operating Procedures, Supply Chain, Sustainability, & Growth Milestones.
- Marketing and Sales – covers Successful Sales, Finding Customers, Retaining Customers, & Communication.
- Financial Management – covers Financial Statements, Credit Ratings, Expenses, Pricing, Analyze Cash Flow, Cash Flow Budget, & Break-Even.
The workshop capstone is a pitch night on August 17, during ALG’s annual Afrik Impact event in August. At the pitch event, workshop participants will present business pitches developed during the workshop to a panel of experts. The four top pitchers will earn a scholarship for certificate training in entrepreneurship and small business from SparqU. The awards will be announced during the Afrik Impact gala on August 27 at the Denver Botanic Garden.
Dr. Bowen said the workshop should provide a benefit for the broader community. “Business ownership is key, especially for our communities of color,” he said. “To understand that we have to be able to own something to have power. Through this workshop participants will be creating their businesses, which will help their community, their economy, and also give them a seat at the table and a chance to stay at the table and make decisions for our future.”
