15th Annual EGC Conference Preview 4-30-13

15th Annual EGC Conference Preview

4-30-13

Listen to the show online here. 

Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is celebrating its 15th Annual Entrepreneur’s Growth Conference on May 10, 2013. 

This action-packed event has something for every business, just starting or growing fast , with workshops, a business building tradeshow, and a keynote speaker at lunch. Businesses looking to learn the hottest trends in social media, the latest strategies for finding and keeping customers and tips for increasing profits are invited. Guests:
Mary McKinney, Duquesne SBDC Director
John Tubridy, Principal and Franchise Specialist, Franchise Network of Pittsburgh/FranNet

***

Mary McKinney

Workshops include: 
Starting a Business: A Roadmap to Success
Build a Better Blueprint: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing a Great Business Plan
Before You Buy: Is a Franchise the Right Business for You?
Relationship Management: Tips to Find, Connect & Keep More Clients & Customers
Come On Big Money: How To Sell Your Business & Get Top Dollar
Re-Invent, Re-Invigorate, Re-Think: A Five-Year Strategic Action Plan for Faster Growth & Bigger Profits
Resources, Opportunities, and Ideas for Women & Minority Business Owners
Money, Money, Money: Who Has It & How To Get It
Deduct It! 15 Money-Saving Secrets of Tax Savvy Entrepreneurs
Next Generation Networking: How to Meet More Customers, Vendors, Partners & Friends Online & Offline
The Competitive Edge: How to be a Marketing Rock Star
The Social Savvy Entrepreneur: 15 Time-Saving Ideas to Build Business on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn
Watch This: The Marketing Power of Online Videos
Clicks & Cash: What It Takes to Drive Website Traffic, Convert Visitors to Customers & Keep Them Coming Back

A special networking opportunity will be provided at lunch – many of the events speakers have volunteered to stay for lunch and host a table. This is a chance for attendees to sit with the expert and pick their brain; get a few new ideas and network with others at the table as well. There will be speakers who are discussing topics such as branding, finding money and social media. 

The Entrepreneur’s Growth Conference begins at 8:00 a.m. with registration and networking and continues through 4:30 p.m. at Duquesne University. Register at www.sbdc.duq.edu. Use code Pitt13 and receive a $20 discount. If your customer is small business, consider exhibiting.

John Turbridy

FranNet 
Our Vision: Our clients and team members share the same dreams. We all want the best for our families and for ourselves:Time freedom and flexibility; Enjoying a balanced lifestyle; The pride of self-reliancel Financial abundance and peace of mind; Fulfilling work; Control of destiny; and Helping others. 

FranNet provides the opportunity and road map for us all to live our dreams today.

Our clients are successful corporate professionals who are reassessing their lives and careers and are now ready for something better. They wish to enjoy greater financial and psychological benefit from their talents and hard work. They want to be in control of their financial future and design their lifestyles according to their own needs and wants. They want to spend more time with their families, be an example of self reliance to their children, and have a positive affect on their communities. They have the skills, desire, and resources to be successful business owners but require assistance in getting started and making it happen.

Our purpose is to connect the dots; we make the transition from corporate employment to the

freedom of business ownership manageable and safe. FranNet is a team of highly regarded experts in the franchise and business opportunity market space. We are committed to our time-tested, proven process of assisting individuals in  considering business ownership as a viable career and lifestyle path. We guarantee our process of business opportunity research will serve our clients’ best interests. Our educational seminars, materials, and personal consultations educate our clients about the challenging and rewarding realities of owning a business, enabling them to make a well informed decision (yes or no) to business ownership within sixty days. We are here to create success stories. We schedule personal consultations only with people we assess to be in a good financial and personal position to start or buy a business. If we cannot help someone immediately, we advise them as to what they can do to prepare to consider business ownership in the future. For more information, visit www.frannet.com.

Franchise Selection DO’s and DON’Ts

Here are a few practical hints to help you select a franchise:

DO

Talk to and visit as many franchisees as possible.

Talk to and visit the franchiser and get to know the history and experience of the Officers and Managers.

Consult any and all advisers that you feel can be helpful to you, including a franchise attorney.

Ask any and all questions you can. Nothing is too trivial to ask.

Take your time, and be very thorough in your investigation.

Do comparative analysis of other franchises in the same, and other, businesses.

Evaluate yourself as compared to other franchisees that you meet and talk to. You make a difference! Make sure you’re comfortable with what you have to do.

Read and understand the sales literature, Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), etc. Know all the terms of your agreement.

Give yourself plenty of room to maneuver financially. Plan for more expense and slower profitability than you think you need.

Be thorough; be conservative; be informed. Avoid surprises.

The more RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, you know, the better your decision is likely to be.

DON’T

Hurry. Short-cutting your research can increase your likelihood of failure.

Over-extend, or be optimistic about your personal finances. Be realistic, and if anything, conservative.

Skip consulting professionals. Saving on fees may deprive you of information critical to making a good decision.

Settle. Get the business that you want, not the first one that comes along.

Take anyone’s word. Find out for yourself. It’s your money, your risk and your opportunity. You know best what you need, so investigate first hand. 

***

This was reported as a reproduction of PositvelyPittsburghLive news done by Joanne Quinn-Smith. (c) Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLive(TM) 2013 All rights reserved. 


Listen to the show online here. 

Tara Darazio is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent copywriter, blogger, article writer, and social media strategist. If you are in need of writing assistance, or need help with your social media efforts connect with Tara on LinkedIn here.