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Lunch ‘n Learn Series for Business Owners
Free SCORE Webinar Series

Owning your own business can be rewarding, but it’s also challenging.  Many people either don’t know where to begin, or jump right in without knowing some of the keys to be successful.  If this sounds familiar, then this workshop series is exactly what you need.

This Month’s Module: Financing Solutions for Your Business

Explore a world of endless possibilities. Elevate your business funding game with our Inspiring 4-Part series. Learn the basics of a financial health check, delve into lender perspectives, and unlock the keys to crowdfunding and grants.  Experience the transformative power of growth through leverage by coming to this 4-part series on financing your business.

P.S., You’ll get more out of it if you come to all four classes. We've even given you sign-ups below for all of them to make it easier.

Apr 23rd, Financing 1: Is Your Business Financeable?

Join us for our inaugural workshop, "How Financeable is Your Business?" the first in a series dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs in their financing journey. Uncover the key factors that determine your business's appeal to lenders, crowdfunding campaigns, and grant providers, gaining valuable insights to navigate the financial landscape with confidence.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understand key statistics and ratios used to evaluate credit-worthiness
  • Learn methods to increase the likelihood of obtaining credit
  • How to determine what the right amount of financing is for YOU.

Join us for "How Financeable is Your Business?" and equip yourself with the knowledge and tools necessary to secure the funding your business deserves. Reserve your spot today!

Presenters:  Kathleen Thompson and Steve Mahoney

Register

Apr 25th, Financing 2: Small Business Lending-What Banks Look For

Are you interested in applying for a business loan, but don’t know what to expect?  Many business owners can feel intimidated or overwhelmed when considering the prospect of working with a bank.  In this webinar, you’ll hear directly from the source about what to expect.  Steven Taylor, VP, Business Banking Officer with Liberty Bank, will share how he evaluates small businesses when they apply for a loan.  He’ll teach you the key steps you need to take to prepare for the application process and discussions with your bank.

Key takeaways:

  • Learn why banks focus on The Three C’s - Credit, Collateral and Cash Flow
  • Different lending products and which ones are right for your business
  • The importance of personal guarantees by business owners

If you want the expert opinion on what it takes to be successful when applying for your bank loan, this webinar is just what you need.  Sign up today!

Presenter:  Steven Taylor, VP, Business Banking Officer – Liberty Bank

Co-hosts: Steve Mahoney and Kathleen Thompson

Register

Apr 30th, Financing 3: Funding Your Business Through Grants

Most small business owners have heard that grants can be a great financing resource to support their business, but they don’t know how to obtain one.  If this sounds like you, join this insightful webinar to hear from a small business owner who has successfully learned the keys to finding grants, applying for them, and winning them.  Dr. Melissa-Sue John, Founder and CEO of Lauren Simone Publishing House, will walk you through everything she has learned about this valuable resource for small businesses.  

Key takeaways:

  • Learn the 10 key steps for applying for grants
  • Learn about the different types of grants and where to find them
  • Discover tips to help convince organizations that you are the best recipient for their grant

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn directly from a business owner who can help you open the door to this financing source for your business.  Register today!

Presenter: Dr. Melissa-Sue John, Founder and CEO of Lauren Simone Publishing House

Co-hosts: Steve Mahoney and Kathleen Thompson

Register

May 2nd, Financing 4: Crowdfund to Kickstart Your Business

Maybe you’re thinking about a crowdfunding campaign for your new small business.  Or, maybe you’ve already tried it, and were disappointed with the results.  Did you know that only about 22% of new businesses’ crowdfunding campaigns succeed, raising less than $30,000?  Mike Rizkalla from Snorble will tell you how you can increase your chances of crowdfunding success.  

Key takeaways:

  • What to have in place even before launching your campaign.
  • How to get people engaged with your business idea right from the start
  • How to use insights from your campaign to help grow your business

Don’t give up on crowdfunding.  You can use it to kickstart your business.  Register for this workshop today.

Presenter: Mike Rizkalla, Co-Founder and CEO of Snorble

Co-hosts: Steve Mahoney and Kathleen Thompson

Register

Headshot of Kathleen Thompson
SCORE mentor
Presenter: Kathleen Thompson

Kathleen Thompson is a professionally trained singer and public speaker. She gained experience leading through change and communicating in difficult situations with 7 mergers and acquisitions while working in finance and technology.  Kathleen now writes and produces her own music. She’s been a Score volunteer for 5 years. Kathleen also coaches people to develop their story and voice so that what others hear is what they intended to say. Her unique blend of story crafting and voice techniques help you not only tell a better story, but also tell a story better.

Find Her Here
SCORE mentor
Presenter: Steve Mahoney

Steve Mahoney is a certified mentor with SCORE Greater Hartford. He has over twenty years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, financial analysis, strategic planning, accounting and auditing. He has experience with large and small organizations, working across multiple disciplines including Finance, Legal, HR, Communications, and Business Operations.

Find on LinkedIn
Steven Taylor
VP, BUSINESS BANKING OFFICER AT LIBERTY BANK
Presenter: Steven Taylor

As a VP, Business Banking Officer, Steven is in charge of liaising with clients/prospects ensuring they receive prompt and efficient service.  Steven has been in banking since 2008 with branch management roles, including sales, service, operations and employee development.  Steven is a 2014 Quest graduate through Leadership Greater Hartford, 2015 Hartford Business Journal, 40 under Forty honoree, and 2015 100 Men of Color honoree.  Steven coaches youth football and basketball in Windsor where he resides with his two children, Chloe and Steven Jr.

Dr. Melissa-Sue John
Founder and CEO of Lauren Simone Publishing House
Presenter: Dr. Melissa-Sue John

Dr. Melissa-Sue John is the founder and CEO of Lauren Simone Publishing House, established in 2017 in East Hartford, CT. She is also a trained social psychologist, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Saint Joseph, research consultant, mother, wife, and an author of seven children's books in the Olivia Lauren book series. Dr. John is passionate about her writing, teaching, training, scholarship, and mentorship. Dr. John teaches Introduction to Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, and Psychology of Women. Dr. John has a plethora of scholarly publications and awards. She enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband, two daughters, four sisters, five nieces, and five nephews.

Mike Rizkalla
Co-Founder and CEO of Snorble
Presenter: Mike Rizkalla

Mike Rizkalla is an Award-Winning Creative Leader in the Technology/Robotics industry with experience in organizations ranging from startup to $75M global businesses, with proven performance managing revenue goals up to $10M, operational budgets of up to $16M, and capital expense budgets of up to $2.5M. A capable mentor with a track record of attracting, recruiting, and advising teams.

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Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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