Academy Of Professional Small Business Consultants Set For October

GRAND RAPIDS – The Academy of Professional Small Business Consultants is a certification program of business skills for individuals including bankers, accountants, economic developers, and other groups that assist small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The Academy offers the participants a basic understanding of the problems facing small business entrepreneurs. The purpose of the two week Academy is to provide basic tools, information and techniques to facilitate the entrepreneurs’ resolution of their problems by either direct guidance or referral to a proper resource.

“The two separate weeks of the MI-SBTDC Academy were some of the most intense training I have ever received,? said Rita Dahmen, Certified MI-SBTDC Business Consultant. ?Writing the business plan was probably the most rewarding experience because it allowed me to apply what was taught in the Academy into an essential document needed by all businesses.”

The Academy is delivered in various formats including classroom participative instruction, short seminars, dinner speakers, case study analysis, and demonstrations. Completion of the first week, of the two week Academy, is a prerequisite to the attendance of the second week. Successful completion of the first week of the program is based first on the attendance of all sessions and second, on the satisfactory completion of a business plan that is assigned at the end of week one and presented in week two.

“The MI-SBTDC Academy promotes success of a variety of small businesses. By teaching the fundamental tools necessary to counsel entrepreneurs, the Academy will equip you with the best practices to successfully facilitate an entrepreneur’s resolution to their problems,” Sienna Mavima, Academy Facilitator.

The first session of the two week Academy starts on October 4-10, 2010. The second session will begin on April 11-15, 2011. Business professionals interested in enrolling in the Academy should contact Sienna Mavima at 616.331.7483 to acquire additional information about cost, location and registration.

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center provides counseling, training and research for Michigan’s new business ventures, existing small businesses, expanding new businesses, new technology companies, and innovators. The MI-SBTDC is housed at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As host of the MI-SBTDC State Headquarters, the Seidman College of Business oversees the statewide, twelve region network. Entrepreneurs and small business owners may access the services of their nearest MI-SBTDC by calling 616.331.7480 or BY clicking on MISBTDC.Org

a>>