Monday, June 11
Get Your Business Online with Google
(Center for Women & Enterprise, Rhode Island Small Business
Development Center, and SCORE in partnership with Google): If you don’t
have a website or Google business listing, you’ll find everything you
need to get started. Web professionals at your side every step of the
way. If your business is already online, you’ll find tools and
resources to help your business succeed online.
At
this event you will receive a free website and business listing, as
well as one-on-one advice and tips. You will learn more about online
marketing through workshops, and be able to network with other small
business owners.
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Tuesday, June 12
International Trade Webinar: Dominican Republic and Panama, Best Prospects and Marketing Opportunities
(Rhode Island Small Business Development Center): Panama and the
Dominican Republic present exciting opportunities for U.S. exporters and
will be the destinations for an upcoming Trade Mission in September
2012! Please join us in this interactive webinar to learn more about
these countries and how your company could take advantage of all they
have to offer, including:
•
Free Trade Agreements: The US has signed FTAs with both Panama and the
Dominican Republic, providing numerous benefits to US exporters.
•
Commercial Partnering: The Caribbean Region is a natural commercial
partner of the U.S., tied closely together by geography, history and
culture.
•
The Region: The Caribbean Region as a whole represents a market of
about 23.5 million people who collectively imported over $18.5 billion
of U.S. goods in 2007. As a result, the region is the 3rd largest
export market for U.S. manufactured goods in Latin America, behind only
Mexico and Brazil.
This
fall the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation in conjunction
with the Chafee Center for International Business will lead a trade
mission to Panama and the Dominican Republic. This webinar will include
an opportunity to speak with the U.S. officials responsible for matching
mission participants with potential customers.
Speaker(s): Senior Commercial Officers, US Department of Commerce, Daniel Crocker and Robert Jones, Jr.
Fee
for the webinar is $35. Dial in information will be provided upon
registration. The webinar will be held 2:00 – 3:30pm. For more
information or to register, please contact the RISBDC at (401) 598-2702 or visit www.risbdc.org
Starting A Business? You Must Build A Foundation
(Rhode Island Small Business Recovery Program): Starting a business is
exciting and scary; of course you want to make it work, but there is so
much to do and so much to think about. Before you line up the
stationery, web site and business cards, there are few things you should
consider. It might surprise you to know that many small businesses
fail as a result of too much enthusiasm and too little patience. Think
of it this way, would you build a house without a foundation? No way,
and the same is true of building a business.
Join
us as we reveal the steps to create a sound foundation on which to
build your business. This practical presentation will help you develop
the insight and will provide the tools necessary to ensure your business
is built on solid ground.
This
workshop is presented free of charge and all attendees must
pre-register. Workshop will be held at the Centerville Seminar Center,
875 Centerville Road, Building 2, Suite 5, in Warwick from 6:30 –
8:30pm. For more information or to register, please visit www.rismallbusinessrecovery.com
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Wednesday, June 13
How To Start Or Run A Profitable Small Business
(Rhode Island Small Business Recovery Program): There are many
advantages to running a small business: independence, satisfaction,
sheltering income and profits. Did you know that 89% of incomes over
$50,000 a year are earned by owners of small businesses? However, four
out of five businesses don’t last five years and few ever earn the
profits they should. What is the difference between success and
failure? Knowledge!
Who should not attend? Anyone who is truly happy working for somebody else.
What
will you learn? Ten hottest businesses of 2010…How to slash hundreds
off your taxes…Why most businesses waste 90% of their advertising
dollars…Twenty biggest pitfalls in starting and running a small
business…How to price your product or service…How to start with very
little cash…How to differentiate or business from the competition…and
much more!
Seminar Leaders: David Lucier, CPA & David Nash, President, Engage Marketing, Inc.
This
workshop is presented free of charge and all attendees must
pre-register. Workshop will be held at the Centerville Seminar Center,
875 Centerville Road, Building 2, Suite 5, in Warwick from 6:30 –
9:00pm. For more information or to register, please visit www.rismallbusinessrecovery.com
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Thursday, June 14
Intro To QuickBooks
(Center for Women & Enterprise): Keeping track of your business’s
finances can be complicated but a systematic approach with QuickBooks
can make a world of difference. The introductory-level course will
cover:
* Set up and maintain a financial and bookkeeping system using QuickBooks
* Enter and send invoices (for professional services businesses)
* Enter data from non QuickBooks point of sale systems (for retailers with already installed systems)
* Enter data from merchant service payment processors
* Enter and pay bills
* Enter and manage loans
* Enter credit card transactions
* Reconcile bank and credit card statements
* Basic financial statements and terms
* Basic reporting features of QuickBooks that are needed to make day to day financial decisions
This
workshop will consist of 5 classes that will meet on Tuesday and
Thursday nights starting on June 14th and ending June 28th from 5:30 –
8:00pm. The workshop fee is $195 for the 5 classes (partial
scholarships are available for those who qualify), and will meet at the
Center for Women & Enterprise, 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in
Providence. For more information or to register, please contact the
Center for Women & Enterprise at (401) 277-0800 or email info.providence@cweonline.org
Workforce Assistance For Local Businesses
(Rhode Island Department of Labor Training): Business Workforce Center
representatives will orient employers to free recruitment and
assessment services, explore subsidized training opportunities for new
and existing workers and review available tax credits related to hiring.
Representatives will also discuss Rapid Response services available to
the employees of businesses experiencing layoffs.
The
RI Department of Labor and Training offers employment services,
educational services and economic opportunity to both individuals and
employers. DLT protects Rhode Island's workforce by enforcing labor
laws, prevailing wage rates and workplace health and safety standards.
The department also provides temporary income support to unemployed and
temporarily disabled workers.
This
workshop will be held at the Rhode Island DLT, 1511 Pontiac Avenue in
Cranston from 9:00am – noon. For more information on the programs and
services available to all Rhode Islanders, please call the RI Department
of Labor and Training at (401) 462-8000 or visit the web site at www.dlt.ri.gov
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Friday, June 15
Exploring Self Employment: Pre-Venture Clinic
(Rhode Island Small Business Development Center): Have you been over
your checklists multiple times, and everything seems to be in place?
Then it is time to take that big step and open your doors for business.
Entrepreneurs can often overlook critical steps in the startup process,
so to ensure they position their businesses efficiently, legally, and
soundly, the RISBDC is offering this comprehensive clinic.
Participants will learn:
• How to register your business
• Market research & analysis
• Legal structures for your business
• Estimating start-up costs and cash flow projection
• Failure factors and business planning
Since
lack of planning is one of the top reasons new businesses fail,
attending this workshop may be one of the most important decisions you
make prior to opening your doors.
This
workshop is free of charge and all attendees must pre-register.
Workshop will be held at the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce’s
Slade’s Business Center, 3280 Post Road in Warwick from 8:30 – 10:00am.
For more information or to register, please contact the RISBDC at (401) 598-2702 or visit www.risbdc.org
BYB: Help! My Friend Designed My Webpage
(Center for Women & Enterprise): Was your website designed by your
friend, your neighbor’s son or your 3rd cousin on your mother’s side of
the family? Or is your website just plain awful? Then this workshop
is for you! In this workshop we will:
* Address those who need direction on how to make their site look and function better.
* Individually analyze each site in the workshop
* Point out the DO’s and DON’T’s as well as any adjustments that should be made
* Review your search engine visibility as well as understanding the importance of website analytics.
The
fee for this workshop is $35 (partial scholarships may be available to
those who qualify) and pre-registration is required for all attendees.
The workshop will be held at the Center for Women & Enterprise, 132
George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 10:00am – noon. For more
information or to register, please call (401) 277-0800 or email info.providence@cweonline.org
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Tuesday, June 19
Do-It-Yourself Website Workshop
(Rhode Island Small Business Recovery Program): WordPress is a
powerful personal publishing platform, and it comes with a great set of
features designed to make creating your own website (or blog) as easy,
pleasant and appealing as possible. In this two-part, comprehensive,
hands-on WordPress training class, you’ll learn to use WordPress to
set-up and manage your website. You’ll discover how to organize and
manage your content, install themes, and add functionality through the
use of important plugins.
No
experience with computer graphics or coding is required! At the
completion of the course, you will have a fully functioning three-page
website and the skills required to run it!
Session 1 (free) — Overview, Installation & Setup
You
will leave this 1½ hour class with a thorough understanding of
WordPress’s powerful capability. And, you’ll learn how to: Acquire a
web host, install WordPress, choose a WordPress theme (there are
thousands to choose from), understand the WordPress dashboard, configure
basic settings, write powerful, attention grabbing content.
This
workshop is presented free of charge and all attendees must
pre-register. Workshop will be held at the Centerville Seminar Center,
875 Centerville Road, Building 2, Suite 5, in Warwick from 6:30 –
8:00pm. For more information or to register, please visit www.rismallbusinessrecovery.com
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Wednesday, June 20
Introduction to Government Contracting
(Rhode Island Procurement Technical Assistance Center): This workshop
will provide a basic overview of federal and state government
contracting practices and procedures. Topics covered include vendor
registration and business certification processes, the federal
acquisition process, basic regulatory issues, and market strategies.
Time will be available to answer individual questions and concerns.
Who
should attend this seminar? Companies or individuals new to government
contracting or those firms who are currently considering or are new
entrants into the government marketplace. PTAC clients or small
businesses wishing to develop or improve their understanding of
government purchasing.
This
workshop is presented free of charge and will be held at the Rhode
Island Economic Development Corporation, 315 Iron Horse Way in
Providence from 8:30-1:30am. All attendees must pre-register. To
register for the event or for more information, please visit www.riptac.org or email lfrancis@riptac.org or call Lou Francis or Dorothy Reynolds at (401) 278-9100.
SBA Loans 101
(U.S. Small Business Administration): Participants will learn the
basics of SBA loan programs, as well as some helpful tips from a
banker's perspective about successful loan applications. This webinar
is offered at no cost, and is ideal for those considering starting a
business, as well as entrepreneurs interested in securing new
financing. Webinar will run from 10:00 - 11:00am. For more information
or for login access information, please contact Matthew Spoehr at the
SBA by calling (401) 528-4561 or email matthew.spoehr@sba.gov
Speed Mentoring
(Rhode Island Small Business Recovery Program): Would you like to an
opportunity to have one-on-one appointments with eight of the most
knowledgeable business consultants in the area? Would you like to have
the opportunity to sit with experts who normally charge well over
one-hundred dollars per hour? Would you like to receive their valuable
advice at no charge? You’ll have just that opportunity when you
participate in our new premium “speed mentoring” program. But, because
this is a rare opportunity, we have designed some strict rules:
• Eight people will be invited to participate each month. You’ll be placed on a waiting list in the order of registration.
• You will be notified weeks in advance of the event and asked to confirm your participation.
• If you have a schedule conflict with your assigned day and time, you can ask to participate in the next scheduled event.
• You must arrive at 8:30 am. Late arrivals will not be permitted to participate.
• No shows will not be allowed to participate in the program for a minimum of eight months.
• You must come to the event well prepared with one or more questions for the consultants.
• You will spend 15-minutes with each consultant….eight 15-minute discussions in the course of two hours.
• You will be permitted to record your one-on-one discussions for future review.
The
speed mentoring event will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
at the Centerville Seminar Center 875 Centerville Road, Warwick,
Building 2, Suite 5
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Thursday, June 21
Turn Your Website From An Expense Into An Asset
(Rhode Island Small Business Recovery Program): You’re thinking of
starting a business and need to promote and manage it with a well
optimized website? You already have a business but your website is
providing little or none of its potential value? You’re a job hunter
and want to “be found” by hiring managers and hunt hunters?
It’s time to turn your website from just a forgettable expense into your most powerful asset.
Using
our 4-Keys to Success approach, you will soon discover the “hidden”
secret weapon you may already have but not using to a fraction of its
potential: your website. Learn how to drive highly targeted traffic to
your website and then, most importantly, covert that traffic to sales.
This
workshop is presented free of charge and all attendees must
pre-register. Workshop will be held at the Centerville Seminar Center,
875 Centerville Road, Building 2, Suite 5, in Warwick from 9:00 –
11:00am. For more information or to register, please visit www.rismallbusinessrecovery.com
SBA’s
participation or support of this event is not an endorsement of the
views, opinions, products or services of any co-sponsor or other person
or entity. All SBA programs or cosponsored programs are extended to the
public on a non -discriminatory basis.
Date: 6/6/2012
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羅德島州星星中文學校日前舉辦畢業、結業典禮，頒發獎狀給各項比賽成績優異同學，逾百人歡聚一堂。典禮後還舉行燒烤會，慶祝學期結束。
1996年由高興亞創辦的羅德島州星星中文學校，在曾任校長的萬寅生、雷公民，以及現任校長王曉元，校長顧問章賢信、副校長才旭、饒彬、張華、中文教學部部長徐海英、數學部部長孫曉娟、校刊宣傳部白立芬、趙軍、鄭穎蘋、網路管理鄭小清，以及一眾老師努力下，校務越辦越有聲有色，藉著租用的羅德島華人基督教會場地既有充足教室，還有籃球場、排球場、聚會場所，環境優良，學生人數還一度增加到逾120人，開辦的班別也也八個中文班、七個數學班，SAT的數學、英文、中文班，以及繪畫班、國際象棋班、成人中文班等等，教學內容十分多元。
其中的數學班，更包括算術、代數、幾何、微積分，程度頗高。繪畫班也在一名新聘的西人藝術家老師悉心執教下，啟發了學生們的創意，讓學校得以辦出一場頗具水準的畫展。
中文教學部部長徐海英指出，該校的第三屆中文演講比賽，學生們參賽更積極，表現更佳，籌辦工作也比往年順利，令人高興。其中第一冊至第四冊班的朗誦組有24人參賽，第五冊以上的演講組有13人參賽。副校長張華、社區代表馬玲、家長代表蒼玉會、魏叄擔任評審，中文部老師張曉君主持。
演講組的得獎者有一等獎劉陽熙(朋友)，二等獎劉晶(保護大熊貓)、林劍涵(青春沒有失敗)、三等獎張國樑(去馬來西亞探親)，禹昆倫(電子遊戲)，馮嘉慧(亡羊補牢，為時未晚)。
作文比賽有八人獲獎，包來一等獎林劍涵、陳琳珍，二等獎武欣怡、王樂山，三等獎江雨瀟、黃夫杰，吳明一，以及來自外校，獲特別獎的陳養卉。星星中文學校把他們的作品，以及另外兩名學生的作品，都推薦參加了由中國僑聯、全國台聯、人民日報海外版、中國國際廣播電台、中央電視台、「快樂作文」雜誌社聯合主辦的第十三屆世界華人小學生作文大賽。其中有吳明一、林劍涵、武欣怡、江雨瀟、劉陽熙等五人，依序獲一、二、三獎。
第二屆數學盃，有五隊51名同學參加，第二組、第四組和第五組，依序獲一、二、三名。
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