LSBDC Workshops

The Longwood University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can help you find your competitive edge in today's tough marketplace. Below is a list of events for June 2011.  Registration is required for each workshop.  Please visit our website to read about our services and visit our Facebook page to become a fan of SBDC!

7 Steps to Start A New Business 

Presented by Kimberly Ray,

Business Analyst, LSBDC 

Entrepreneurship is the American Dream.  Unfortunately, of the 1 million businesses started each year, most of them eventually fail.  The reasons are as varied as the businesses themselves.  Proper planning and eliminating assumptions before opening your doors will drastically increase your chances of success.  If you are considering the possibility of starting a business, this introductory seminar will provide information that may help your business be among the 20 percent that survive and thrive. The seven steps to start a new business are:

• Evaluate Your Entrepreneurial Abilities
• Consider the Market
• Evaluate Your Creditworthiness
• Explore the Legal Forms of Organization
• Gather Information
• Prepare Your Business Plan
• Presentation of Your Business Plan

DATE & TIME:   

Wednesday, June 8, 2011    

8:30 - 10 AM

LOCATION:    

Longwood SBDC

515 South Main Street, Farmville, VA

COST:   Free 

TO REGISTER:   

(434) 395-2086 or email baldwinjr2@longwood.edu 

(Seating is limited)

There will be the 2011 Economic Resources for Rural Virginia program on Tuesday 7 June from 8:45am to 4pm in the Nance Room of Blackwell Dining Hall at Longwood University.  The forum is free, but registration is required and must be completed by Wednesday, June 1.  For more information or to register, contact Martha A. Walker by e-mailing walker53@vt.edu  or calling 434.766.6761.

Topics will include: 

-Understanding the Economic Challenges for Rural Communities

-Virginia's Incentives and Resources for Rural Economies

-Building an Entrepreneurial Economy

-Expanding Broadband within Communities

-Local tools for Broadband: Accelerate Virginia

-Manufacturing Realities for Rural Economics

-Linking the Community to Higher Education Resources 

-Defining What's Next

Participants will:

-Gather information on Virginia's incentives and resources for rural economies.

-Discuss resources available for expanding a community's broadband infrastructure.

-Explore links to support and expand a region's manufacturing sector.

-Understand the process of creating a creative economy.

Network with higher educational institutions that offer training and intellectual resources to local leadership. 

The Chamber Nominating Committee is pleased to announce three new candidates up for nomination to serve on the Chamber Board of Directors.  These candidates are Debbie Savage of Trinity Mission, Brad Watson of Davenport & Company, and Don Baker of NSI Partners. The membership will accept  nominations  from the  floor and vote at the June membership luncheon.  

A special Thank You to these members for renewing their membership in May:

Blessing & Bell Cindy Wharam 

Coldwell Banker/Lafoon Realty Kip Lafoon 

E. B. Allen Funeral Home Edwilda Allen 

Edward Jones Investments Kerby Moore 

Farmville Wholesale Electric Supply Co. Gordon Smith 

Margaret Atkins Hearthside Homes

Hill & Davis, CPA, PC Teresa Davis 

Honeycutt & McGuire William McGuire

Longwood Real Estate Foundation  

Ken Copeland, Debbie Epperson

Longwood University William Baxter, Darlene Bratcher

Maxey-Hines Associates Ted Hodges

New Life Assembly of God Missi Zook

Prince Edward County Wade Bartlett

Rochette's Florist Sidney Allen

The Babcock House Bed & Breakfast Inn Sheila Palamar

W. A. Watson & Sons Insurance Gene Watson

Wendy's Malcolm Pike 

Farmville Area Chamber's Most Popular Networking Publication has flown off the shelves. This beautiful full color publication enjoys massive distribution and circulation as key to any participating business. For successful marketing and awareness of your product and services, remember budget your marketing dollars for the 2011 edition.

The publication is showcased using the latest convergence Publishing technologies only offered by the Farmville Area Chamber's publishing partner, Village Profile. After the highest quality print production, your membership directory is also digitally converted online and linked to the Chamber and all advertising businesses.

New for the 2011 edition will be Smartphone enhanced applications for 24/7 mobile access for qualified print advertisers. APPSIZE your print ad investment with interactive mobile request or information of your product or service, business website link, live direct dial-up and Google mapping of your business location.

Please remember to budget for this next edition and put your networking to work...

Sales scheduled to begin June 6th

Contact the Chamber today to add your name

to the sales team's appointment list.

Phone: 434-392-3939 Fax: 434-392-3818 

E-mail: tory@farmvilleareachamber.org 

The Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors thanks the following businesses for sponsoring the 5th Annual Farmville Area Chamber Golf  Classic.

· Healthcare Service Group ·  

· Centra Southside Community Hospital ·  

· The Woodland · ICA, LLC ·

· Bank of America · Davis Pontiac ·

· Benchmark Community Bank · CenturyLink ·

· Haley Automotive · Hampton Inn Farmville ·

· Hearthside Homes · Hi-Test Labs ·

· Hospice of VA - Farmville · J. E. Jamerson & Sons ·  

· Kaufman-Canoles · Luck Stone · SHENTEL ·

· Main Street Lanes · Merrill Lynch · SpottsFain ·

·  Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative ·

· Northwestern Mutual Financial Network · RK&K ·

· Parker Oil Company · Raymond Insurance Agency ·

·Putney Mechanical Company ·  Timmons Group ·

·Cardiovascular Group of Centra Stroobants Heart Center ·

· The Carpet House· Citizens Bank & Trust Company ·

· Creative Electrical Contractors · Davenport & Company ·

·Dominion Virginia Power ·  Express Care of Farmville · 

· Fourth Street Motor Company · Honeycutt & McGuire ·

· j fergeson gallery · Robert Russa Moton Museum ·

· Orthopedic Surgery of CSCH · Soakers Car Wash ·

·  Southside Surgical Associates CSCH· Sunchase @ Longwood ·

· Tacoma, Inc. · W. A. Watson & Sons Insurance ·

·The Woodland Family Practice ·

· The Woodland Therapy & Wellness Center ·

Through the generosity of these businesses, the Chamber is able to move forward with community programs like: Leadership Farmville, The Downtown Stage, Fireworks After Dark, LSBDC Workshops, and other ventures that Promote Business and Community. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber!

Door Prizes:

· Antscape Photography  ·  Belk  ·  Buffalo Wild Wings  ·   

· Charley's Waterfront Cafe · Hampton Inn-Farmville  ·   

· Taco Bell/Long John Silver's ·

Gift bags:

· Benchmark Community Bank · Centra Southside Community Hospital ·  

· CenturyLink ·Employee Assistance of Central VA ·

· Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce ·Mills Heating & Air Conditioning ·

· Raymond Insurance Agency · Soakers Car Wash ·

·  Taco Bell/Long John Silver's ·  Sunchase @ Longwood ·  The Woodland ·

The Chamber Board of Directors also thanks the Golf Tournament Committee for all the hard work put into making our 5th Tournament a success: Ken Copeland, Chuck Dowdy, Chris Dowdy, Greg Cole, Lee Minix, Lisa Tharpe, Tory Wade, David Whitus, and Wanda Whitus. The Committee greatly appreciates all the Chamber Members who volunteered their time to help with the tournament. Thank you!