By Ryan Kuhn

Cornwall Ontario – The Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre will be celebrating small business month by hosting a Fall Seminar Series, in partnership with RBC, beginning late September.

Seminars are a continuation of the Centre’s popular spring seminar series hosted this past May.

The series will kick off with a seminar hosted by Cornwall Tourism, followed by presentations from Mireille Lemire from RBC, Bernard Charlebois of Boum Strategies, Candy Pollard and Ryan Kuhn from the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre. Seminar topics will include :

• September 27 – Tourism Opportunities for Small Business
• October 2 – The Business of Space
• October 9 – Business Planning
• October 16 – Financing Commercial Real Estate
• October 23 – Starter Company Plus
• October 30 – Lead Generation

There is no cost to attend the seminars, however, attendees are asked to register in advance.

“We are pleased to be able to provide seminars on different topics of interest to small businesses,” said Candy Pollard, Business Consultant with the Centre. “They are a great way to enhance your business skills and to meet other entrepreneurs and share ideas.”

September 27 – Tourism Opportunities for Small Business
Time: 10:00 am – 11 am
Location: Cline House, 204 Second Street East, Cornwall
Description: Tourism is an important part of the local economy. Join Cornwall Tourism on World Tourism Day to learn about best practices and opportunities for small businesses to get noticed by visitors looking for unique experiences.

October 2 – The Business of Space
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Benson Centre (MacEwan Room), 800 Seventh St W, Cornwall
Description: Making the right real estate decision can impact your bottom line. Terry Landon will help you navigate the process while discussing topics like zoning, permits, leasing vs. buying, contract length and language like Net vs. Gross, co-working space, and much more.

October 9 – Business Planning
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Benson Centre (MacEwan Room), 800 Seventh St W, Cornwall
Description: A business plan is a recognized management tool used by successful and/or prospective businesses of all sizes. Investing time in your business plan could mean the difference between being a resounding success or not existing 6-12 months from now. Business plans act as a business’s road map, documenting business objectives and strategies on how to achieve those goals. Attend this seminar to give your business the structure it needs to maximize its potential.

October 16 – Financing Commercial Real Estate
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Benson Centre, 800 Seventh St W, Cornwall
Description: Purchasing commercial real estate for the first time can be overwhelming for even an experienced entrepreneur. This seminar hosted by Mireille Lemire, Business Account Manager at RBC in Cornwall, will cover specific topics like owner-occupied vs. income-producing properties, the types of properties available, the information required to make a purchase, and what the bank will be willing to finance.

October 23 – Starter Company Plus
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Cornwall Civic Complex (VIP Concourse), 100 Water Street East, Cornwall
Description: Starter Company PLUS provides successful applicants with unparalleled assistance to start, grow or buy a small business. Assistance includes training, business skills development, mentoring from local business leaders and capital. The program partners entrepreneurs with experts who will help you develop the skills needed to launch and sustain successful businesses. Program participants are also eligible to receive a grant of up to $4,500. Attend this seminar to gain the inside track on how to submit a top-notch application.

October 30 – Lead Generation
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Location: Cornwall Civic Complex (VIP Concourse), 100 Water Street East, Cornwall
Description: Lead Generation describes the marketing process of stimulating and capturing interest in a product or service for the purpose of developing a sales pipeline.
Attend this seminar to learn new ways to attract, convert, close and delight customers. Understanding your customer’s buying decision process will lead to more sales and satisfied customers.

Registration Info
Seminars are open to all business owners, staff and prospective entrepreneurs in Cornwall, Akwesasne and SD&G. To register for any of the seminars please visit the Eventbrite link below to reserve your seat.

• Eventbrite: http://cornwallbusinessenterprisecentre.eventbrite.com/

The Business Enterprise Centre actively organizes and supports over a dozen professional education seminars and workshops throughout the year, including the annual Bridges to Better Business event that will also take place on October 22nd.