If you have a specific business idea, or you’ve been in business for a few years but have never written a business plan, this online series is for you. These sessions introduce you to the essential components of a good business plan. Each session will help you gain insights and knowledge that will help you move forward in your business with confidence. starting with learning how to conduct informative market research for your business, outlining a basic marketing strategy to reach your best customer, and exploring how to create financial plans that will support business viability.

All are welcome to attend the series but please note that some of the information and resources discussed may be specific to Alberta only.

Session 1: Let’s Start Your Market Research (Tuesday January 9, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm MST)

Presented in partnership with “Business Link,” the market research session will teach you about primary and secondary research, and help you understand why this information is vital for your business concept and business plan as a whole. We will navigate through multiple resources that will aim to help you collect relevant information about your customers, competitors and industry.

Session 2: Let’s Start Your Marketing Plan (Thursday January 11, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm MST)

In this session, we will get you started on developing a basic outline of your marketing strategy. From creating your elevator pitch communication describing your business concept to potential customers, to understanding how to select effective marketing activities to reach your customer, this session will help you begin the outlines of a solid marketing plan.

Session 3: Let’s Start Your Financial Plan (Friday January 12, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm MST)

Creating financial forecasts for your business can be a daunting task to accomplish on your own. This session will help you understand the basics of completing a financial plan focused on your projected cash flow statements, and also outlining basics of your income statement and balance sheet. We will also walk through some key considerations to make when setting prices for your products and forecasting your potential revenues and expenses.