QuickBooks Training for Local Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

February 11, 2016 Leave a comment


Free Training will be held at the Wayne Public Library

Lyons, Nebraska – The Center for Rural Affairs’ Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) will offer a two-part QuickBooks training on Monday, February 22 and Monday, February 29. Each session will run from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The class will be held in Wayne, NE at the Wayne Public Library at 410 N Pearl St in Wayne, Nebraska.

 

Computers equipped with QuickBooks will be available, and a professional, Diann Ballard, owner of db Consulting and Juan Sandoval, REAP Latino Business Center Director with the Center for Rural Affairs, will assist folks with setting up their books.

 

“In this economy, many, if not most, small businesses are operating on very tight budgets to simply get by,” said Sandoval. “Resource Providers and business owners alike see the great need for bookkeeping training. Improving bookkeeping is a way to tighten up in these economic times.”

 

A past participant of the QuickBooks trainings said, “This really helped me with my operation. The system needs to be set up right, with information entered correctly so that the reports are accurate. This was the best thing for me, and was also very useful for working with my banker.”

 

What: QuickBooks Training

 

Where: Wayne Public Library

410 N Pearl St

Wayne, NE

 

When: February 22 and February 29

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

 

To register contact Wayne Public Library at 402-375-3135. Classes are FREE.

 

“Accurate recordkeeping can be very beneficial to the success of a small business owner’s business,” said Sandoval. “It helps when tax time comes around, and they have the needed information. It can quickly help identify past due accounts and collect those accounts in a more timely manner. That helps their cash flow and viability!”

 

For additional information, please contact Juan Sandoval at (402) 371-7786 or juans@cfra.org

 

The Center for Rural Affairs’ REAP program provides lending, training, networking, and technical assistance opportunities for startup and existing small businesses.

 

More information about REAP can be found at www.cfra.org/reap. The Center for Rural Affairs receives funding for REAP from the Nebraska Microenterprise Development Act, Community Development Block Grants through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Small Business Administration, United States Department of Agriculture and other sources.

 

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Women’s Entrepreneur Conference Coming to Grand Island During Women’s History Month

March 15, 2015 Leave a comment


Lyons, NE –  In honor of Women’s History Month in March, the Center for Rural Affairs Rural Enterprise Assistance Project’s (REAP) Women’s Business Center and U.S. Small  Business Administration will host the Women Entrepreneur Conference, featuring speakers designed to inspire and offer down-to-earth advice for women to start or grow a small business.

 

The event will take place on March 18 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the YWCA of Grand Island, 211 East Fonner Park Road.

 

The Conference is for anyone interested in becoming an entrepreneur or already an entrepreneur and looking to expand their knowledge. Participants will learn about financial statements and how to use them to determine the health of their business, find out about current legal issues that impact today’s entrepreneurs, and get the chance to network with other small business owners and prospective entrepreneurs.  Conference goers will also get the opportunity to learn from and ask questions to a panel of current women business owners.

 

Being an event dedicated to growing women entrepreneurship in Nebraska it is fitting that the REAP Women’s Business Center Entrepreneur of the Year be honored. Maria Swenson of Alliance will receive the award.  Using services from the Center’s Rural Enterprise Assistance Program (REAP), Maria is successfully operating and growing her business. This exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit so crucial to women-owned businesses and the rural Nebraska communities they call home.

 

Swenson will be presented her award by Monica Braun, REAP Women’s Business Center Director during the midday lunch break.

 

What:

The Women Entrepreneur Conference and presentation of Center for Rural Affair’s Women’s Business Center Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

 

When:

Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

Where:

YWCA

211 East Fonner Park Road

Grand Island, Nebraska

 

Registration covers lunch and may be paid at the door or online at: http://events.sba.gov/eventmanagement/EventRegistration.aspx?id=9bc4ad23-d99c-e411-8f7e-02bfa56e2a24.  For more information, please call Monica Braun, REAP Women’s Business Center Director at (402) 643-2673.

 

For more information on the Center for Rural Affairs or these events go to – www.cfra.org – or call (402)687-2100.

 

The REAP WBC is a program funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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REAP Goes to Washington

May 23, 2014 Leave a comment


Lyons, NE – The Center for Rural Affairs’ Rural Enterprise Assistance Project-REAP met in Washington, D.C., this last week during National Small Business Week, an annual event, proclaimed by the President, to recognize and honor the contributions small businesses make to our economy and communities. 

REAP is part of “The Friends of the SBA Microloan Program” a network of seasoned intermediary lenders committed to supporting a strong and effective Microloan Program at the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Friends network provides a venue for intermediary lenders to discuss program operations, share success stories, challenges and best practices. The primary mission of the Friends network is advocacy and participating intermediaries work to keep policy makers in Washington updated on how SBA resources are being used to finance, support and grow small businesses and create jobs in urban and rural communities across the country.  Some of these programs, including REAP, were the original programs chosen to run a pilot microlending program in the U.S. in 1991.

While in Washington D.C. the group had an opportunity to share intermediary lender and small business success stories with Congressional staff at the briefing organized with the House Small Business Committee as well as key staff with the Small Business Administration.  Each program made appointments with elected officials and staff to discuss the importance of small business and alternative lending sources. 

“It’s always good to connect with folks in D.C. and tell the stories of our businesses, share our successes as a program and needed changes to stay current with the economy and the changing needs of our customers,” stated Dena Beck, Senior Project Leader and Loan Specialist with REAP.  “This year was special with the inclusion of a SBA Microloan recipient, Nebraska small business and REAP/Rural Investment Corp-RIC board member Connie Harvey, owner of Efficiency Counts in Hasting, NE.  Our elected officials and SBA program staff often hear from us working out in the field, but when a business talks to them about their journey, struggles and successes, it makes it very real for them.”

According to Harvey, “I gleaned a lot about how advocating in Washington works… and I was really impressed with the caliber of REAP and the other intermediaries that came from all over the United States.  I felt honored and humbled to be given such an opportunity to participate in this process.  One thing that was emphasized by the leadership of the SBA, and demonstrated while talking individually with representatives, is that real-life stories are the most effective means of getting our points across.”

Beck added, “ I was astonished by the statistic of 8,000 small and micro business owner credit applications declined each business day according to the Treasury Secretary, Jacob Lew, June 10, 2013.” 

For pictures of the group visit:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cfra/sets/72157644369613318/ (Click on individual pictures for descriptions and captions. )
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cfra/14217071856/in/set-72157644369613318
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cfra/14053404358/in/set-72157644369613318

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