Join us on Tuesday, May 21 from 12:00-1:00 PM for an overview of social networking for business. Explore the capabilities of Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter as marketing tools for your company.
No registration necessary.

Thinking about starting a small business but you're not 

This session is canceled but SCORE will return next month.

Thinking about starting a small business but you're not sure where to begin? Schedule a one hour consultation on Thursday, April 11 from 6:00-9:00 PM with a mentor from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and receive free and confidential advice from a seasoned professional. To register for a session or for additional information, please contact SCORE representative Ed Krupa (epkrupa@yahoo.com).  

Join us as we read and discuss the key points in the classic business book, "Good to Great" by James Collins.  Led by retired executive and Canton Kiwanis Club President, Mark Ott, this discussion is for business owners, leaders and anyone interested in leadership.  

Thinking about starting a small business but you're not sure where to begin? Schedule a one hour consultation on Thursday, March 14 from 6:00-9:00 PM with a mentor from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and receive free and confidential advice from a seasoned professional. To register for a session or for additional information, please contact SCORE representative Ed Krupa.

According to SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) "The real value of creating a business plan is not in having the finished product in hand; rather, the value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way."

Join us on Thursday, February 28th from 6:00-8:00 PM and find how this tool will help you research and refine your business goals. This workshop is suitable for those considering owning a business, new entrepreneurs as well as established business owners.

Thinking about starting a small business but you're not sure where to begin? Schedule a one hour consultation on Thursday, February 14th from 6:00-9:00 PM with a mentor from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and receive free and confidential advice from a seasoned professional. To register for a session or for additional information, please contact SCORE representative Ed Krupa.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an internet marketing strategy that strategically considers how search engines work and how people search.  This makes it possible for a website to be on the first page in relevant categories when anyone searches for goods and/or services.   

Join us on Wednesday, January 23rd from 6:30-8:30 PM as Roy of Team Hypernet takes the mystery out of SEO and shows the steps to get your webpage in the top search engine results.  If you are a business owner, be sure to come and pick up some great tips!

The following October events are schedule at the Business Development Center at Schoolcraft College, a great resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs. For details regarding any of these programs, contact the BDC at 734-462-4438.

• Small Business Loan Workshop — Tuesday, October 9, 2:00–4:00 PM, No Charge
• Social Networking for Small Businesses, Tuesday, October 23, 6:00-9:00 PM, $45
• Working for Yourself: The Ins & Outs of Becoming a Consultant, a Contractor, or other Service Provider, Wednesday, October 24, 9:30 AM–12:30 PM, $45

Our Back to Business School series concludes with 
Tweeting for Business Success.   Learn how to use Twitter to connect with and engage potential customers from Mike McClure, president of Social Media Club Detroit and Executive Creative Director at The Yaffe Group on Thursday, September 27, 12:00-1:00 PM.

So, you're considering purchasing a franchise but you have no idea how to begin. You may have questions regarding which franchise to purchase, where to locate it, and how to finance it.

Join franchise owner George Lytle for Franchising 101, part of our Back to Business School Series, on Tuesday, September 18 from 7:00-8:30 PM. George will cover the basics of franchising and give his tips as an 'insider'.

Did you know that author and organizational guru, Julie Morgenstern, met with the counselors at SCORE when she was developing her first business, Task Masters?

If you have a business idea and would like to see it get off the ground, come to Beginning Business with SCORE, part of our Back to Business School series, on Thursday, September 20 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.

CPL's Back to Business School is a great educational opportunity for local businesspeople and entrepreneurs. The following sessions are available:

• Franchising 101 — Tuesday, September 18, 7:00-8:30 PM — with franchise owner George Lytle
• Beginning Business With SCORE — Thursday, September 20, 12:00-1:00 PM
• WordPress to Webpage — Tuesday, September 25, 12:00-1:00 PM — advertise with a free website
• Tweeting for Business Success — Thursday, September 27, 12:00-1:00 PM — with Mike McClure, president of Social Media Club Detroit and Executive Creative Director at The Yaffe Group

Registration is now open: space is limited.

Before you apply for a business loan, first attend a free financing roundtable. Schoolcraft College MI-SBTDC Business Development Center will be hosting a forum on small business lending on Friday, January 20th from 9:00 AM-Noon at the Schoolcraft Livonia campus with teams of bankers, an SBA representative, an SBA business counselor, and business owners like you. The roundtables are best suited for those who have good credit, a solid business idea, and some money to invest in the business. This event is free, but you will need to register online. For more information, contact Schoolcraft College at 734-462-4438.

If you've wondered about franchising as a possible career for you, be sure to attend University of Michigan-Dearborn's January meeting of The Business of Franchising Initiative on January 12th from 6:00-8:00 PM at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dining Room D.  Bob Fish, founder and CEO of Biggby Coffee will be presenting his story of a small business that grew to a franchise with over 130 locations.  The meeting is free, but you will need to register. 

Are you concerned about the potential ramifications of your employees and social media? Aaron Graves, a labor and employment attorney, will discuss the ins and outs of your rights and your employee's rights when it comes to social networking. This Strategies of Success (SOS) seminar takes place on Tuesday, May 17th from 7:30-9:30AM in the Summit on the Park Banquet Center. Space is limited so please reserve your spot by calling the Canton Chamber of Commerce at (734) 453-4040.

Are you looking for some environmentally friendly ideas for your business? Join Eco-Coach Lori Sullivan and Bill Clemens of DTE Energy for some great solutions. Vendors will also be present for even more green tips and products. This Strategies of Success (SOS) seminar takes place on Thursday, February 3^rd from 7:30-9:30AM in the Summit on the Park Banquet Center. Space is limited so please reserve your spot by calling the Canton Chamber of Commerce at (734) 453-4040.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are more than just social networking sites. They're also a great way for businesses to market their products, connect with customers and create a dialog regarding their services. Get started by checking out the following books.

Get connected: the social networking toolkit for business by Starr Hall, Chadd Rosenberg

Facebook marketing: an hour a day by Chris Treadaway, Mari Smith

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - why would you want to use these sites for your business? Join Brenda Meller, Marketing Manager for Walsh College and Amy Lee, Business Librarian at the Canton Public Library, for a look at social networking sites as important and free business tools. The Strategies of Success (SOS) series for 2010-2011 kicks off on Wednesday, October 13th from 7:30-9:30AM in the Summit on the Park Banquet Center. Space is limited so please reserve your spot by calling the Canton Chamber of Commerce at (734) 453-4040.

This program has been discontinued

The Canton Public Library and Canton Economic Development have teamed up to help our community "check out" Canton businesses. It works like the very popular Museum Adventure Pass program. Local businesses supply special offers that you can check out from the library with your library card. Use the passes to save on goods and services throughout Canton.

If your business is interested in participating in this program, please contact Canton Economic Development at (734) 394-5182.