Entrepreneurship Boot Camps

FIU’s Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center’s popular Boot Camps promise to equip you with and deliver practical tools and real world knowledge from experts who have been groomed to prepare you for combat.

New 2008 Series - FULL DAY FRIDAYS!

Business Plan Writing - February 8, 2008
Alan L. Carsrud, PhD & Colleen Post, MBA - FIU Entrepreneurship Center
Creating Businesses That Get Attention - February 15, 2008
Jeffrey A. Stamp, PhD - University of North Dakota
Accounting Basics for Business Owners - February 29, 2008
Ian Benoliel - NumberCruncher.com
Non-Profit Financial Modeling - March 7, 2008
Carlos Garcia, CPA Goldstein Schechter Koch Price Lucas Horwitz & Co., PA
Vincent Carrodeguas, CPA Goldstein Schechter Koch Price Lucas Horwitz & Co., PA
For-Profit Financial Modeling - March 14, 2008
Robert Hacker, GH Capital Partners
Marketing Strategies - March 28, 2008
Craig Frank, The Tudog Group
Sales and Networking - April 4, 2008
Louis Lautman, International Sales University
David Suarez, Interactive Training Solutions

New Kendall Location:
13755 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33186
(Inside El Dorado Furniture store)

Special Pricing Offers:
$100 per day, Sign up for 5, get 1 session free.
FIU Alumni Association members:
$75 per day
Entrepreneur Challenge Competitors:
$75 per day
FIU Students:
$50 per day

To RSVP for our Boot Camps, please click here.

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BUSINESS PLAN WRITING
February 8, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Whether you are starting a for-profit or non-profit business, a written business plan has been determined to be a key factor in business success. Planning allows business owners to enjoy faster decision making, tools for effectively managing supply and demand, and it helps business owners identify what action steps are required to achieve goals in a timely manner!

Drill Sergeants:
Colleen Post, Associate Director, FIU Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center
Alan Carsrud, Executive Director, FIU Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center

Training Exercises:
This session will focus on the most important components of a business plan designed for growth opportunities and to attract interest in the business.  

This training will prepare you with:

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CREATING BUSINESSES THAT GET ATTENTION
February 15, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A workshop facilitated by University of North Dakota's Dr. Jeffrey Stamp. Dr. Stamp is the Chair of Entrepreneurship and Creativity for the University of N.Dakota and was the driving force behind bringing his program to a top ten status in the Princeton Review rankings.  Dr. Stamp has also founded over 9 companies along with inventing products for companies such as Nike, Frito Lay, Pepsi Co, Chrysler and American Express.  His most well-known creation was the Baked Lays Potato Crisp.

Drill Sergeant:
Jeffrey A. Stamp, PhD, Chair of Entrepreneurship, University of North Dakota

The goal of this workshop is to take a deep look at the factors that can determine whether your company can successfully exist and be competitive in your chosen market.

Training Exercises:
Learn how to boldly communicate how great your company is and why customers need what you have to offer.

This training will provide you with the answers to the following questions about your business.

Laws of Opportunities
What is the overt benefit?
What is the reason to believe?
How is this idea dramatically different?
How to assess consumers adoption hurdles.

The Business Model - Core Components
How do we create value?
Who do we create value for?
What is the source of advantage?
How do we differentiate ourselves?
How do we make money?

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ACCOUNTING BASICS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
February 29, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A large part of understanding the financial side of your business is simply learning the language of accounting. Once you become familiar with basic terms, you will be able to make sense of reports and communicate with others about the important financial information relating to your business. A literate owner is better able to deal with the professionals whose job it is to assure the integrity of the books which also helps stay in control of your business.

You can’t do it all as a small business owner, but you must do some of it. The most critical area in which you must attain acumen is the financial. Competency in overseeing your books will enable you to build a company that thrives.

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NON-PROFIT FINANCIAL MODELING
March 7, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A workshop to increase the comfort of nonprofit managers, board members, and owners to read and interpret nonprofit financial statements.

Training Exercises:

· Review the fundamental concepts and structure of nonprofit financial statements
· Discuss techniques for interpreting this data and incorporating it into decision making 
· Explore how to set goals that help maintain the financial health of the organization
· Understand issues related to developing and using operating budgets and financial statements as a management tool  
· Keeping your organization on track with its annual goals 
· Charting the financial health and vitality of the organization over time  

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FOR-PROFIT FINANCIAL MODELING
March 14, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Drill Sergeant:
Robert Hacker, Managing Director, GH Capital Partners

Training Exercises:
Using an industry-tested and strategy-driven method for developing financials, you will learn one of the most effective processes for developing financial statements that communicate clearly.
This training will review key elements, including:

View a video taken at one of last year's boot camps by clicking here.

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MARKETING STRATEGIES
March 28, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Drill Sergeant:
Craig Frank, Founder/CEO, The Tudog Group

Training Exercises:
This session focuses on the importance of marketing, selecting the right channels for your business, creating an effective brand, and campaign implementation and execution.
This training will prepare you with:

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SALES & NETWORKING
April 4, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

SALES STRATEGIES FOR GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
April 4, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to Noon

Drill Sergeant:
Louis Lautman, InternationalSalesU

Training Exercises:

Goal Setting and the 7 Key Steps of the Perfect Sales Process

• Prospecting – Discover new ways to generate more business.
• Building Rapport – Create positive first impressions
• Qualification – Qualify like a top producer
• Presentation – Engage your clients and compel them to buy
• Eliminating Objections – Perfect a process for overcoming any objection
• Closing – Master proven techniques for closing any sale
• Referrals – Double your qualified referrals immediately

POWER NETWORKING
April 4, 2008, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Drill Sergeant:
David Suarez, Founder/CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

Training Exercises:

• Effective Communication – Power Networking is designed to identify key information professionals need to communicate to others, whether they are selling a product or service, while crafting an engaging and effective message

• Solid Professional Contacts – Power Networking offers professionals the unique opportunity to meet other professionals looking to improve their networking skills, while focusing on creating lasting business relationships from "first time" meetings

• Business Relationship Cultivation – Power Networking features strategies on organizing new contacts and how to generate new business from networking with other professionals, regardless of industry

  
  

To RSVP for our Boot Camps, please click here.

For more information, please send an e-mail to entrepreneurship@fiu.edu.