Santa Rosa Junior College

NxLeveL™ Business Start-up Course

About NxLeveL™

The NxLeveL™ Business Start-up Course is an intensive, 10-session, 30-hour small business training program that addresses the questions every entrepreneur needs to answer before starting a new business venture.

Participants will develop a written business plan to test the feasibility of their business concept and to act as a blueprint for their entrepreneurial venture.

Unlike many other education programs which focus primarily on theory, NxLeveL's practical and hands-on approach provides entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary to have an immediate impact on their business.

NxLeveL™ is the one of the world's most effective and proven entrepreneurial training programs. Since 1996, over 80,000 business leaders in 47 states have participated in the program. The current version of the NxLeveL™ Entrepreneur Course was developed in part based on feedback from more than 6,000 entrepreneurs in 12 states who have taken the course during the past six years.

In addition to the core curriculum, NxLeveL™ provides a unique and uncommon networking opportunity with fellow participants and the business community. Participants in this course share ideas, best practices and become advisors to each other. Throughout the class, the instructor will invite local guest speakers to share their expertise in specific areas of business operations.

Who Should Take NxLeveL™?

The Business Start-up Course is designed for soon-to-be entrepreneurs who want to start their own business and need the skills necessary to turn their entrepreneurial vision into reality. The Business Start-up Course is perfect if you are far along in your planning or just have a business idea that you would like to put to the test.

The NxLeveL™ course is also highly-beneficial for leaders of existing businesses that have been in operation less than 2 years of operations.

Class Details

Begins: Wednesday - July 16, 2008

Ends: Wednesday - September 17, 2008

Number of Sessions: 10

Cost: $395 includes comprehensive reference books, guest speakers and breakout sessions to work on your business plan. The cost for additional particpants from the same company is $295 including materials or $195 without materials.

Orientation Sessions: Monday - June 30, 2008 and Wednesday - July 9, 2008

Location: Classes and orientations will be held at the Redwood Empire SBDC Conference Room.

Address: 421 10th Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (10th and Mendocino) Google Map - Click Here

Trainer

Paul Bozzo is a Certified NxLeveL™ Trainer and specialist in entrepreneurial strategy. As a consultant and seminar leader, Paul has more than ten years of experience working directly with CEOs and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Specific areas of expertise include strategic planning, venture capital financing, niche-marketing and Web-based technology. Paul holds a B.S. in Information Systems and MBA from California State University, Fresno.

Course Outline

1. Are You Entrepreneurial Material? Gain an understanding of your personal aptitude to be an entrepreneur.

2. Developing Your Business Concept: Develop a concrete business concept through writing a clear mission statement and goals.

3. Market Research: Gain an understanding of available information resources and begin industry research.

4. Product and Services: Develop compelling product or service descriptions for your specific business model.

5. Legal Fundamentals: Evaluate proper legal structures for your business and determine ways to minimize risk.

6. Marketing: Learn key concepts, terms and "how-to's" of marketing theory and practice.

7. Getting to Market: Develop marketing strategies, explore differences between marketing and advertising and learn how to attract potential customers.

8. Understanding Budgets and Financials: Understand budgets, cash-flow projections, "break-even" scenarios, balance sheets and profit and loss statements.

Raising the Money: Evaluate various financing options and determine which is best for you

Managing the Future: Solidify your business concept and take the next steps to success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How was NxLeveL™ created?

The NxLeveL™ curriculum is based on the collective expertise and input of the brightest minds in small business - academics, successful entrepreneurs and highly-regarded industry experts in fields such as marketing, finance and operations.

What can you tell me about NxLeveL™?

NxLeveL™ is the largest and most proven entrepreneurial training program in the world. The curriculum has been taught in 47 states, 600 communities and 7 countries.
The latest version of the NxLeveL™ Business Start-up Course was developed using the input of more than 4,500 past participants and 180 NxLeveL™ instructors.
NxLeveL™ graduates not only leave with the benefit of sound business training but also a comprehensive business plan to guide future entrepreneurial endeavors.

What are some of the results I can expect?

The bottom-line results from participating in a NxLeveL™ program are real and tangible. A third-party, independent evaluation was commissioned to determine the economic impact of the NxLeveL™ curriculum. The results of the study showed the following:

On average, participant's businesses experienced a 32% increase in gross sales and created 1.3 new jobs within one year after graduation.
Graduates with smaller companies (annual gross sales less than $200,000) experienced an average of more than 200% increase in sales.
The study showed that the majority of NxLeveL™ participants used the business plan created in the course to obtain venture capital or financing for their business.

What else can I expect from the NxLeveL™ Course?

Just some of the things included are - an experienced business educator, prominent local business leaders as guest speakers, networking opportunities with fellow participants, comprehensive reference materials, one-on-one business counseling and a supportive environment to practice creative problem solving.

Graduates Share Their Thoughts

"This course is worth thousands of dollars!" Laura Dahlstedt - Savoir-Faire Salon, Windsor

"The most useful course I've taken in over 20 years being in business." Darryl Nienaber - European Imports, Santa Rosa

"I received more valuable information from the NxLeveL™ program then I have been able to acquire in 30+ years of business." Michael Goldstein - MGCC Events, Novato

"An eye opening experience to what really makes a business work." David Mantooth - Mantooth Construction, Cotati

Articles

North Bay Business Journal | Press Democrat