Outstanding opportunities are available to English- and Spanish-speaking women entrepreneurs in Kane County through a relatively new Women’s Business Center in Aurora.

The Women’s Business Development Center headquartered in Chicago has expanded its entrepreneurship programs and services to startup and emerging women business owners in DuPage, Kane, Will and Kendall counties. Its office in the Aurora Chamber of Commerce building at 43 W. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora houses the second Women’s Business Center in the state of Illinois.

The WBC offices offers programs and services in Spanish and English with a focus on the following:

• Access to Information. Comprehensive counseling and training on a range of topics (in person as well as online/on demand, in both English and Spanish).
• Access to Contacts. The WBDC’s annual Early Childhood Education Entrepreneurship Expo, an annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference, and many other networking events.
• Access to Contracts. Procurement technical assistance and supplier diversity panels.
• Access to Capital. Financial counseling, assistance with debt and equity placement, referrals to alternative sources of funding, and direct lending.

The WBDC has been doing business in Aurora as one of eight members of the inaugural class of ScaleUp America contractors selected to assist the Small Business Administration in the delivery of targeted, cohort-based assistance to high-potential small businesses primed for growth beyond the early (nascent or emerging) stages.

With its new Women’s Business Center program in Aurora, the WBDC can now serve a broader range of entrepreneurs and small businesses, adding early stage businesses to the client mix.

The WBDC is a 30-year-old non-profit that is nationally recognized in the field of economic development, providing programs and services to support and accelerate small business ownership, create jobs, fuel economic growth, and build strong communities.

The WBDC hosts a Small Business Development Center, a Women’s Business Center Chicago, a Women’s Business Center Aurora, a Procurement Technical Assistance Center, a Veterans Business Outreach Center, a ScaleUp program in Aurora, and a Direct Lending Program.

Upcoming Seminars at WBC Aurora

La Conexion: Manifesta tus Sueños

• Fecha: Marzo 1, 2017
• Hora: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Costo: Gratis

En esta reunion del grupo La Conexion – un grupo en Español de empoderamiento personal y desarollo empresarial- aprenderas estrategias para realizer tus metas y diseñaras una tabla de sueños para ayudarte a manifestar tu vida y negocio ideal. La Conexion tipicamente se reune cada ultimo miercoles del mes

Introduccion a DreamBuilder: Construye el Negocio de tus Sueños

• Fecha: Marzo 1, 2017
• Hora: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Costo: Gratis

DreamBuilder: El Creador de Negocios para la Mujer es un curso único de Capacitación de Negocios y certificado que se realiza enlinea, disponible por medio del Internet, cuando y donde quiera que se encuentre en su negocio.

Este curso te enseña los pasos básicos para iniciar y hacer crecer un negocio, incluyendo temas como Marketing, Finanzas, Recursos Humanos y poner Precios. Cada curso es guiado por Alma, un personaje ficticio quien es dueña de su propia empresa. Una telenovela surge durante el programa, que entretiene, refuerza las lecciones aprendidas y motiva.

Intro to Developing your Childcare Business

• Date: March 7, 2017
• Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Cost: $20

In this seminar, you will receive an introduction on how to plan for starting a childcare business. The facilitator will discuss how to put together a satisfactory business plan, how to financially plan for your venture, and what steps you need to take to ensure that you are ready to seek additional financing.

Special attention will be paid to conducting a successful market analysis for your childcare business and developing a concept that will set your business apart from other competitors in your area. The session will finish with an overview of a timeline as it pertains to preparing for DCFS licensing, finding a suitable building, finalizing your financial statements in order to seek financing, and having everything in order before opening the doors of your childcare business.

Business 101: Get the Legal Stuff Right; Avoid Costly Legal Mistakes

• Date: Thursday, March 9
• Time: 6 pm. to 9 p.m.
• Cost: $20

Thinking of starting a business? Recently started one? Ready to form your Corp or LLC? Already operating a small business or growth business? If you are an entrepreneur, start-up, small business, or growth business, please join us for this seminar on legal info to help you avoid costly legal mistakes in forming, owning and operating a business.

Nancy Fallon-Houle, a business lawyer and owner of Velocity Law, LLC, will cover common mistakes, tips, tricks, landmines, and hot topics on these topics and many others: Non-Compete Agreements; Intellectual Property – Ownership and Protection; Name Searches; Corporation vs. LLC, Business Formation Mistakes; Piercing the Corporate Veil; Business Filings & Licenses; Industry Regulation; Partners vs. No Partners; Worker Classification (Employee vs. Contractor); Fiduciary Duty; Conflicts of Interest; Website Use; Due Diligence; Contracts Tips & Tricks; Funding Options; Exit Strategies; Selling Your Business.

Entrepreneurial Strategies for Work-Life Balance

• Date: March 15, 2017
• Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Cost: $20

It often seems like the day takes us over, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, out of balance and out of control. As a result, we’re not as productive as we’d like, and the things that matter most get neglected. With a clear strategy and a plan of action, we can experience a deeper level of accomplishment and fulfillment in the most important areas of our lives both personally and professionally. This workshop will help you gain clarity, prioritize tasks, become more efficient and effective personally and professionally, and create an action plan to start seeing results.

To learn more about the WBDC, visit www.WBDC.org. More information about the Women’s Business Center Aurora is available on the website or by calling 630.896.3735.

SOURCE: Women’s Business Development Center news release